Venison Chili
Last Updated on January 22, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
Learning how to cook chili is an important part of adulthood. As you grow older, you learn how to make chili for those cold nights in the winter. Traditional chili has tomatoes, beans, seasonings, and ground beef – however, this chili has a nice spin on it. We’re going to be making this chili with venison!
What is Venison?
If you’ve never heard of the word venison, it’s another word for elk or deer. Most people refer to deer as venison. I don’t know if it sounds better or if that’s just what it’s called.
Either way, you can make a lot of traditional meals and just sub ground beef with venison! This could be the first recipe you try.
Venison Chili is delicious and super easy to make. If you’ve had chili before, you’re going to be amazed at how good it tastes with deer!
What Goes in Venison Chili?
- Venison – This is going to be the main protein in this dish!
- Onion, bell pepper, and garlic – These 3 are an important part of this chili, each ingredient brings so much flavor.
- Kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and beef broth – These three are traditional ingredients for chili.
- Seasonings – Some of the seasonings you need include cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin.
You can also find my list of 25+ delicious side dishes that go with venison here.
How to Make Venison Chili
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the venison, onion, and green pepper. Cook until the venison is completely browned. Transfer the meat mixture to a colander to drain well.
- Transfer the venison to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Serve with desired toppings: diced onion, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
How to Make Venison Chili in a Crock Pot
Simple enough, you can make this deer chili recipe by browning your meat first and then placing everything in the crockpot.
Before you serve the chili, you can add your desired toppings.
Venison Chili Toppings
My favorite Venison chili toppings include:
- Sour cream
- Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- Cornbread (if you consider that a topping..I do!)
- A bit of hot sauce
What to Serve with Venison Chili
The great thing about serving chili is that it’s such a versatile meal. You can serve it alone or with extras. Here is what to serve with Venison chili:
Chili is a great meal to serve alongside other “heavy” foods. Pasta, bread, and dips go really well with chili!
Don’t forget you can use chili to make dips or to place on top of your favorite foods like hot dogs or even nachos!
What does Venison Chili Taste Like?
Describing how something tastes is never easy because each person has their own preferences. However, venison is said to have a “rich” or “earthy” taste. Venison is sometimes a flavor you have to get used to. To me, it tastes just like ground beef and the texture is very similar.
This type of meat is also said to be smoother!
So, if you’re up for the challenge, go ahead and give this Venison Chili recipe a try!
Other Recipes to Try
Venison Chili
Learning how to cook chili is an important part of adulthood. As you grow older, you learn how to make chili for those cold nights in the winter. Traditional chili has tomatoes, beans, seasonings, and ground beef - however, this chili has a nice spin on it. We're going to be making this chili with venison!
Ingredients
- 2.25 pounds ground venison
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 to 4 cups beef broth, depending on desired thickness
- 2 (15 ounce) cans light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the venison, onion, and green pepper. Cook until the venison is completely browned. Transfer the meat mixture to a colander to drain well.
- Transfer the venison to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Serve with desired toppings: diced onion, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
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