As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Everyone says they have the best venison chili, but this really might be it. This recipe is the One Ring of chili, no matter what meat you use. It has won more awards than I ever imagined it would, and if you scroll through the comments you will see reader after reader who has won contests and awards with this recipe.
So yeah, I am pretty proud of my venison chili. It’s been on this site since about 2008, and while I’ve tinkered with it over the past decade-plus, it’s heart has remained the same.
And after all, who doesn’t love chili? And what hunter doesn’t love venison chili? Chili has endless variations: Beans or no beans? Ground meat or chunks? Or no meat at all? Tomato products or no tomato product? Add coffee? Chocolate? Cinnamon?
In fact, so far as I can tell, the only things that really must be in a venison chili recipe to make it a proper chili are chiles of some sort, cumin, and onions. (Yes, there are vegetarian chiles out there.)
My version of venison chili hinges on ground deer meat, but I’ve made it with all kinds of meats, even ground turkey and goose. You can use any meat here. I’ve done it with diced venison or other meat and it’s good, too. Just don’t do large chunks; the texture of the chili will be off.
I find that the chorizo, which is kinda runny, is a perfect start to the chili, as it’s often very fatty. Bacon works great, too.
The Chiles in Venison Chili
What makes my venison chili unique is the amount of dried chiles I use.
I will typically use 12 to 16 dried chiles of all sorts, reconstituted and then pureed with a cup of weak coffee to make the backbone of the dish. Any variety of these chiles works, but remember to use mild ones, at least mostly.
My preference is to use lots of anchos, which are very dark, mild and raisiny, with some guajillos, which are bright red, fruity, and are a bit hotter. None are really hot.
Don’t get all hung up on an exact combination of dried Mexican chiles. My advice is to use at least 3 or 4 kinds of chiles if you can. Other options besides ancho and guajillo would be a mix of chipotle, puya, chile negro, chile mulato, cascabel, New Mexican, red Anaheims and pasilla chiles. As you get to know these chiles — some are smoky, some hot, some sweet — you can adjust the mix to your taste.
On Beans
I like beans in my chili, but you can skip if you feel strongly about it — talkin’ to you, Texans! You can also use canned beans, and if you are, add them towards the end of cooking. Be sure to rinse the canned beans before adding to remove some of the starchy liquid they’re canned in.
What beans? Ideally pinto beans or something like it. Some sort of brown bean fits well with venison chili. I do have a black bean turkey chili recipe, where the black beans are a star of that show, so feel free to use black beans here.
White beans would seem weird, though, at least to me.
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?
Yep, this will work with either, although in both cases you would want to sauté everything first normally and then set it in the pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Slow cooker venison chili should take about 4 to 5 hours on “high,” and 8 hours or more on “low.” I’ve found that sautéing everything the night before, popping it in the fridge overnight, then putting it all into the slow cooker in the morning before work is the best and easiest course of action.
For the Instant Pot, you’ll want to put everything in after sautéing and set it on High Pressure for 10 minutes, then doing the natural release.
Topping Choices
I am partial to Mexican toppings like radishes and cotija cheese, which is a lot like feta, as well as cilantro and green onions.
But hey, venison chili is an American thing, and so I have to give a nod to shredded cheddar or jack cheese, plus yes, Fritos. I know, I know, but they are every bit as good in chili as tortilla chips.
Jalapenos, pickled or fresh, are a great option, as is minced onion soaked in lime juice. Diced avocado is a nice touch, too.
Sour cream is a natural, especially if you let your venison chili get too picante — and if you didn’t, your favorite hot sauce will then come in handy.
Bottom line: Put whatever makes you happy on top of your venison chili. You do you.
Storing and Preserving Venison Chili
Once made, it will keep for a week in the fridge, and, if you skip the beans, it freezes well. You can still freeze venison chili with beans in it, but the texture suffers a little.
You can also pressure can it in pints for 75 minutes at 10 psi (higher if you live at altitude). Check here for the food safety rules for pressure canned chili.
This venison chili is super Tex-Mex. If you want something a little more Southwest, go for my chile colorado recipe.
Venison Chili
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
Notes
Keys to Success
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Been cooking this recipe for over two years. Make it every year before we cut our Christmas tree and a couple other times throughout the winter. It keeps a long time and you can even freeze or pressure can it I believe. The taste of the chili is amazing. You need to follow all the steps though to great an incredible chili. Some additional toppings that are great is sour cream and Fritos. If you just toss all the ingredients in a crockpot, it will be subpar. Follow the steps, take your time and enjoy.
Not only is it a great recipe, it forced me to get to know my local Mexican markets in town for the chorizo and dried peppers. That then encouraged me to make more Mexican dishes besides tacos and fajitas.
“Everybody is going to get to know each other in the pot. I’m serious about this stuff.”
Thanks Hank.
I love a chili omelet with leftover chili! Great brunch item. This chili is really good, different than most not so tomatoey.
I tweaked it alot mainly to avoid going out, canned black beans. Only 2 types Chili’s, the one with the “g”, gua…..for sure. Steeped and puréed.
Started with a package of ground venison I wanted out of my freezer.
Also a chunk of salt pork for the fat.
Don’t be alarmed at how thin it starts, oh I used beef broth a full qt!
As it cooks down it becomes perfectly chili-ish.
Best chili recipe ever.
Never made an authentic chili before. Rehydrating the chilis takes the flavor up a notch! I like a beany chili so added 4 kinds at the end, along will some fire roasted tomatoes. Will definitely be making this again.
This is my go to chili recipe. Made the first batch of the year last night. Made bone broth in my Instant Pot with beef ribs, did a quick soak of 50/50 pinto and kidney beans. No venison in the freezer, so beef stew meat instead. I got impatient (and hungry) so I sped up the thickening process with a tablespoon of finely ground cornmeal….delicious.
Seems like there are a lot of questions about the chiles.. I buy mine in the Mexican section of my local grocery store. Pick a selection that sound good to you. When you’re ready to cook, seed an assorted dozen and tear into pieces. Stick your nose in the bowl and sniff….carefully. If it smells good to you, go for it! Anaheim, poblanos and anchos are all milder than jalapeños. When in doubt, pick the larger peppers and use fewer, as smaller ones tend to be hotter.
If you need something else to do with the molasses, a batch of Grammy’s Spice Cookies are always a hit. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/grammy-s-spice-cookies-nytimes-2012-december-51559131
What is a good substitute if you can’t find the chiles?
Mandy: Use another recipe. Sorry, but dried chiles are the backbone of this recipe. Now that said, any combination of chiles will work fine, so if you can only find, say, anchos, use them. The three kinds you will want to key in on are anchos, guajillos and pasillas. Dried red Hatch chiles will work, too. Another thing you might be able to find would be ancho chile powder. I see that for sale a lot. You’ll need like a whole jar for this recipe though. Where are you? Maybe I can help you find the chiles.
I haven’t made another chile for quite awhile now. Really the only reason I have molasses in the pantry, I should probably find some other recipes for it.
Great recipe! Adding pickled onions when serving was a great suggestion/addition.
Fantastic!, Chorizo and a ground venison. I used all four peppers recommended and a sumatra coffee. My first experience with venison and this recipe will be a staple going forward, thanks Hank.
question: wanting to make this chili, but reading thru the recipe…. do you puree the 1 cup of soaking water AND the coffee beans, or just the water, with the dried chiles?
thanks for any help
Joseph: There is no coffee beans. Just leftover coffee. And I generally go full on coffee + chiles to puree because the soaking water can get a little bitter, more bitter even than coffee. But others use the soaking water. Your call.
Mr Hank if you go straight coffee, do you still just use one cup, or do you replace the soaking water with an additional cup of coffee?
Joyce: I rarely use more than a full cup. You want it as a back note, not a dominant flavor.
Haha!!! I used 1 cup ground coffee— a bit gritty but not bad! Next time just made coffee!
Hank,
This has become my go-to chili recipe. I think it’s great for all kinds of meat. This turned out to be a perfect way to cook up a days worth of dove hunting last season and has become my favorite way to enjoy the bounty. Thanks for the recipe and stay safe during this craziness.
Hi Hank, limited on supplies at the moment.. you know.. quarantine and all. What do you think about substituting mushroom broth in place of beef broth?
Katrina: Go for it. I can almost guarantee it will be good!
Getting ready to make this chili 🙂 I wonder if doing it in a crock pot would turn out the same? I plan to do a really large amount in a 22 quart crock. Would you do most everything the same or change something?
Ryan: You can’t brown meat in a crockpot, but you certainly can simmer it all day in one.
Hi Hank! Headed to a chili cook off tomorrow with my Husbands venison. Unfortunately, I am down to ground breakfast sausage and ground Italian sausage. I was thinking of using Mexican chorizo and ground breakfast sausage? Do you have any suggestions? Oh and black beans? I do have a few venison roast at the bottom of the freezer.
Thank you
Sarah: I’d use the ground Italian sausage.
Love this chili recipe. There is so much depth of flavor without being hot/spicy just to be spicy. Soo good!
Would ground venison that is already seasoned with Cajun spices work well in this recipe?
Jessica: I mean, yes, but it is a different flavor. Hard to adjust all the other spices based off that.
Best chili recipe, ever!
This has become my go to chili recipe. Plenty of flavor without being too spicy for our friends who can’t take the heat. I usually use pinto beans, and diced venison.
Great recipe, tasty and not too difficult. Chorizo and a smoked/cubed venison sirloin. I used all four peppers listed and added a tsp of jalapeño powder. Another great one Hank!
Love this recipe! We’ve made it many times now with various combinations of meats. We have found that we really like throwing in chunks of stew meat in addition to the ground meats. It also won the chili cook off contest in my office, and we have a bunch of veeeery picky Texans! Thank you for sharing! Note for anyone wondering: This can be done in a Crock-Pot, but you’ll probably need a lot less liquid. I also partly-cooked the meat first and just used the Crock-Pot for the simmering everything and cooking the beans. The Dutch oven is superior, but sometimes a Crock-Pot is more convenient 🙂