Venison Chili recipe
This simple and delicious Venison Chili recipe is perfect for the cold months of hunting season or anytime you have ground venison in your freezer.
I grew up eating venison, and if you were part of a hunting family, chances are you did too.
Since deer are large animals, you have a surplus of meat that can be used in a variety of dishes such as goulash, tacos, spaghetti, burgers, and even chili.
If you or someone you know loves hunting, chances are they have a freezer stocked with venison and are constantly seeking out new recipes to enjoy.
Many hunters prefer to have their meat professionally processed, receiving neatly packaged ground venison, venison steak, tenderloin, sausage, and more. However, in my household, we opted for the traditional approach. We gathered as a family and manually processed the meat on the kitchen table. I usually ran the meat grinder.
If you’ve ever cooked with venison, you’re aware of its exceptionally low fat content. As a result, there’s no need to drain off any excess fat from your dish after cooking the meat, which is a delightful advantage.
The remaining steps for preparing the chili are quite simple. In my mom’s recipe, she typically includes celery instead of bell peppers. If you’re up for a little culinary adventure, feel free to make that substitution.
If you’re unable to find ground venison or don’t have access to a hunter, don’t worry! You can still enjoy this chili recipe by simply substituting lean ground beef instead.
To make Slow Cooker Venison Chili, follow these steps:
- Prepare the recipe as instructed until Step 2.
- Once everything is ready, combine all the ingredients in a crockpot.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Happy Hunting!
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Venison Chili recipe
- Total Time: 1 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This simple and delicious Venison Chili recipe is perfect for the cold months of hunting season or anytime you have ground venison in your freezer.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded chopped
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Two teaspoons of chipotle chili powder or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans (10 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, and scallions
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add the venison and cook for about 5 minutes, using a spoon to break up any clumps, until the venison is no longer pink.
- Add kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato puree to the mixture. Bring it to a simmer, then cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream, and scallions before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 servings
- Calories: 338 kcal