Ingredients
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- 2 Tbsp. neutral oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. crushed garlic or garlic paste
- 1 tsp. ginger paste (highly-optional TFD addition - feel free to omit)
- 1 1/2 tsp. crushed chili flakes, preferably kochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3/4 lb. ground beef (80/20)
- 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, no casing (TFD change, original was beef)
- 1 1/4 cups finely-diced yellow or Maui sweet onion (Maui preferred)
- 3/4 cup finely-diced celery, de-stringed before chopping
- 1/2 cup finely-diced peeled carrots
- 1/4 cup Judge Casey's Ketchup (preferred - DO NOT SUBSTITUTE ANY OTHER BRAND)
- 2 tsp. dark soy sauce with mushroom extract (optional TFD addition)
- 2 tsp. mirin (optional TFD addition)
- 1 1/2 tsp. gochujang (optional TFD addition)
- Half a (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 tsp. yuzu kosho (optional TFD addition)
- 1 Tbsp. Gebhardt's chili powder, or more to taste
- scant 1/8 tsp. mesquite liquid smoke (optional TFD addition)
- freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- Salted butter, at room temperature (or use TFD'S preferred 'trick' for great browning AND easy spreading - use mayonnaise instead (TFD only uses Best Food/Hellmann's (Hellmann's is the name brand used on the east coast, Best is used on the west coast) or Duke's
- 16 slices Oroweat potato bread, crusts removed and trimmed into rounds (or just use the proper round sandwich press if you own one)
- 16 slices American cheese (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE)
Instructions
- In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and chili flakes and cook about 1 minute (until fragrant).
- Add the beef and sausage and cook until browned, then stir in the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and carrots soften, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain fat and discard.
- Stir in the ketchup, miso and gochujang. Stir in the mushroom soup, gochujang, mirin, liquid smoke, yuzu kosho, dark soy sauce and chili powder. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes until fully incorporated.
- Season to taste with black pepper and adjust flavor profile to your preference. Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl, and rinse and dry the skillet (if you don’t have a sandwich press, you’ll need it again).
- Generously butter (or use the TFD mayo trick, which works better) one side of each slice of the bread. Place 2 slices of bread, butter-side down, in the sandwich press or skillet and top each with 1 slice of cheese. Spoon ¼ to ⅓ cup of the meat mixture onto one piece of bread and top it with the other.
- If you have a proper Vintage Original 1940’s Toas-Tite Pie Sandwich Maker or a modern replica – use it! Press each sandwich in one, trim off excess and cook, preferably over an open fire, in a grill or on a gas stove until done. Check doneness by simply opening the press.
- If you don’t have a sandwich press – fear not! The flying saucers won’t be pretty, but they will be delicious!
- Heat the cleaned skillet over medium heat. Cook, squishing the sandwich down gently but firmly with a spatula, until the bread is well browned on both sides and the cheese is gooey, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Keep the finished ones warm in a low oven, or eat straight away.