VENISON CHILI

By Chris Whonsetler 

www.fromfield-table.com     
IG: @fromfieldtotable 

Servings: 10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Total time: 2 1/2 hours

Is chili ever a bad idea? The answer is no. It’s always chili season. I won’t tell you how to dice your vegetables, but I like to see what I’m eating. I also won’t judge you if you leave out the beans or add some noodles - this is your chili. It’s a large recipe and we typically freeze half for future easy meals. If you use a chamber vac you can easily throw it in the sous vide for a super convenient hot meal that is ready whenever you are. 

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 pound ground venison
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 pound cooked bacon
• 4 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained & rinsed (kidney, pinto, or black beans)
• 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 4 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup dark beer
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground venison and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until just browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer meat to a bowl.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onion, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot, stir well to combine, and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Stir in meat mixture, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings and continue to simmer for a deeper flavor. I generally prefer another 5 hours.
6. Hot Tip: Make some corn bread waffles and serve on top of the chili!