the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (2024)

This is a hearty and easy venison chili recipe perfect for using ground venison from hunting season or, if you prefer, ground turkey or another lean meat.

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Are you looking for a cozy delicious chili recipe? Try my Sweet Potato Chili recipe for a yummy twist on Grandma’s classic chili.

A chill in the air seems more manageable when you have warm chili in the belly, doesn’t it? Many homes have a go-to chili recipe they use time and again that is a personal favorite. Chili recipes are like ordering coffee… no one person makes it the same way. Deer chili (as my kids call it) is even more familial and can be widely found in states where hunting is popular…like WI and MN. Dontcha know ;).

the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (1)

Key Ingredients for Venison Chili:

This yummy recipe calls on the use of canned tomatoes and sauce to speed up the process and get chili on the table fast, fast, fast. Using canned products also makes it easier and less intimidating for the beginning cook. Don’t worry, you are NOT sacrificing flavor in any. which. way. Promise!

Start with the basic ingredients, master it, and then learn your favorite changes and additions. Included is a list at the bottom of the post with ideas to personalize this recipe so you can create your personal chili recipe that your family adores.

  • Ground venison. Any ground meat like lean ground beef or ground turkey works too.
  • Onion. We use a large onion in chili. I prefer a yellow or white diced onion for this recipe.
  • Garlic. Just a few cloves garlic does the trick.
  • Diced tomatoes. A couple cans works fine. The tomato juice from the can goes in, too.
  • Chili beans. Go ahead and swap black beans or pinto beans for some of the chili beans.
  • Tomato sauce. This isn’t the same as pasta sauce, be aware.
  • Chili powder. I mean….obviously :).
  • Brown sugar. I think a bit of brown sugar adds depth to the chili. Give it a try.

Adaptations to try…

  • Diced jalapenos, bell peppers, or green chiles.
  • add chopped green or red peppers or chili peppers :).
  • use kidney or pinto beans instead of or in addition to the chili beans
  • try different meats like sausage, lamb, beef, or turkey.
  • add a can of beer
  • simmer on low for several hours
  • add spices like cumin, cayenne pepper, or oregano
  • go beanless.
  • or meatless.
  • try additional wild game like boar, buffalo, or elk.

Can I substitute ground venison for ground beef in recipes?

Anything that uses ground beef, pork, or similar can be substitute with venison. However, venison is a very lean meat and if you are subbing for ground beef or another meat with a high-fat content you may want to add a little bit of oil to your pan to help add needed fat to the dish.

  • the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (2)
  • the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (3)
  • the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (4)

How to make Venison Chili:

There are those chili recipes that employ long periods of time on the stove; or cooking chili in a slow-cooker, or all sorts of different ingredients, this isn’t one of those.

  1. In a dutch oven on medium-high heat, saute up some chopped onions, add minced garlic, and then brown up your meat.
  2. Add your remaining ingredients and let that simmer on the stove on medium heat for about 20 minutes. One-pot. The end.
  3. Top with some fresh cilantro, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Is deer meat good for you?

Venison is high in protein and is leaner than many types of meat. So, if you are looking for a good, lean red meat, venison is a great choice! But gosh, I can’t answer for you if venison is good for you. That’s your doctor’s job :).

We primarily use venison whenever we make chili. Ground turkey has similar fat content and texture to venison if you prefer or don’t have access to venison. My husband comes from Wisconsin and a hunting family so we have our own meat easily available to us.
If you have access to venison but don’t particularly like using venison try using a 1/2 and 1/2 blend of venison with higher fat content type of meat like beef or sausage. Using the meat mixture gives me the needed flavor and fat while still saving money by using what is available.

the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (5)

Let’s bring up the fact that this chili is served with cinnamon rolls in the pictures. This is for the Iowan readers in da house. Apparently, serving a big pot of chili with cinnamon rolls is a thing where you all live. Maybe it’s not true but just in case, the chili is being served with cinnamon rolls.

the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (6)

Venison Chili Recipe

| 6

Prep Time | 10 minutes mins

Cook Time | 25 minutes mins

Total Time | 35 minutes mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

An easy and hearty venison chili recipe! A great recipe to use ground venison from hunting season.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground venison or ground turkey
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cans 14.5oz diced Hunt’s tomatoes (low sodium)
  • 2 cans 14.5oz chili beans
  • 1 can 14.5oz Hunt’s tomato sauce (this is NOT pasta sauce, rather tomato sauce)
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Check out our Kitchen Reference Guide for help with unfamiliar terms.

Instructions

  • Coat the bottom of a large soup pan with a small amount of oil.

  • Add the venison and brown the meat in the soup pan on medium high heat.

  • Add the onion, garlic, and pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes.

  • NOTE- if using ground beef drain off the fat right now, before adding the other ingredients.

  • Add the cans of diced tomatoes, un-drained beans, sauce (these will be undrained), chili powder, and brown sugar. Stir.

  • Simmer on low for 20 to 30 minutes or until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

  • Add additional salt & pepper as needed.

  • Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chives.

Notes

Using a low-fat meat like Venison works perfectly for this recipe because the liquid from the canned tomatoes nicely adds the moisture needed to compensate. Chili is a great recipe for ground venison!

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 17gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 128mgPotassium: 385mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1186IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 3mg

the BEST Venison Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to amazing chili? ›

Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.

How to make deer chili not taste gamey? ›

Add a little beef broth, tomato paste, and our Chili Seasoning to the stock pot with the strained veggies. Another way to reduce the gaminess out of the venison is to add a can of beer. You can use dark ale or light ale – whatever you prefer. The alcohol will cook off and make the flavor even richer.

How to make ground venison taste better? ›

Beef fat works well with ground venison, and makes the flavor closer to ground beef. Pork fat is lower in saturated fat, has less flavor and will allow the venison flavor to shine.

What makes the best chili meat? ›

You can really use any meat for chili, but here are the cuts that are most popular for classic chili:
  • Ground beef (80/20) ...
  • Ground sirloin (90/10) ...
  • Brisket. ...
  • Short ribs. ...
  • Tri-tip sirloin. ...
  • Work with your butcher to get multiple textures. ...
  • Use multiple animals to add depth. ...
  • Go for grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
May 11, 2021

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 is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What takes the gamey taste out of venison? ›

Information. 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.

How do you cook venison so it's not gamey? ›

Soaking it

Instead, try soaking the meat in milk or even buttermilk, which will produce better results with most wild animals, especially when dealing with backstraps. This is mandatory for many old-school cooks before putting any wild-game meat in a slow cooker.

Why does my ground venison taste gamey? ›

If the animal is not bled, gutted, cleaned and cooled down quickly the meat can become very gamey tasting even to the point of inedible (by my tastes). Properly handled the meat can be excellent fare.

What seasonings taste good on venison? ›

Ideal flavours for venison
  • Fruits: quince, cherries, prunes, blackberries, apples.
  • Herbs: thyme, rosemary, bay, sage.
  • Spices: star anise, allspice, black pepper, cloves, juniper.
  • Alcohol: red wine (e.g. Grenache, Zinfandel), cider, ale. Other: chestnuts, celeriac, red cabbage, chocolate, mushroom.
Mar 7, 2016

What is the best to mix with ground venison? ›

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 makes venison taste good? ›

When people describe venison taste and texture, they often use words like rich or earthy; this is a festive-tasting meat, often imbued with hints of the acorns, sage and herbs that the deer enjoyed during its life.

What is the secret to making good chili? ›

Five Tips for Better Chili
  • Make Your Own Chili Powder. Okay, if you're using a store-bought shaker of “chili powder” please get up from your computer, walk to your pantry, and throw it away. ...
  • Use Beans from a Bag, Not from a Can. ...
  • Roast your Chiles. ...
  • Vary your Meat. ...
  • A Hoppy Bottle of Beer Brings it all Together. ...
  • Chili Powder.
Nov 29, 2016

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.

When to season meat for chili? ›

Adding salt and chili spices at the end won't infuse the dish with true depth of flavor. Instead, bring out the flavor of the spices by adding them when you brown the meat or soften the onions. This “blooming” process releases the spice's essential oils.

What makes can chili taste better? ›

Although canned chili will already have some seasonings, fresh herbs and spices will add bolder flavor. You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.

What ingredient will change your chili forever? ›

According to The Kitchn, that ingredient is cocoa powder. You may associate chocolate with dessert, but rest assured, adding cocoa powder won't make your chili sickeningly sweet. Instead, it'll contribute a layer of richness and balance out the spiciness.

Why do you put brown sugar in chili? ›

The brown sugar gave it a sweet/tangy flavor that reminded me of BBQ-sauce! Th chili was so good - it was hard to stop eating it! I did had some extra veggies (1 cl. garlic, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 1 bell pepper, 1 hot pepper) and used a can of diced tomatoes rather than tomato juice.

What makes a good competition chili? ›

Chili must: LOOK GOOD, SMELL GOOD and TASTE GOOD. If in a competition, it must do so lukewarm in a styrofoam cup. It also must look good on as small plastic teaspoon used for judging and tasting. Chili that doesn't win violates one or more of the three basics.

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