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Award-Winning Venison Chili

By: Allie Doran | Updated: October 9, 2024

Learn how to make award-winning venison chili with ground deer or elk meat you have in the freezer. Simple to make, flavorful, and well-balanced.

venison chili in a white bowl with cheese and avocado

Venison chili. I mean, man. The pressure is on. The stakes are high. Your expectations are up. And quite honestly, they should be. One of the most common recipes people make with ground deer meat is chili. But if we’re being honest, the recipes I’ve found on Pinterest and the internet leave me a little underwhelmed. And subbing venison directly for beef is *fine* for chili. Sometimes. Alas, I venture to bet that if you’re cozying up to a big bowl of chili at the end of the day…fine isn’t what you’re going for.

Some of our other favorite cozy, game day, and easy-to-prep meals would be my Venison Stew, a delicious Smoked Venison Roast (or this Classic Venison Roast recipe in the crockpot is always a go-to), a juicy BBQ Venison Sandwich is always a winner on game day, and let’s not forget the classic Venison Burger. If you want to take things up a notch, you’ve got to try my Beer Chili!

WHAT MAKES THIS VENISON CHILI RECIPE AWARD WINNING?

The foundation of this chili is one I and my family have used in a church chili cookoff…and taken home the blue ribbon. If you’ve ever been to any sort of church potluck, cookoff, luncheon, or picnic, you know this isn’t something to be taken lightly.

INGREDIENTS AND KITCHEN TOOLS

The rest of my venison or deer chili recipe is pretty traditonal. We’ve got:

Ground venison (yes you can use elk, antelope, moose – this would even be great for bear & bison)
Black beans
Kidney beans
Diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Onions
Peppers
Garlic
Chili powder
Cumin
Paprika
Cinnamon
Worchestershire sauce
Lime
Orange
Venison or beef broth/stock (homemade is always best)

NOTE:

For flavor interest, try swapping out the venison/beef stock with 12oz of your favorite beer. A larger or stout work best but a pumpkin ale is always fun in the fall.

Kitchen Tools:

STEP BY STEP

Step 1: Begin by heating the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Step 2: Add the onion and peppers and cook until the onions start to brown on the edges, about 5-7 minutes. Then, add the venison and brown.

Step 3: Once the venison is browned add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes and then add the tomato paste. Cook for an additional minute, incorporating the tomato paste.

Step 4: Then, deglaze the pot with Worchestershire sauce, orange juice, and lime juice. Scrape the bottom of the pot and add the stock, tomatoes, and beans.

Step 5: Stir well and bring the chili to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover partially with a lid and let the pot simmer for at least 30 minutes but up to all day. If you’re cooking longer than an hour, be sure to cover the chili fully with a lid so all of the liquid doesn’t evaporate.

Step 6: Ladle up generous portions, top with your favorite chili toppings, and serve.

venison chili in a large pot with a ladle on a wood table with toppings spread all around it

HOW TO SERVE

We love serving this recipe up with some shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, and diced avocado. You can even add a little hot sauce if you’re feeling adventurous. Cornbread or corn chips for dipping are always a win too!

STORING AND REHEATING

These leftovers are even more delicious the next day! Make sure you let the chili cool before packing in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave until heated through.

FAQ

But before we go any further I’m sure you’re wondering why you can’t just take your favorite beef chili recipe and use deer. So I’ll tell you…

Can you sub venison for beef in chili?

The reason you don’t want to directly sub venison for beef in a chili recipe is because of the difference in flavor profile and fat composition. If you eat a lot of beef, you’re likely used to a more mild, buttery flavor of red meat. Venison or deer meat is bold, earthy, and fresh. It also comes from a much leaner animal. That’s why venison-specific recipes, like this roast recipe, are so popular. because the specialized.

So, if you use your family’s favorite beef chili recipe you’ll likely be looking for that notorious beefy flavor you’re used to. Which is perfectly understandable. But, by using a recipe developed to work with, transform and enhance the flavor of wild game…you’re going to have a recipe that will knock your socks clean off. I’ll tell you right now, I prefer this to beef any day. And I didn’t grow up eating wild game.

How do you get the wild taste out of deer chili (the BEST secret ingredient for venison chili)?

Now I’ll tell you, the ultimate secret ingredient for making great deer chili is acid; fresh lime and orange juice to be exact. It’s such a small part of the dish but the addition of this fresh citrus will make a world of difference, waking the whole dish up and making your taste buds sing.

However, the use of Worchestershire sauce here shouldn’t be overlooked and the hefty amount of spices is 100% worth it in the end. As a result of these wonderful flavorful notes, you’re left with a perfectly balanced pot of chili.

I like to make this on the stovetop, but of course, you can dump it all in your slow cooker and it will come out just fine. If I do this, I do like to saute my meat first, but that’s truly up to you.

OTHER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

I KNOW this recipe will be a staple in your household for years and years to come. Comment below and tell me how you’re serving it + check out this Chocolate Chipotle version from my cookbook!