Page 39 - The Valley Table - Winter 2022

BEEF AND BEAN CHILI
GRAZIN’ DINER
MAKES 8-12+ SERVINGS
Ingredients
4 lbs. grass-fed and finished ground beef (80- 85 percent, don’t use very lean meat in this recipe)
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons ground red chili flakes
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3 tablespoons Hungarian/sweet paprika
1 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoons mustard powder
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper (ground
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups diced onions
3 cups diced red or orange bell peppers
4 tablespoons dried oregano (or marjoram) or
mixed herbs of choice
16 oz. red beans of any kind, fully cooked
and drained (or any 16 oz. can of beans) 28 oz. tomato purée
Shredded cheese of your choice and minced
onion for garnish
Preparation
1. Heat a large 12-quart pot and get it very, very hot. (Test the heat by adding a small amount oil; it should smoke but not burn—that’s when it’s ready.)
2. Add beef to pot, stir and break it up, cooking as quickly as you can over high heat. When there is a bit of red left in the meat, add all the spices.
3. Stir thoroughly and let the meat braise for a minute or two, and then add the onions and peppers. Stir well and let them sweat, never reducing the heat, for 3–5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
4. Stir in the oregano and cook for another minute. Add the beans and tomatoes and slowly stir everything until thoroughly blended. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent chili from sticking to the bottom. Reduce heat to a very
low simmer and let flavors meld, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour. Adjust seasonings (it should need salt). Serve with cheese and minced onion.
Grazin’ Diner
If biting into a burger as clean as they come is important to you, Grazin’ Diner is the place to go. Every ounce of beef, chicken, and pork on their menu comes directly from owners
Dan and Susan Gibson’s own Grazin’ Angus Acres, an Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) farm where the livestock graze on grass and are never kept in barns. The proof is in the patty, which can be enjoyed paired down (The Grazin’) with lettuce, tomato,
and onion, or adorned with everything from bacon (The Dude) to bourbon– sautéed mushrooms (The Unburdened). They also serve excellent salads, sandwiches, and a hearty beef and bean chili (see recipe, right).
The diner's produce comes from neighboring farms including Ardith Mae
Goat Farm in Stuyvesant, Common Hands Farm in Hillsdale, and The
Farm at Miller’s Crossing in Hudson. Their sodas are special, too, created with organic extracts. “We try to be
as homemade and made to order as possible,” says Landon Powell, general manager. That now extends to alcohol, as well: in October, Grazin’ unveiled
a newly built bar inside their 75-seat space. The cocktail menu spotlights spirits from the farm’s own Unburdened Distillery, founded by the Gibsons’ son, Keith, and his wife Nicole. The name is a nod to the distillery’s process, which is devoid of chemicals. Wine, beer, and cider are on tap, too, all of which are sourced within New York State. Hudson; 518,822.9323; grazinburger.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRAZIN' DINER
dec 2021 – feb 2022 valleytable.com 37