Tommy's Chili

[dave29]

I moved to Colorado 6 years ago and aside from surfing, great boating, car driving seasons, friends etc., there are a few food's now missing from my diet. "Munch Box" on Devonshire in Chatsworth. "In'Out" burger, "Bob's" and last but not least, "Tommy's" chili. I've been researching the internet for a Tommy's chili recipe and even tried to cook up a few that were posted. Alas, not the original. Anyone have the original Tommy's chili recipe for a, getting thinner every day and needing a grease fix, ex Californian?
Thanks

 

[4Waters]

You named the only things good about California, short of Cupid's Hotdogs, Pinks and the Hat, that pretty much sums it up.

 

[coolchange]

Wallymart has house label hot dog sauce chili sauce or something like that. TPC turned me on to it. Dont care for it on dogs but makes a pretty good burger. Not tommies but close. Also XLNT chili made by the tamale people is pretty good. Its in the deli case not canned. Sorry cant help with a recipe. They sell it by the container a Tommies now. I know that doesnt help though.

 

[500bbc]

Wallymart has house label hot dog sauce chili sauce or something like that. TPC turned me on to it. Dont care for it on dogs but makes a pretty good burger. Not tommies but close. Also XLNT chili made by the tamale people is pretty good. Its in the deli case not canned. Sorry cant help with a recipe. They sell it by the container a Tommies now. I know that doesnt help though.

This is as close as you'll get, I think you can still order it online.

 

[dave29]

This is as close as you'll get, I think you can still order it online.

Thanks, I checked that out last year but shipping the chili to Colorado was ridiculous cost wise. Let's see if anyone else has an idea.

 

[dave29]

Ok, I broke down and ordered 1 gallon. Figured I could freeze in smaller Ziplocks and get 20 or more servings. Shipping was ..............$104. OUCH.

 

[Old Texan]

Just my opinion, but I've never found canned chile that even comes close to chile made from scratch with fresh ingredients and care. Colorado has some great venison that will produce primo chile......:rolleyes

 

[SoCalDave]

1 gallon...Shipping was ..............$104. OUCH.

WTF. Did they send it by private plane...:yikes

 

[charlyox]

Here you go:


Chili Chili Without Beans

Tommy's Chili:
"This recipe dates back to 1946. It has the right combination of water, flour, broth, and spices to create a thick, tomatoless chili con carne."

Ingredients
1 h 30 m

6 servings

271 cals


1 pound ground beef
Ground Beef Regular


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/3 cups beef broth
Swanson? Beef Broth
100% natural, nothing artificial, just rich beef flavor

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1 quart water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons finely grated carrot
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Stevia in The Raw? Baker's Bag
Measures cup for cup, just like sugar.
See Recipes
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1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Add all ingredients to list
Directions
Add a note

Print

Prep
20 m
Cook
40 m
Ready In
1 h 30 m
Place the beef in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Transfer beef to a strainer over a saucepan, and allow grease to drain for about 5 minutes. Mix any drippings remaining in skillet into the saucepan. There should be about 1/2 cup drippings. Return beef to skillet.
Heat the beef drippings in the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually mix in 1/4 cup flour. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring continuously, to form a golden brown roux. Pour in the beef broth, and remove from heat.
Pour the water into the skillet with the beef, and mix in remaining flour. Stir in the roux mixture, chili powder, carrot, vinegar, onion, salt, sugar, paprika, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking 15 minutes, until thickened. When it's done cooking, take the chili off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes before using it on burgers, etc. It should thicken to a tasty brown paste as it sits.

You might also like


Quick Chili I
A quick, super-delicious chili that's ready in under an hour!


Just Like Wendy's? Chili
The delicious secret to making your favorite fast-food chili at home!


Best Damn Chili
Perhaps the best chili recipe out there.
Get the magazine

 

[Old Texan]

Here you go:


Chili Chili Without Beans

Tommy's Chili:
"This recipe dates back to 1946. It has the right combination of water, flour, broth, and spices to create a thick, tomatoless chili con carne."

Ingredients
1 h 30 m

6 servings

271 cals


1 pound ground beef
Ground Beef Regular


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/3 cups beef broth
Swanson? Beef Broth
100% natural, nothing artificial, just rich beef flavor

ADVERTISEMENT

1 quart water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons finely grated carrot
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Stevia in The Raw? Baker's Bag
Measures cup for cup, just like sugar.
See Recipes
ADVERTISEMENT

1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Add all ingredients to list
Directions
Add a note

Print

Prep
20 m
Cook
40 m
Ready In
1 h 30 m
Place the beef in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Transfer beef to a strainer over a saucepan, and allow grease to drain for about 5 minutes. Mix any drippings remaining in skillet into the saucepan. There should be about 1/2 cup drippings. Return beef to skillet.
Heat the beef drippings in the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually mix in 1/4 cup flour. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring continuously, to form a golden brown roux. Pour in the beef broth, and remove from heat.
Pour the water into the skillet with the beef, and mix in remaining flour. Stir in the roux mixture, chili powder, carrot, vinegar, onion, salt, sugar, paprika, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking 15 minutes, until thickened. When it's done cooking, take the chili off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes before using it on burgers, etc. It should thicken to a tasty brown paste as it sits.

You might also like


Quick Chili I
A quick, super-delicious chili that's ready in under an hour!


Just Like Wendy's? Chili
The delicious secret to making your favorite fast-food chili at home!


Best Damn Chili
Perhaps the best chili recipe out there.
Get the magazine

And if that sounds like a lot of work, someone willing to spend a $104 bucks to ship in a gallon, could hire a professional chef to whip up a big batch......

 

[dave29]

Here you go:


Chili Chili Without Beans

Tommy's Chili:
"This recipe dates back to 1946. It has the right combination of water, flour, broth, and spices to create a thick, tomatoless chili con carne."

Ingredients
1 h 30 m

6 servings

271 cals


1 pound ground beef
Ground Beef Regular


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/3 cups beef broth
Swanson? Beef Broth
100% natural, nothing artificial, just rich beef flavor

ADVERTISEMENT

1 quart water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons finely grated carrot
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Stevia in The Raw? Baker's Bag
Measures cup for cup, just like sugar.
See Recipes
ADVERTISEMENT

1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Add all ingredients to list
Directions
Add a note

Print

Prep
20 m
Cook
40 m
Ready In
1 h 30 m
Place the beef in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Transfer beef to a strainer over a saucepan, and allow grease to drain for about 5 minutes. Mix any drippings remaining in skillet into the saucepan. There should be about 1/2 cup drippings. Return beef to skillet.
Heat the beef drippings in the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually mix in 1/4 cup flour. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring continuously, to form a golden brown roux. Pour in the beef broth, and remove from heat.
Pour the water into the skillet with the beef, and mix in remaining flour. Stir in the roux mixture, chili powder, carrot, vinegar, onion, salt, sugar, paprika, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking 15 minutes, until thickened. When it's done cooking, take the chili off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes before using it on burgers, etc. It should thicken to a tasty brown paste as it sits.

You might also like


Quick Chili I
A quick, super-delicious chili that's ready in under an hour!


Just Like Wendy's? Chili
The delicious secret to making your favorite fast-food chili at home!


Best Damn Chili
Perhaps the best chili recipe out there.
Get the magazine

I'll give it a try.

 

[TPC]

Wallymart has house label hot dog sauce chili sauce or something like that. TPC turned me on to it. Dont care for it on dogs but makes a pretty good burger. Not tommies but close. Also XLNT chili made by the tamale people is pretty good. Its in the deli case not canned. Sorry cant help with a recipe. They sell it by the container a Tommies now. I know that doesnt help though.

Yeah ya mix a little Trader Joes enchilada sauce with it and a tiny bit of Gebhearts sparingly and you are approaching Tommy’s.
Tommys is best enjoyed in small portions. They put very little on their burgers dogs and burritos.
I’ve asked for extra and nope, less is more.

 

[500bbc]

Yeah ya mix a little Trader Joes enchilada sauce with it and a tiny bit of Gebhearts sparingly and you are approaching Tommy?s.
Tommys is best enjoyed in small portions. They put very little on their burgers dogs and burritos.
I?ve asked for extra and nope, less is more.

??? They are a dripping mess of delicious. Ask for extra and they'll load it up with the wrapper flipped up like a cone and they'll stick a spoon in it.
Along with the yellow chilies they cannot be beat or matched.

Crap, my mouth is watering now.

 

[McRib]

Fucking YUCK! Tommys chilli is fucking disgusting! Hell, their food is nasty! uke:

 

[pronstar]

Don't trust a fart after a Tommy's Chili [emoji15]

 

[500bbc]

Fucking YUCK! Tommys chilli is fucking disgusting! Hell, their food is nasty! uke:

Shit, I've polished off four double burgers with extra chili, a handful of yellow papers and an order of chili fries in one sitting.


You sure you're talking about the real Tommy's and not a cheap imitation?

 

[McRib]

Shit, I've polished off four double burgers with extra chili, a handful of yellow papers and an order of chili fries in one sitting.


You sure you're talking about the real Tommy's and not a cheap imitation?

I'm talking about OG LA rampart tommys and the rest of them. It's fucking disgusting.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Mmm, a double cheese with an order of chili cheese fries - I can feel my heart slow down as I type this.

 

[500bbc]

I'm talking about OG LA rampart tommys and the rest of them. It's fucking disgusting.

You blaspheme! :eek

 

[Willie B]

...go dumpster diving behind a Tommys...you most likely will find a container the chili is shipped in...this worked for a friend of mines hotdog stand...he wanted to be able to purchase the chili that cupids uses...

 

[coolchange]

Ya all this talk I had to hit Cupids on the way home from PT.
Lol Ribby called Tommys food.

 

[Member: 71]

...go dumpster diving behind a Tommys...you most likely will find a container the chili is shipped in...this worked for a friend of mines hotdog stand...he wanted to be able to purchase the chili that cupids uses...

:eek

 

[beaverretriever]

Fucking YUCK! Tommys chilli is fucking disgusting! Hell, their food is nasty! uke:

This coming from the guy with the screen name McRib! Yeah, I agree Tommy's is not the best. I don't have the disdain for it like you, but I would rather eat at another burger joint for sure.

I would say the chili on the dogs and burgers at Der Weinerschnitzel is pretty close to Tommy's as well.

 

[McRib]

This coming from the guy with the screen name McRib! Yeah, I agree Tommy's is not the best. I don't have the disdain for it like you, but I would rather eat at another burger joint for sure.

I would say the chili on the dogs and burgers at Der Weinerschnitzel is pretty close to Tommy's as well.

My screen name has NOTHING to do with the McDonald's sandwich! Lol

 

[beaverretriever]

My screen name has NOTHING to do with the McDonald's sandwich! Lol

I know, just thought it was funny.

 

[TPC]

The Beverly and Rampart seems to be the best place.
Been hitting it since a Tommy Burger was 50 cents and considerably bigger than it is now.
Nathan’s hot dogs are better at Coney Island too. The NYPD Leo’s say it’s the salt air that kissed the dog on the ass.

 

[RiverDave]

We never had tommy's down where I lived but I have had it a couple times..

If you take just about any canned chili and just add a little ketchup to it, it kinda gives it that sweet flavor that Tommy's has.

 

[rush1]

You named the only things good about California, short of Cupid's Hotdogs, Pinks and the Hat, that pretty much sums it up.

Beat me to it, I was going to say cupids

 

[Willie B]

...screw it I'm going down to Tommy's going to try to get my 23-year-old neighbor to dumpster dive and find a label from a can of Tommys chili...:eek

 

[TPC]

Tommy’s sells their chili over the counter.
Comes in three sizes.
“Putting beans in chili is like putting bread in meatloaf” -Wm McCulloch

 

[Willie B]

...It looks as though Tommy's gets their chili from RC Provisions a Giamela Meat Company in Burbank California...look in the lower left-hand corner of the 3rd pic...the pic of the box...

...I bought my 34' live board yacht and my 20' Chris Craft Custom Runabout from Tom Koulax Jr...son of the founder of Tommy's,..Tom Koulax Sr...

...By the way we stopped at ...In and Out ...for a burger before we hit the Rampart Tommy's for pics..lol...

 

[Willie B]

... I just did a little Internet research and that flower is added to the chili to make the chili stick to the hamburger,...along with secret spices???...I don't know for sure whether the chili bought in Burbank has flower and spices added at each Tommy's location...But I did find cardboard boxes from a flower manufacturer next to the chili box???...
...I also just saw a video saying that every day at the Rampart Tommy's they make two big vats of chili at 90 pounds each or possibly total...so where are we back to square one really not knowing what's in Tommy's Chili...I guess someone would have to purchase chili from RC...add some flour and see what you come up with???...

 

[dave29]

I too researched RC. Looks like they sell their chili con carne at Smart and Final. I asked a friend to ship me a 5lb package to try out. Also, I was suprised to see how many top end restaurants use RC meats.

 

[Moody]

I thought the "Tommies" on Sherman way, across from Abners Yellow barn was better. Loved their fries!

 

[Willie B]

...I may...after dark...hit Tommy's dumpster again and look for boxes that indicate they contained spices...I want to say I remember seeing a box with a spice distributor's name on it...but since that's not what I was originally looking for... I'm just not sure???...

 

[Tank]

I've never eaten at Tommy's. But I do like bean-less chili and make my own like hot dog chili.

Cupids hot dog chili is BOMB as is Carneys across from the Standard on Sunset in Hollywood. :thumbsup

 

[TPC]

Dunno if any of you remember Tommy’s had no napkins until the old man died.
If ever a slop chute needed napkins it’s Tommy’s.

 

[TPC]

The frozen bricks of chili you can sometimes get at Fart & Smile is amazing.

 

[RiverDave]

... I just did a little Internet research and that flower is added to the chili to make the chili stick to the hamburger,...along with secret spices???...I don't know for sure whether the chili bought in Burbank has flower and spices added at each Tommy's location...But I did find cardboard boxes from a flower manufacturer next to the chili box???...
...I also just saw a video saying that every day at the Rampart Tommy's they make two big vats of chili at 90 pounds each or possibly total...so where are we back to square one really not knowing what's in Tommy's Chili...I guess someone would have to purchase chili from RC...add some flour and see what you come up with???...

Add some ketchup.. lol. Im telling ya!

 

[RogerThat99]

I have only eaten at Tommy's once (the one in Long Beach). I thought it was great. I kept thinking this won't turn out like the China Buffet incident, will it? LOL.

 

[coolchange]

...It looks as though Tommy's gets their chili from RC Provisions a Giamela Meat Company in Burbank California...look in the lower left-hand corner of the 3rd pic...the pic of the box...

...I bought my 34' live board yacht and my 20' Chris Craft Custom Runabout from Tom Koulax Jr...son of the founder of Tommy's,..Tom Koulax Sr...

...By the way we stopped at ...In and Out ...for a burger before we hit the Rampart Tommy's for pics..lol...

Dude....lol. Way to get after a quest!

 

[coolchange]

I've never eaten at Tommy's. But I do like bean-less chili and make my own like hot dog chili.

Cupids hot dog chili is BOMB as is Carneys across from the Standard on Sunset in Hollywood. :thumbsup

I had a friend back in the day that wanted to open a Cupids on balboa island. Went sfter the old man and he wouldnt budge with the brand. He pulled a Wille B and found all the suppliers but figured it was useless without the brand. He had the pull to make it happen too. Then the pld man died and the kids whored the name.

 

[Willie B]

Dunno if any of you remember Tommy?s had no napkins until the old man died.
If ever a slop chute needed napkins it?s Tommy?s.

...I don't remember the napkin bit...but I do know the old man was a cheapskate...all the yachts that passed through he and his sons hands had been donations to the Boy Scouts Of America...

 

[500bbc]

...I don't remember the napkin bit...but I do know the old man was a cheapskate...all the yachts that passed through he and his sons hands had been donations to the Boy Scouts Of America...

Well, they've had napkins for at least fifty years.
Big thick paper towel style.

 

[AzGeo]

There is a Fart and Smile, on highway 95, near Oatman Road .

They list "RC chili" as a normal stocking item . YEA !

Thank you to everyone that offered up help and guidance, Jim Rockford would be proud of you guys ..........

 

[warpt71]

There is a Fart and Smile, on highway 95, near Oatman Road .

They list "RC chili" as a normal stocking item . YEA !

Thank you to everyone that offered up help and guidance, Jim Rockford would be proud of you guys ..........

Im headed that way (CA) this weekend. I could bring home some chilli to go for ya. Then we may have to get together for a bbq and drinks at someones house :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

 

[500bbc]

There is a Fart and Smile, on highway 95, near Oatman Road .

They list "RC chili" as a normal stocking item . YEA !

Thank you to everyone that offered up help and guidance, Jim Rockford would be proud of you guys ..........

Get some XLNT at the same time and do a blind taste test.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Here's a couple of links to supposedly the Tommy's chili recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/79779/tommys-chili/

http://www.noshcookbook.com/2011/07/original-tommys-chili-recipe.html

 

[boatsntoys]

Left Burbank yesterday for the drive home to bullhead. Having read this thread, thought we would take a detour and go to tommys on Rampart. It was as good as I remember 40 years ago. Ate on the road, spilled a little here and there , nothing major. But then also left the bags in the car overnight. Oh man , besides reliving that chili burger over and over again the last two days, the car needs a total
Fumigation.
But it was worth it

 

[TPC]

Their was a bakery strike around the late 60's early 70's.
Tommy Koulax rented ovens and baked his own Hamburger buns in the parking lot.
They had no napkins when I was a kid.
My mom would bring a roll of paper towels.

Tommy and who I believe are his three sisters (if I remember correctly):