Deer Chili is a big pot of hearty chili made with ground venison instead of beef. The venison is browned with onion and green pepper, then simmered with beer, beef broth, three kinds of canned tomatoes and three kinds of beans, seasoned with chili powder, paprika, cumin and a pinch of nutmeg. It takes about 50 minutes on the stove and serves 8.
How to make it: Soften the onion and bell pepper in olive oil, add the ground venison and brown it to 160°F. Cook the garlic and tomato paste for a minute, stir in the beer, broth, tomatoes and spices, then all three cans of beans. Simmer uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes and serve with sour cream, cheddar and green onion.
What Are the Ingredients for Deer Chili?
This chili uses 2 pounds of ground venison, onion, green bell pepper and garlic, plus tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. The liquid is a 12-ounce bottle of light beer and a cup and a half of beef broth. It gets its body from three cans of beans (chili, kidney and pinto), and its seasoning from chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper, with a spoonful of sugar and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg.
Why You’ll Love It
- Put your venison to work: 2 pounds of ground deer meat in one pot.
- Feeds a crowd: 8 hearty servings, with three kinds of beans.
- Deep flavor: beer, beef broth and three tomato products simmer together.
- Better the next day: the flavors keep building in the fridge.
Ingredient Notes
Ground venison: Two pounds. You can use anywhere from 1 to 2 pounds, depending on how meaty you like your chili. Ground beef works too.
Olive oil: Two tablespoons. Ground venison is very lean, so the oil goes in the pot first. If you prefer a lower-fat chili, you can cut back on it.
Beer and broth: Twelve ounces of light beer (lager, ale or your favorite) and 1 1/2 cups of beef broth.
Tomatoes: A quarter cup of tomato paste and a 15-ounce can each of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes.
Beans: A 16-ounce can each of chili beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. Drain the kidney and pinto beans; the chili beans go in as they are.
Spices: A tablespoon each of chili powder and paprika, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, a teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder and oregano, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. A tablespoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper round it out.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 12 ounces light beer (lager, ale or your favorite beer)
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (16 ounces) chili beans
- 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained
- 1 can (16 ounces) pinto beans, drained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onion, for serving (optional)
How to Make Deer Chili
1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for a few minutes.
2. Brown the venison. Add the ground venison and break it into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook until it’s no longer pink and lightly browned, and the meat reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
3. Cook the garlic and tomato paste. Mix in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the liquids and seasoning. Stir in the beer, beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, nutmeg, cayenne, sugar, salt and black pepper until combined.
5. Add the beans and simmer. Mix in the chili beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. Simmer uncovered for about 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Serve. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onion.
Cooking With Lean Ground Venison
Venison is a lean game meat, which changes how you start the pot. Here’s how it compares with a typical beef chili:
| Step | With ground venison |
|---|---|
| Fat in the pot | Add 2 tablespoons of oil before the meat goes in |
| Browning | Break it into small chunks and cook until lightly browned and 160°F |
| Draining | Not needed; this recipe doesn’t drain the venison |
| Simmering | Uncovered, 30 to 40 minutes; longer deepens the flavor |
| Thickness | Adjust with beef broth: less for a thick chili, more for a looser one |
Use a thermometer. Color alone isn’t a safe test. USDA FSIS says ground meat is done at 160°F.
Give it time. The chili is ready after 30 to 40 minutes, but an hour of gentle simmering, stirring now and then, makes the flavors even deeper.
Make it the day before. Venison chili is even more flavorful the next day, so it’s a great make-ahead meal.
What Beans Go Best in Venison Chili?
This recipe uses three kinds: chili, kidney and pinto. Black beans work too, and you can use one to three cans depending on how beany you like your chili. Kidney and pinto beans are drained; the chili beans go in with their sauce.
Variations
- Ground beef: swap it in for the venison, or use half and half. Drain beef after browning.
- More heat: add a diced jalapeño or double the cayenne and chili powder.
- Green chiles: stir in a can of diced green chiles with the tomatoes.
- A touch of sweetness: use a couple of tablespoons of pure maple syrup or brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar, then taste and adjust.
- Serve it over: egg noodles or rice.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Divide the chili into shallow covered containers so the pot cools quickly and refrigerate it within 2 hours. USDA FSIS says to eat it within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze it for 3 to 4 months; it stays safe longer but can lose moisture and flavor. Thaw it in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, or reheat it from frozen in a saucepan.
Reheat: Reheat covered until the chili comes to a rolling boil. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker. Add the toppings after reheating.
Slow cooker: Chili works well in a slow cooker. Thaw the venison completely before it goes in and keep the lid on.
What to Serve With It
Top each bowl with sour cream, shredded cheddar and green onion, or try cilantro, chopped red onion, jalapeño or a handful of tortilla chips. Serve it with butter biscuits or Southern cornmeal hoecakes for dipping. For a beef chili, try our Wendy’s chili. More hearty bowls: cowboy stew, quick and easy taco soup and slow cooker 15 bean soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients for deer chili?
Ground venison, onion, green pepper, garlic, tomato paste, beer, beef broth, tomato sauce, diced and crushed tomatoes, three kinds of beans and chili spices.
What beans go best in venison chili?
A mix of chili, kidney and pinto beans. Black beans also work.
Do I need to add oil to ground venison?
Yes, a little. Venison is very lean, so 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot help it brown.
How long should deer chili simmer?
About 30 to 40 minutes uncovered. Simmering it up to an hour deepens the flavor.
Can I make deer chili ahead?
Yes. It tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate it within 2 hours and eat it within 3 to 4 days.
Final Notes
Open all the cans and measure the spices before you start browning, and the rest of this chili comes together fast. Then let it simmer as long as you have time for. If you make it, tell me in the comments which toppings you used.
Deer Chili
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 12 ounces light beer lager, ale or your favorite beer
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 16 ounces chili beans 1 can
- 16 ounces kidney beans 1 can, drained
- 16 ounces pinto beans 1 can, drained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onion optional toppings for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the ground venison and break it into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook until it is no longer pink and lightly browned, and the meat reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
- Mix in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the beer, beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, nutmeg, cayenne, sugar, salt and black pepper until combined.
- Mix in the chili beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. Simmer uncovered for about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onion.
