Spicy Venison Chili Recipe

Fall and cooler weather is finally here! What better way to warm up after a hunt than eating your favorite comfort food, like this spicy venison chili recipe?  The great thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile…You can add as little or as much spice as you like to suit yours and your family’s tastes, and you can also choose to make it in the crock pot instead of the stove! I am including both the crock pot and stovetop recipes below, as well as some tips on getting the spices just the way you like!

Crock Pot Recipe

Follow the recipe below through Step 2. Then combine everything in a crock pot, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

Stovetop Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded & chopped
• ¼ cup chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons McCormack Chipotle Chile Pepper (or ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper if prefer less spicy)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds ground venison
• 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can Ranch Style Beans
• 1 29 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz can Hunt’s seasoned tomato sauce for chili, optional
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 10 oz can Rotel, optional (leave out if prefer less spicy chili)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until simmering. Add onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, Chipotle Chili Pepper (or Cayenne pepper), ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste). Cook until vegetables have softened, about 7-10 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground venison and cook, breaking up the clumps with a spoon, until the venison is no longer pink.
3. Stir in kidney beans, Ranch Style beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Hunt’s seasoned tomato sauce (optional), Rotel (optional). Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove lid and continue to simmer for 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
5. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, crackers or Fritos.

By Andrea Haas

Andrea Haas is a Pro-Staffer from Missouri who enjoys hunting deer, turkeys, and upland birds. She is also the founder of the Huntress View, an organization formed to help strengthen the ever growing community of women hunters.