5 Venison Chili Recipes That Get the Most Out Of Your Harvest (2024)

Few things will ever honor venison like a good, hot, hearty bowl of chili. Sure, stews are versatile and delicious, but chili packs a punch that no other soup-like dish can match. Venison chili may be one of the greatest ways to eat wild game. Check out some of our favorite venison chili recipes below. Try them one by one, checklist style, and let us know which is your favorite.

1. Crockpot Venison Chili

5 Venison Chili Recipes That Get the Most Out Of Your Harvest (1)

All the benefits of a delicious chili dinner plus the hands-off ease of a crockpot? Sign us up. It is the brainchild of outdoorswoman Christi Holmes, who came up with it as an easy dinner after a long day ice fishing.

"This chili is something you can just throw together for when you come home and you're exhausted," Holmes said.

This crockpot venison chili recipe will probably quickly become one of your go-tos.

Recipe via: Down East

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds venison burger
  • 3 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
  • 1?2 onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons oregano
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pepper
  • 1?4 cup chili powder
  • 1 15-ounce can corn, drained

View Instructions.

2. Venison Chili Con Carne

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Venison Chili Recipe With Beans, Beer, and Beef Broth

Something about bacon makes it the perfect addition to everything. No, seriously, everything—even chocolate. This chili recipe includes some of my favorite pepper (chipotle), a little dose of jalapeno, and a hearty portion of bacon to add fat to the lean venison meat. If you only have ground venison available, this recipe is still possible, though we do recommend using the stew meat to get the correct texture.

Recipe via: Buckmasters.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 16-ounce can tomatoes, diced
  • 3 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobe sauce
  • 5 slices bacon, finely chopped
  • 4 pounds venison stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons yellow corn mix

View Instructions

3. Hearty Chunk Venison Chili

5 Venison Chili Recipes That Get the Most Out Of Your Harvest (3)

Getty: rudisill

A unique chili recipe that combines two staple wild game meats: venison and turkey. This dish is super cozy and could easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.

Recipe via: Mama Hen's Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 lb. ground venison
  • 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
  • 30 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. seasoning (Zatarain's, Cajun seasoning)
  • 2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

View Instructions

4. No Beans, Tex-Mex Style Venison Chili

5 Venison Chili Recipes That Get the Most Out Of Your Harvest (4)

Getty: bhofack2

If you like a little zest to your chili, here's a good one. Tex-Mex is one of the great benefits of living down South, where finding things like Mexican Oregano isn't that difficult. If you're up north, though, check out your local organic supermarket or make a visit to a specialty spice shop. They're likely to carry it, as well as all of the other tasty spices you'll need to complete this recipe.

Recipe via: Food Network

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless venison rump, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 pound ground venison, or ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 to 3 large jalapenos, seeded and minced, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and their juices
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
  • 1 1/2 cups beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons masa harina
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Grated cheddar cheese, garnish (Longhorn: recommended)
  • Minced yellow onions, garnish
  • Cornbread, corn muffins or garlic bread, optional accompaniment

View Instructions

5. The Chile-Lover's Venison Chili

We're huge fans of Hank Shaw over at Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook, and this recipe stands as witness to his mastery of wild game meats and traditional cooking methods. Like Hank mentions in his recipe, this can be tweaked to serve your own chili preferences, but what we like so much about it is the dried chiles he purees with coffee to serve as the "backbone" of this dish. If you're serious about making a chili that would rival any state cook-off, this is the one.

Recipe via: Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound pinto beans or kidney beans
  • 4 each, dried ancho, guajillo, pasilla, cascabel, mirasol or mulato chiles
  • 1/2 pound bacon
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 habanero, fresh, if they're in season
  • 2 pounds ground venison or groundbeef
  • 1 pound sausage, taken out of skin and broken up (venison or pork is fine)
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoonscumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 large tomatoes, peeled,seeded and chopped or one small can
  • 1 cup of weak coffee
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • Beef or venison broth (have a quart ready)
  • At least 2 tablespoons salt
  • Cilantro and shredded cheese to garnish

View Instructions

6. No Frills, No Heat Venison Chili

5 Venison Chili Recipes That Get the Most Out Of Your Harvest (6)

Getty: lamthatiam

Being from Texas, I personally think it's a crime to make chili without chilies, but to each his or her own. This simple recipe is easy enough to whip up and will make for an all-around crowd pleaser for those who like to be able to season things on their own. This recipe calls for ground pork to add fat to the very lean venison meat, but you could also use 80/20 beef if you so desired.

Recipe via: Sugarcrafter

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground venison
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 tsp hot sauce (I like Frank's)
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can (24 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 large can (40.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans
  • Cheddar cheese, for topping

View Instructions

READ MORE: WILD GAME AND BOURBON TEAM UP IN THIS DELICIOUS JIM BEAM VENISON PASTA RECIPE

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FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

What adds the most flavor to chili? ›

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

How do you get the gamey taste out of venison chili? ›

Soy sauce will take out gamey taste of deer and other wildlife meat,either soak it in water,salt soy sauce & when cooking it sprinkle Soy sauce on the meat...also make sure majority of the fatty tissue is removed from the meat...also before freezing your deer make sure you soak your meat in water & iodine salt to ...

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What does cinnamon do for chili? ›

Cinnamon adds a different spice profile than chili powder or red or cayenne pepper would. It is a common savory spice in Indian food and I believe it's also used in savory dishes in Chinese cooking. It's a very versatile spice :).

What is the best meat for chili? ›

Ground beef is an immensely versatile, excellent addition to any chili and happens to be one of the quickest to cook and least expensive options of them all. That means you could cook a large amount of chili to feed your entire family for less.

How do you make chili more interesting? ›

Cinnamon, strong coffee, and dark chocolate all boost them meaty flavor in a good chili. Pick any of the following: 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 whole cinnamon stick, a shot of espresso, a small cup of strong coffee, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, or a few squares of good-quality dark chocolate.

Is chili better the longer it cooks? ›

A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili. Yes, a quick chili is most welcome on weeknights, but it won't have quite the same results. A slow cooker works wonders, but if you're short on time, try a pressure cooker.

How do you make ground venison taste better? ›

Depending on what you're planning to cook, you may want to add fat to your ground venison. This added fat can be bacon, pork shoulder, pork belly, beef tallow, etc. It's purely personal preference. I always add about 15-20 percent fat if I'm making hamburger or kebabs, which makes the meat juicier and more flavorful.

What causes gaminess in venison? ›

What Causes Gaminess in Deer Meat? The animal's diet is the greatest cause of gaminess in meat. If you've ever tried grass-fed and grain-fed beef side by side, you've noticed a difference in taste. A deer's diet has the same influence.

What makes venison taste less gamey? ›

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

What is best to add to ground venison? ›

Beef fat is the way to go IMHO in fact buy some cheap burger 70/30 and mix it 50/50 with your ground venison, It will make the best burgers you have ever had. I use about 30% fatty pork with ground venison.

What to mix with venison for ground meat? ›

Sometimes I combine ground venison and ground beef 50-50 to make a better mix for any recipe that calls for ground meat. If you do this, you can buy the cheaper ground beef that is a 75-25 mix of lean to fat, and when you add the leaner ground venison, you still get a pretty lean mix.

What is the best pairing for venison? ›

Venison: Red wines with earthy or smoky flavors big enough for the meat's taste and richness (Mourvèdre, Syrah, Pinot Noir) and strong beer (Porter, Belgian Strong Ale, Double Stout). (Elk pairs similarly.)

What makes chili taste better? ›

"Adding fresh ingredients — like diced onions, cilantro, and jalapenos — will take any canned chili to another level," Dunleavy said. "The fresh burst of flavor will brighten and elevate the chili while also adding great texture and crunch."

What makes the best chili meat? ›

When making chili, former Southern Living Test Kitchen Director, Robby Melvin, recommends using a mix of ground chuck and ground sirloin. "It's the best of both worlds," he says. "You get a balanced lean-to-fat ratio from the chuck and the hearty, beefy leanness from the sirloin."

Why is my chili not flavorful? ›

Change up the beans. Use black beans, pintos, or a combination of beans to give more flavor. Cook the chili! If you don't cook it long enough (or put in a pressure cooker to speed up the process), it won't taste quite right.

Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

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