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1
Make the Pink Sauce
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and soy sauce together in a small bowl until completely smooth and pink. Taste and add a little more ketchup for sweetness or lime for sharpness, then put the bowl in the fridge.
Chilling the sauce for even 10 minutes lets the flavours settle and keeps the burger cool against the hot patty.
Done when: A smooth, pale-pink sauce with no streaks.
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2
Season & Shape the Patties
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Put the beef in a bowl with the chopped white onion, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, oregano, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Mix gently with your hands just until combined, then divide into 4 equal portions and press each into a patty about 2 cm thick, pressing a shallow dip in the centre of each one.
Overworking the mince makes a tough, dense patty — stop as soon as it holds together.
Done when: Four even patties, slightly wider than the rolls, with a shallow dip in the centre.
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3
Grill the Patties & Vegetables
10 Mins
Hot grill, about 200°C (400°F)
Brush the grill or a heavy pan with the oil and heat it until it is very hot. Grill the patties for 4–5 minutes a side until well browned and the centre reaches 71°C (160°F) on a thermometer — ground beef must reach 71°C (160°F). In the last 2 minutes, lay the tomato slices and red onion rings on the grill beside the patties until lightly charred at the edges.
Do not press the patties with a spatula — it squeezes out the juices.
Done when: Patties browned outside, no pink inside, and 71°C (160°F) at the centre.
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4
Toast the Rolls & Warm the Cabbage
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 180°C (350°F)
Split the rolls and toast the cut sides on the grill for 1 minute until golden. Toss the shredded cabbage in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the pink sauce, then warm it briefly on the grill or in a pan for 1 minute, just until it softens slightly.
Warming the cabbage is the street-vendor touch — it wilts just enough to hug the patty.
Done when: Golden rolls and cabbage that is warm and glossy, not raw and stiff.
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5
Assemble & Serve at Once
5 Mins
Serving temperature, about 70°C (158°F)
Set a patty on each bottom roll, top with the griddled tomato and onion, then pile on the sauced cabbage. Spoon the remaining pink sauce generously over the top, close the roll and press down lightly. Serve at once, wrapped in foil if you want the full street-food effect.
Eat it straight away — the sauce soaks into the roll within minutes, which is exactly how a chimi should be.
Done when: A tall, dripping burger with pink sauce running down the sides.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the chimi hot, with plenty of extra pink sauce on the side and napkins — it is meant to be gloriously messy.
Dominican Republic
3h 15m
