Jul 27, 2011 Posted in Chef Notes, Restaurant Reviews

Hatchet Motel

Published in Chef Notes, Jackson Hole News & Guide, July 27, 2011
Shared by Chef Ron James
Hatchet Motel

 

Hatchet Resort Beef and Buffalo Chili

Serves many. Freeze some for later.

2 c olive oil

2 chopped red bell peppers

2 chopped green bell peppers

2 chopped yellow bell peppers

3 chopped white onions

1 c minced garlic

4 c Anaheim chilies

3 lbs ground beef

1 lb ground buffalo

#10 can plum tomatoes

#10 can kidney beans

#10 can black beans

3 small cans tomato paste

1 c cumin

1 c chili powder

½ c salt

½ c black pepper

½ c paprika

½ c Worcestershire

2 bottles Snake River Lager

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil, add vegetables and cook until tender. Add the beef and buffalo and seasonings, stir until browned. Drain and add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire and beer. Stir well. Bring to a boil and then slow simmer for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste. Add spices ¼ cup at a time until desired flavor is achieved.

They serve this as an entrée, on nachos and it makes an awesome chili dog, as long as you use all beef franks.

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We were in the heart of Dixie the other night, just east of Moran Junction at the Hatchet Resort in the Whetstone dining room. Hospitality and good cheer were bubbling over, a diverse crowd of people were all seeming pretty darn happy. Delicious looking plates streamed by us into the dining room trailing enticing aromas. We settled right on in.

I’d heard from several sources, including a journalist from Oregon who contacted my editor at the paper that the folks from Mississippi who were there were serving up some really fine food. On a beautiful summer night why not find out?

Greeting us with a friendly smile and that unmistakably warm drawl was Ron James, the manager. When I asked about “the chef” in our initial phone conversation James told me there was no chef. He learned to cook from his Grandma and his Great Grandma. “I always liked to make big spreads for loads of people. A little bit of this and a little bit of that goes a long way as long as you don’t go overboard.” That’s as good of a philosophy of how to cook as any I’ve heard. James’ son Josh is part of the crew. He cooks dinners. His dad shared that Josh hadn’t been schooled as a chef either. He worked construction and lived with his cousin who was trained in the field. They just loved hanging out and experimenting with recipes, cooking for friends. That’s how he learned.

The whole staff shares that hospitality gene and James shares credit with his staff. “We all work really well together. They are great,” James told me. “If they don’t carry their weight, I get rid of them.” One of the guys said, “It’s kinda cool. We’ve served folks from 24 countries. If they stop by once, they come again.”

Some things are meant to be. James shared that he was born in Natchez and went to school in Hattiesburg. (I don’t know if you know this, but our states are quite similar in that the whole states are both like small towns.) He lived south of Memphis and managed a furniture store for a long time. Then, in a less happy period of his life, he was managing the footwear department of a Sportsman’s Warehouse. This guy came in looking for winter snow boots. James asked, “Now why would you need boots like this in Memphis?” The gentleman, Billy Graves, said that he ran the Hatchet Resort in Wyoming. James said, “Take me with you! I can be there tomorrow to start working.” He obviously had no idea how long the drive was, but drive to Jackson Hole he did. Graves stayed for the next year. Three years later James says he is here to stay. Managing a store is not that much different from this. It’s all customer service.

The Hatchet was homesteaded as a ranch in 1892. In the mid 1950’s after the highway went through, the motel was added. In 1998 the current owners partnered with the Jackson Hole Land Trust to buy it out of bankruptcy auction. They permanently protected the land’s scenic vistas and wildlife corridors, leaving 7 of the 800 plus acres for the resort operations.

The Whetstone dining room building has been added in the last few years. It is a beautifully crafted log building with expanses of glass facing the Tetons beyond a lush meadow. The bar and the fireplace are surrounded by hammered copper. The furnishings are made by local artists, some fashioned from antique sleds. There is an upright piano. The whole environment is ripe for festive gatherings.

One of the first plates that caught my eye was the nachos. They looked great! Our shared recipe is the chili that serves as their base. The pizzas I saw also whetted my appetite. We had a Caesar salad that was a fine balance of flavors, crisp romaine and hand made croutons. They offer a chef’s salad (even though there’s no chef) and a garden salad, plus a Wrangler salad that includes grilled flat iron steak, red onions, tomatoes, feta and garlic croutons.

The entree choices include half pound buffalo and beef burgers, bacon wrapped filet (the most expensive at $29.95), ribeye steak, brisket, grilled chicken, trout and barbeque shrimp. All include a salad, potato choice and vegetable. Homemade spaghetti and meatballs or Fettucini Alfredo is $12.95 and comes with house salad and garlic bread.

The nightly specials were London broil w/ mashed potatoes loaded with caramelized onions and a generous portion of al dente cooked fresh broccoli or a pork chop with white wine cream sauce, sauteed mushrooms with angel hair pasta with pesto and broccoli. The London broil was excellent. We shared the barbeque shrimp, 6 large grilled tasty crustaceans, with crisp sweet potato fries and a sauteed medley of colorful peppers, onions and zucchini.

Everything was just plain delicious. All were served cheerfully in a timely fashion. As we watched the sun dip below the horizon, we were bathed in the laughter of a huge table of folks from the neighborhood enjoying the evening.

I loved the fact that none of us even mentioned dessert.