Spicy Venison Chili

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Spicy Venison Chili features ground venison punched up with spicy, smoky, umami flavors that play off the earthy flavor of deer meat. It’s also paired with the usual chili suspects including fresh onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

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Ground venison is a lean, flavorful meat that can be used much like ground beef in recipes. It’s a fantastic addition to most any chili recipe; simply replace the ground beef with ground venison. Chili is one of my favorite things to make because it’s full of flavor, easy to customize, and makes THE BEST leftovers – because chili is one dish that is definitely better the next day.

This venison chili recipe I’m about to lay on you is spicy, smoky, and chock full of umami. But before we get to the recipe, let’s clarify a few things, like what type of venison this recipe calls for and what deer meat tastes like.

What is venison? And why can’t I find it in my grocery store?

Venison is meat that comes from deer. You likely won’t find deer meat in your local grocery store because there are strict food-grade guidelines around how meat must be processed before it can be approved for commercial sale (read a bit about game meat and food safety here). Most venison is harvested via hunting deer in the wild. It’s difficult to ensure that the deer meat your uncle Randy harvested during hunting season meets those strict food guidelines; therefore, you won’t find it for sale in stores.

It’s also uncommon to see venison served in restaurants. If you do ever encounter it on a menu, you can be sure that it was farm-raised venison and processed within food-grade guidelines.

For the purposes of this recipe, I am referring to venison that has been harvested in the wild (during deer hunting season). Hunting deer is a popular outdoor activity in Minnesota, one that my family and I have participated in for many years. The ground venison for this recipe was provided by a deer my little ‘bro harvested.

A note on wild venison’s (deer meat’s) flavor

For the uninitiated, eating ground venison meat can be an experience, especially wild venison. Its flavor can be a bit unpredictable but it has a very distinct earthiness to it; it’s also not as juicy as beef and is super lean and firm. In my opinion, deer meat can range from overwhelmingly (read: unpleasantly) gamey to possessing a lovely lean earthiness. Fortunately, my experience has overwhelmingly been with the latter.

I’ve never eaten farm-raised venison, but I’ve heard it’s very similar to wild hunted deer meat (though I’d wager more consistent in flavor since the diet is controlled as well as the age at harvesting).

If you want to introduce venison to the uninitiated, deer chili is your best bet. Chili has a lot of flavor between the sweet and acidic tomatoes and robust seasonings, making it the perfect vehicle for venison.

How do you make Spicy Venison Chili?

This deer chili recipe uses many ingredients you will commonly see in chili recipes, plus a few extras to bring a smoky and spicy edge.

INGREDIENTS  

• 1 1/2 pounds leftover cooked ground venison meat*
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease (or extra virgin olive oil)
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 15.5 ounce can black beans (don’t strain, add the liquid to the chili)
• 1/2 7.5 ounce can chipotle en adobo peppers blended
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Note: If you aren’t using leftover cooked venison, cook it before you begin (see recipe note).*
2. Add 1/2 can of chipotle en adobo peppers to a food processor and process for 20-30 seconds. Set aside.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to a large pot over medium heat. When it turns liquid, add diced onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the leftover cooked ground venison, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans with liquid, blended chipotle en adobo peppers, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and stir. 
5. Cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
6. Sample and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Remove from heat and serve with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired.

NOTES

*If using uncooked venison, cook it before starting this recipe. I suggest cooking it in 2 tablespoons of bacon grease until browned, and DON’T forget to season! See below for seasoning ideas.

How should I season my ground venison?

To make this Spicy Venison Chili I used leftover cooked venison I had from Ground Venison Tacos. Follow the link if you’d like to use that recipe – I highly recommend it!

Otherwise, try seasoning your ground venison for this venison chili with one or a combination of these seasonings:

• Chili powder
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Cocoa powder
• Red pepper flakes
• Cayenne
• Taco seasoning
• Adobo seasoning

Best Garnishes for Spicy Venison Chili

For this deer meat chili recipe, I highly recommend pairing with sour cream and shredded cheese to serve as a counterbalance to the heat. But you may also want to garnish with:

• Corn chips
• Tortilla chips
• Croutons
• Fresh or dried herbs, like oregano or thyme
• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds

What should I serve with Venison Chili?

You should definitely consider these slammin’ sides to serve along with deer meat chili:

• Spicy Pico de Gallo and tortilla chips
• Tex-Mex Pasta Salad
• Porchetta Seasoned Pepitas
• Corn and Quinoa Salad with Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette

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