Home Run Inn

[TMTM]

Has anyone recreated Home Run Inn's pizza?

[Mad_Ernie]

There are probably at least a few recipes on the Chicago Style forum.  If you plug in Home Run Inn you'll find them.

Here's one:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6112.0.html

-ME

[Pete-zza]

The front part of the HRI reverse engineering/cloning exercise is at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6009.msg51517.html#msg51517.

Peter

[TMTM]

I read those threads.. and remembered something about a heated press... I was looking for pizza tools online and ran into a cast iron press.. used to cook bacon faster... I wonder if a 9" cast iron press could be used?

[loowaters]

The heated dough press I believe is only used in the frozen operation to form the skins before being dressed and par-baked.

Loo

[Pete-zza]

The heated dough press I believe is only used in the frozen operation to form the skins before being dressed and par-baked.

Loo,

My memory is that the hot presses are used in most of the HRI stores, as I noted at Reply 11 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6009.msg51754/topicseen.html#msg51754.

Peter

[loowaters]

My bad!  Thanks for straightening that out.

Loo

[TMTM]

Hi Loowaters, I was looking at your recipe.. you use the dough sameday you make the dough? How does it turn out compared to 24 hours in the fridge?

[loowaters]

TM2, it comes out just fine.  Tinker with it, I've found the differences to be minimal but if I'm planning it a day in advance, I'll make it a day in advance with colder water and a fridge rise.  I've been using IDY exclusively of late, 2 lbs. of it will do that to you.

Loo

[TMTM]

Loowaters, I notice that HRI pizza was most similar to Barnaby's I have ever found... have only had the frozen HRI found at Costco here in Alpharetta, GA. All the pizza place in GA are NY style etc. I also notice that your recipe for HRI used a high % of oil in it compared to other types of pizza. I found a recipe for Barnaby's that used about the same % of oil. I just made a pizza today and it really spot on for Barnaby's and I'll be posting over on the Barnaby's post.

[loowaters]

Yes, a very high oil content and quite in line with deep dish formulations like Malnati's.  I'm not familiar with Barnaby's at all but it's good to know for you that it's similar enough to maybe tinker and fine tune for you.

Loo

[BTB]

Among my dozen or so favorite all-time thin crust pizzas (from my 35+ years of Chicago area residency) is HRI and Barnaby's.  For a few years, I used to live a couple of short miles from the then only and original HRI on the planet on 31st St in greater Chicago, IL.  I, for one, saw the difference between HRI and Barnaby's very, very differently from that expressed here.  Both great but their crust didn't resemble the other IMO in the slightest bit..  I think Barnaby's is a little drier and utilizes some cornmeal or semolina or what not and tastes vastly different from HRI.  When I'm "up north" for the summer, I still travel over to the two South Bend, Indiana Barnaby pizzerias for a real good old-fashion treat.  But there are also many other Barnaby locations still, as with HRI, in the Chicago metro area.  And I am in seventh heaven with the opportunity to return to HRI Valhalla, which is the best and only really great HRI pizzeria on 31st. in Chicago proper.

I have been super disappointed, however, with the frozen HRI pizzas in our local grocery stores (even down here in Florida).  I note a slight, slight taste familiarity with the original HRI, but the frozen grocery store product is a insult to the original, I think.  Beside a vastly different taste or flavoring, the frozen HRI crusts are SUBSTANTIALLY thinner ( I know there's a even a super thinner version available at the supermarket) than the original restaurant HRI version.  When I lived nearby the original Home Run Inn tavern, they were highly noted for being a "thick-thin" variety of the great Chicago non-deep dish pizza.  That term seemed to have disappeared in their vernacular, however.  I know it is hard for my great East Coast friends to imagine, but the HRI crust was thick BUT crispy and did NOT exist in a floppy, foldover fashion.  Heaven forbid.  It was tender, crispy, flavorful, delicious and a wonderful mouth tasting delight that tickled your tongue beyond imagination, more so that any NY thin crust could ever do (being a little sarcastic). 

My "bucket list" includes re-trying Loo's HRI recipe.

                                                                                                          --BTB

[TMTM]

Hi BTB,

My intention was not to say that HRI and Barnaby's are the same and I've never had the restaurant HRI just the frozen. Here in GA there aren't maybe Chicago style pizza places just NY... when I tried the HRI frozen it was closer to Barnaby's then say California Pizza or DiGiorno.. the crunchy crust and the sausage.. anyway I tend to generalize a bit hehe. I grew up in Mishawaka, IN and have only been to the Mishawaka and South Bend location of Barnaby's. I found a recipe for Barnbaby's dough and it turned out very close. I'll make a topic in Chicago style for Barnaby's and post the recipe and things I've found... I'd like to see others perfect a recipe for everything Barnaby's. I think Phillip Johnson's recipe is a good starting point.

[zitomj]

Take a look at them making the pizza in the restaurant

<a href="http://youtu.be/TsQCgtla79E" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://youtu.be/TsQCgtla79E</a>

To the guy that thinks the HRI frozen are much different I beg to differ. I go to HRI at least once a year as I am able to buy their frozen pizzas in Texas where I now live. Their frozen pizza is the king of frozen and it is so much like the store it's unbelievable. No frozen can completely duplicate an original but theirs is made from all the same products from crust to sausage and a special note it is the number one selling frozen pizza in Chicago. I doubt if the entire Chicago area can be wrong. The biggest differences can be in how you cook it. The box now says cook on a rack in the oven but for a softer crust closer to the store cook it on a pan.

[Pete-zza]

Take a look at them making the pizza in the restaurant
http://youtu.be/TsQCgtla79E

I go to HRI at least once a year as I am able to buy their frozen pizzas in Texas where I now live.

zitomj,

Thank you for the link to the HRI video. In due course, I hope to revisit this subject and to post an update at the main HRI thread if appropriate. In the meantime, can you tell me where you have been able to find the frozen HRI pizzas where you live in Texas?

Peter

[BTB]

To the guy that thinks the HRI frozen are much different I beg to differ. I go to HRI at least once a year . . .

To each his own, my friend.  I guess if we all had the same tastes in things, it would be a boring world, eh?
 
I had been going to the original Home Run Inn pizzeria in Chicago when they just had that small tavern pictured on that video.  The last time that I was at the former great original HRI on 31st St., I learned (1) that the pizza was very far from being as good as it once was (. . . I know, my opinion only),(2) that they've converted over from the old great deck ovens to the disreputed conveyor oven for efficiency and cost savings (just like Domino's, Pizza Hut, Little Ceasars and other great (sic) chain pizzerias), and (3) that the "thick/thin" crust that they were once so famous for is forever gone.  Regular thin crust pizza like that served at many Chicago area pizzerias is all that they now serve.  And I do not find their frozen pizzas that are available now in many places across the country to be very good at all, either in Texas, Florida or elsewheres.  Sad commentary -- at least to me -- on a once super great pizza, but . . . they are making more money ($$$) now than ever.
 
                                                                                       --BTB

[md8232]

To each his own, my friend.  I guess if we all had the same tastes in things, it would be a boring world, eh?
 
I had been going to the original Home Run Inn pizzeria in Chicago when they just had that small tavern pictured on that video.  The last time that I was at the former great original HRI on 31st St., I learned (1) that the pizza was very far from being as good as it once was (. . . I know, my opinion only),(2) that they've converted over from the old great deck ovens to the disreputed conveyor oven for efficiency and cost savings (just like Domino's, Pizza Hut, Little Ceasars and other great (sic) chain pizzerias), and (3) that the "thick/thin" crust that they were once so famous for is forever gone.  Regular thin crust pizza like that served at many Chicago area pizzerias is all that they now serve.  And I do not find their frozen pizzas that are available now in many places across the country to be very good at all, either in Texas, Florida or elsewheres.  Sad commentary -- at least to me -- on a once super great pizza, but . . . they are making more money ($$$) now than ever.
 
                                                                                       --BTB

BTB,
I worked for Sears at Homan & Arthington in 1976.  Made many trips to HRI for lunch.  I'd thought of a visit next time I'm in Chicago,
but after reading your report, maybe not.  I was a North Sider and many of my favorites are long gone.  Thankfully we have the HRI
clone!