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Venison Chili

This is my version of venison chili. It does involve several items you don’t often see in chili, like molasses and coffee, but I’ve been modifying this recipe over the years to the point where this is what I like. Serve this over rice or polenta, garnished with cilantro and maybe some Mexican queso seco, jack cheese or American cheddar. 

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 426 kcal
Course: Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pinto or black beans (optional)
  • 12 to 16 combined total of dried ancho, guajillo, pasilla, or mulato chiles
  • 1/2 pound Mexican chorizo or chopped bacon
  • 2 to 3 pounds venison, ground or diced
  • 1 large yellow or white onion, diced
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sweet or smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle powder (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup black coffee
  • 3 tablespoons molasses (optional)
  • 1 quart beef or venison broth
  • salt to taste
  • Cilantro and shredded cheese to garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak beans in water overnight. If you have forgotten this, pour boiling water over them and soak for 4 hours, changing the water after 2 hours. 
  2. Remove the stems and seeds of chiles and tear into pieces. Cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Grind to a puree with the consistency of gravy, adding about 1 cup of the soaking water and the coffee to do so.
  3. Meanwhile, break up the chorizo or chop bacon and fry over medium heat in a Dutch oven or other large, lidded, oven-proof pot. Once the chorizo has browned or the bacon is crispy, remove it and set aside. Add the venison and brown over high heat. You want the highest heat on your most powerful burner here, because the meat will want to steam and stew and not brown. If you are doing a big pot of chili, brown the meat in batches. Stir occasionally as it browns. Salt it as it cooks.
  4. Once all the meat is ready, add the onion to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. If you are using chorizo, return it to the pot; if you are using bacon, leave it out for now. Add the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans, paprika, cumin, coriander, chipotle powder and salt one at a time, stirring to combine each time.
  5. Add chile puree and tomato paste and stir to combine well. Add the molasses and enough beef broth to cover everything – you want it to be thin like a soup. I typically need at least a pint of broth, sometimes a quart. Stir to combine all this well, bring to a bare simmer and cook gently for 3 hours or so, stirring occasionally. Put the lid halfway over the pot as it cooks. You want it to eventually cook down and be thick.
  6. Once the beans are tender, you're good to go. If you are using canned beans, now's the time to add them. Return the bacon to the chili if you're using it. Serve the chili with rice or cornbread, and top with cilantro, cheese and maybe some pickled onions.

Notes

  • If you want to go full Mexican here instead of Tex-Mex or Southwest, try my recipe for chile colorado, which is a lot like chili, but is more authentically Mexican.
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  • If you have all day, use dried beans. They're better. 
  • If you need to leave the house, put the chili in a 325°F oven, covered, instead. 
  • Literally any meat works here, and if you want to go vegetarian, use chopped mushrooms. I've done it and it's amazing.
  • I strongly advise you to stick to the types of chiles I list: anchos, guajillos, pasilla, New Mexican, etc. This prevents you from blowing everyone's heads off with heat. You can always make it hotter later. 
  • If you make this a lot, try the diced meat option sometimes. It is a very Texas thing and it's really quite good. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 426kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 56g (19%) Protein 33g (66%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 76mg (25%) Sodium 247mg (10%) Potassium 1614mg (46%) Fiber 17g (68%) Sugar 20g (40%) Vitamin A 10198IU (204%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 95mg (10%) Iron 8mg (44%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 426

% Daily Value*

Calories 426kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Protein 33g 66%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 247mg 10%
Potassium 1614mg 34%
Fiber 17g 68%
Sugar 20g 40%
Vitamin A 10198IU 204%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 95mg 10%
Iron 8mg 44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.