How To Make: Chunky Chili Recipe with Venison and Veggies
Hey there, friends! Today, I’m sharing one of my go-to recipe for Chunky Chili with Venison and Veggies. It’s hearty, packed with flavor, and loaded with good-for-you ingredients.
Hearty Venison Chili with Veggies: A Comfort Food Classic
Equipment
- large stock pot, soup pan, or crock pot
- knife for cutting veggies
- Measuring Cups and Spoons:
- meat mashers (it works perfectly for separating meat while it's cooking)
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 cups diced green bell peppers
- 2-3 cans chili ready kidney beans
- 2 6 oz. cans of tomato paste
- 4 tsp. chili powder (or packet of chili powder)
- 4 tsp. ground cumin
- 4 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes with green chillies
- 2 lbs. ground venison (thawed)
- 1 cup fresh garden salsa
- 2 tbsp. olive oil (for browning the deer burger in)
Instructions
Stove Top Directions
- Heat the 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat and cook the deer burger until browned.
- Mix in the diced onions, celery, and peppers.
- Saute them for about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and sea salt.
- Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and salsa. Bring this to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir often!!!
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Stir and check on occasionally.
Crock Pot Directions
- Heat the 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat and cook the deer burger until browned.
- Add the cooked deer burger to the crock pot.
- Add in all of the remaining ingredients. Stir.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
This isn’t just any chili—it’s the kind that fills your kitchen with the best smells and makes everyone come running for seconds. Plus, it’s a great way to use ground deer meat if you have a hunter in the family. Let’s dive right in!
The Ingredients for Chunky Venison Chili with Veggies
Here’s what you’ll need for this hearty deer chili recipe:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning the venison)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups green bell pepper, diced
• 2 pounds ground venison burger (substitute with ground beef or turkey if preferred)
• 2 cans chili-ready kidney beans (or substitute with black beans, pinto beans, any sort of chili beans)
• 4 teaspoons chili powder (or use a pre-made chili seasoning packet, adding more if you like)
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 4 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with jalapeños
• 1 cup fresh garden salsa
• 2 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
Let’s Cook This Delicious Venison Chili Recipe!
Stove Top Directions for this Great Chili
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pot (or a large Dutch oven) over medium heat. Next, toss in the ground venison and brown it until no pink remains. After that, break it up with a spoon as it cooks, and once it’s done, drain any excess grease if necessary.
Step 2: Add the diced onion, celery, and green peppers to the pot. Sauté everything for about 4 minutes until the veggies start to soften.
Step 3: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Your kitchen should already smell amazing at this point!
Step 4: Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and sea salt. Stir it all together and let those spices toast for 5–6 minutes to really bring out their flavors.
Step 5: Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, and garden salsa. Stir everything to combine. If you’re using tomato paste, mix it in now.
Step 6: Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Give it a stir occasionally, and taste-test to see if it needs any extra seasoning.
Crock Pot Directions
Making this chili in a slow cooker is a breeze! This is a great recipe to try your wild game in.
1. Brown the ground venison in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the browned venison and all the remaining ingredients (onion, celery, green peppers, garlic, chili-ready kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano, sea salt, diced tomatoes, garden salsa, and tomato paste) into your crockpot.
3. Stir everything together, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
That’s it! Your house will smell incredible all day long. Making This slow cooker venison chili is a great way to cook venison.
Serving Suggestions for Hearty Venison Chili
Here’s where the fun begins—let’s talk about your favorite chili toppings and sides! This chunky chili pairs perfectly with:
• A dollop of sour cream
• Sliced avocado or jalapeno peppers
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• A sprinkle of green onions for garnish
• Oyster crackers, tortilla chips, or corn chips for crunch
Want to serve it with something extra hearty? Try grilled cheese sandwiches or even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (trust me, it works!).
Tips and Variations for this Easy Venison Chili Recipe
• Storage: This chili tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld together. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled.
• Substitutions: If you don’t have kidney beans, black beans work great too. Chili ready beans work great.
• Spice it up: Add a diced jalapeno or some crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.
Let’s Wrap It Up
This chunky venison chili is a hit with my family every time. It’s simple to make, warms you up on a chilly day, and is hearty enough to satisfy even the hungriest crowd. Plus, it’s versatile—whether you’re cooking on the stovetop or letting it simmer all day in the crockpot, you can’t go wrong.
The leftover chili heats up great and tastes amazing since the flavors have time to blend even more.
Give Me Some Feedback (positive, of course)
I’d love to hear how you top your chili or if you make any fun twists to this recipe. Let me know if it becomes a family favorite in your house too. Happy cooking, friends!
