This delicious venison chili is the ultimate way to use up some ground venison from your freezer, especially when winter’s chill sets in.
As a family, we love venison, and each fall, my husband brings home enough from hunting to keep our freezer stocked for the year.
While ground venison works beautifully in shepherd’s pie, burgers, and even summer sausage, our absolute favorite way to enjoy it is in a hearty pot of venison chili.
This simple, flavorful recipe is perfect for cozy fall and winter nights, with a blend of spices that adds depth without overpowering the natural flavor of the venison. It’s a comforting, go-to recipe that’s easy to adjust to your spice preference and sure to become a family favorite.
Venison Chili Ingredients
Ground Venison: Lean, flavorful, and perfect in this recipe. Ground beef, pork, or turkey can be substituted, but venison truly brings out the best flavors.
Onion: Finely diced to blend in smoothly, adding flavor to complement the venison.
Garlic: Minced for depth, adding just the right amount of spice.
Tomatoes & Green Chilis: Use home-canned or store-bought tomatoes with chilis for a mild tang.
Olive Oil or Venison Tallow: Since venison is lean, you’ll need a bit of fat for browning.
Tomato Sauce & Paste: These create a thick, rich base for the chili.
Beef Stock or Venison Broth: Adds depth and thins out the chili just enough. Use homemade venison broth if you have it!
Kidney Beans: Light red kidney beans are our favorite for chili, but black or pinto beans work just as well.
Chili Seasonings: A blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, and a few “secret ingredients” like cocoa powder and brown sugar for depth of flavor.
How to Make the Best Venison Chili
Step 1: Brown the Venison and Ingredients
In a large dutch oven, heat oil or tallow over medium-high. Add ground venison, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned. Add onions and garlic, cooking until softened and fragrant.
Step 2: Add Spices and Tomatoes
Stir in spices, tomatoes, and green chilis, coating everything in flavorful spices.
Step 3: Add Remaining Ingredients
Reduce heat to low, add drained beans, and stir in the rest of the ingredients, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 4: Simmer
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook another 30 minutes for optimal flavor.
Step 5: Serve
Serve hot with cheddar cheese, crackers, green onions, or a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe Variations
Instant Pot Venison Chili
Use the sauté setting to brown venison, onions, and garlic. Add remaining ingredients, then pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release.
Crock Pot Venison Chili
Brown the venison, onions, and garlic in a skillet, transfer to a slow cooker, add other ingredients, and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Storage Tips
Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pot or microwave.
Freezing: Freeze cooked chili in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Canning: Double or triple the recipe and pressure-can for shelf-stable storage. Makes approximately 2 quarts.
More Venison Recipes You’ll Love
- The Best Venison Burger Recipe
- Venison Enchiladas
- Easy Ground Venison Tacos Recipe
- The Best Venison Meatloaf
- Venison Shepherd’s Pie
Try this venison chili recipe and love it? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to give me a five-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card!
📖 Recipe
Venison Chili Recipe
Ground venison combines with spices, peppers, and seasonings in a rich tomato base to create this classic, comforting chili. Perfect for cold-weather nights!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Venison (or any ground meat)
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil (or deer tallow)
- 1 Small Onion, diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 ½ Cups Beef Stock or Venison Broth
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 10 oz Tomatoes and Diced Chilis
- 2 15 oz Cans Light Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 oz Tomato Sauce
Chili Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Dried Basil
- ½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon Celery Seed
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon Cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Instructions
- Brown the Meat. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground venison, breaking it up as it cooks. Once browned, add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing until the onion is translucent and the garlic fragrant.
- Add Spices and Tomatoes. Stir in the spices, tomatoes, and green chilis, coating everything well with the seasonings.
- Add Remaining IngredientsReduce heat to low, add drained beans, and stir in the rest of the ingredients, scraping up any browned bits from the pot.
- Simmer. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Uncover and let simmer for an additional 30 minutes to thicken and develop flavor.
- Serve. Serve hot, topped with shredded cheese, green onions, or sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 CupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 299Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1515mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 27g
Mimi says
That sounds mouthwatering Danielle! Mimi x
Danielle McCoy says
It really is! Plus, it's simple, win win!!
April J Harris says
I've only had venison once or twice, but it sounds delicious in this recipe! Your Chili is real comfort food. Thank you for sharing it with us at Hearth and Soul.
Janice Hudson says
Hello, I just found your website.. I too love to can, just in the last couple of years I have canned chicken and beef. I am not a big fan of venison, but I do like venison chili. ?Have you tried canning the chili
Danielle McCoy says
I've never tried canning it, no.
Lauren says
Can you substitute the lard for something else?
Danielle McCoy says
Sure. Any fat will work. I typically use lard or beef tallow, if you don't have those shortening or even butter will work. It is just to help the meat from drying out while it's browning and add a little flavor.
Bethany says
How long do you put it in the crockpot for?
Danielle McCoy says
About 6 hours on low :).
Gary D. Villers says
Dear Danielle, Tried your recipe for venison chili. Love the simplicity of it. For my fat I used some left over hamburger grease from the night before and olive oil to sautee veggies and brown the venison. We were blessed this year to still be able to pick our own jalapenos up the first week of November. We like to let it cool overnight, skim any fat off and let those flavors marry up. I cook in a cast iron dutch oven thats been handed down through the family for 100yrs. We were blessed with venison given to us by friends and family. I donated another batch to our local EMTs, fire and police and to a local military base. Thank you for the recipe. Gary
Tj says
I doubled the recipe because I had two pounds of ground venison, I doubled everything except the kidney beans(just used three cans instead of two, it was plenty). I will definitely be making this again but next time I’ll stick to the original measurements for the thyme and rosemary. Great flavor for the chili but at first bite the thyme and rosemary are powerful but after that it taste delicious
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you liked it!
Glenn Mutter says
I MADE THIS CHILI AND IT WAS VERY GOOD MY BUDDY WHO IS PICKY LOVED IT I WILL MAKE THIS AGAIN THANK YOU 😁
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you enjoyed it! It's one of our favorite venison recipe.
Anna says
This is the best venison chili! My husband went back for a large second helping.
Danielle McCoy says
Yay! So glad you and your husband liked it! It is one of our favorites, for sure!
Julie says
I'm going to try your seasonings and meat/broth onions/garlic and pressure can them. I've already canned pintos and kidney beans. This would be fabulous to dump a few jars of beans and meat base and tomatoes and have 1/2 hour chili. And thank you for not adding bell peppers. Your seasoning blend looks fabulous. 👌
Danielle McCoy says
That sounds like a fantastic plan! Pressure canning the seasonings, meat, and broth will make for a super convenient and delicious meal anytime. I love that you're keeping it simple with just the basics, and I'm so glad the seasoning blend works for you! No bell peppers here—just good, hearty ingredients. 😊 Enjoy your quick and tasty chili, and thanks for sharing your twist on the recipe!
Jon says
Seems like a great recipe, but you have to scroll 20 miles down the page to see it. Fucking ridiculous. What happened to the days where you could print it on a 3x5 card. Fucking ads suck dick. Get rid of them
Jon
Danielle McCoy says
Ah, the nostalgia of 3x5 recipe cards—such a simpler time! Unfortunately, running a website isn’t free, and those ‘fucking ads’ make it possible for me to provide free recipes instead of slapping them behind a paywall. But hey, good news! There’s a handy ‘Jump to Recipe’ button right at the top—no scrolling required. Appreciate your engagement, though! 😉
JB says
What a tool. Bro, calm down slightly. First time using the ole interweb? I think you must have add too many jalapeno’s to your chili!!!!
Danielle McCoy says
LMAO okay but why are you funnier than me?? Thank you for restoring balance to the internet today. Chili-roasting level: expert.
Jon says
What’s up with all the fucking ads. Please make them go away. Why do I have to scroll 100 miles down to find the fucking recipe. Knock this shit off
Danielle McCoy says
Oh no! You had to scroll! The horror! 😱 But hey, guess what? There’s a ‘Jump to Recipe’ button right at the top to save you from the arduous journey. And as for the ads? They keep the recipes free. But if you prefer, I can set up a paid subscription just for you. 😉 Let me know!