Looking for a rich, hearty chili that makes the most of your ground venison? Our rich, deeply flavored venison chili combines the lean, flavorful meat with ancho chili powder and a secret ingredient – cocoa powder – for a depth of flavor that’ll have everyone reaching for seconds.
The natural leanness of venison actually works in our favor here, providing a clean canvas for building layers of flavor. Earthy ancho chili brings warmth and complexity, while a touch of cocoa powder adds that mysterious richness that keeps everyone guessing – and coming back for more.
This recipe solves the common challenge of working with lean game meat, making sure your venison stays tender and flavorful throughout the slow simmer. It’s a smart way to make the most of your harvest while creating a pot of chili that’ll have even the beef devotees asking for the recipe.
Ingredients
- Oil
- Onion
- Ground deer meat
- Red and green bell peppers
- Garlic cloves
- Kosher salt
- Ancho & Regular Chili powder, Cumin, Cocoa powder, Cayenne pepper, and Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub
- Ketchup to thicken and sweeten the recipe
- Diced tomatoes
- Beer
- Balsamic vinegar & Worcestershire sauce for depth
- Beef broth
How to Make this easy Venison Chili recipe
- Sauté the Basics: In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high and sauté onion until soft.
- Brown the Venison: Add the ground venison, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks until browned.
- Boost the Flavor: Mix in peppers, minced garlic, and spices, then deglaze the pan with beer.
- Simmer: Pour in tomatoes vinegar, Worcestershire, and broth, then let it all simmer to meld the flavors.
Girl Carnivore Venison Chili Recipe Tips
- Depth of Flavor: Adding cocoa powder enriches the chili with a deep, earthy backbone that complements the venison.
- Simmer Slowly: Letting your chili simmer slowly ensures that all the flavors are perfectly combined and the venison becomes tender. This, like all chilis is better reheated the next day, giving the flavors time to marry.
- The Battle of Beans: Some purists (aka, Texans) will die on the hill that chili should never have beans. We are not getting in the middle of that debate, but if you want to add beans, we recommend dark kidney beans.
How to Serve Venison Chili
Serve hot in bowls, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, onions, green onions, sour cream, and jalapeños or any of your favorite chili toppings for a seriously satisfying meal.
Leftovers and Reheating
Cool completely, and store any leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge.
To Reheat: Reheat on the stove in a pot over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed to maintain moisture.
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Ground Venison Chili Recipe
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the venison chili
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 lbs ground venison
- 1 red pepper stemmed, seeded and diced
- 1 green pepper stemmed, seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub
- 8 oz beer a lager or IPA work great
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes canned
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 to 4 cups Beef broth
Toppings:
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Minced white onion
- Scallions sliced
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeno
Instructions
- Preheat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the diced onion, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the ground venison and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned.
- Add the diced peppers and cook 3 to 5 minutes longer.
- Add in the garlic, salt, both chili powders, cumin, cocoa powder, and cayenne.
- Stir to coat and add in the ketchup, mixing well.
- Slowly stir in the beer, deglazing the pan with a wooden spoon as needed to scrape up any browned bits.
- Add the tomatoes.
- Then stir in the balsamic, Worcestershire, and 2 cups of beef broth.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and allow the chili to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more beef broth, if needed to keep the chili moist.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before scooping into bowls with your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
- This chili is best made a day ahead for the flavors to marry.
- If you don’t have ancho chili powder, use regular dark chili powder instead. Ancho chili powder brings an earthiness to the recipe.
- Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub is an upgraded SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) blend, that uses the subtle heat of guajillo pepper that makes it really pop. If you don’t have this, leave it out. But we recommend ordering a bottle – it’s that good.
Nutrition
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