Venison Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make venison chili less gamey? ›

How do you make venison chili less gamey? If you're not a big fan of the “gamey” flavor in venison, you can add a dash of cinnamon or cocoa powder, which will minimize the earthiness and add richness to the chili. Or add a dash of brown sugar to balance out the flavor.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook venison, onion and garlic in oil until meat is browned. Transfer to a slow cooker and stir together with chiles, beans, broth oregano, cumin, salt and paprika.

The best chili meat is a combination of meats, often a mix of ground chuck, ground sirloin, brisket, diced tri-tip, and/or some bacon or sausage. Do your best to mix smaller pieces with larger pieces to stack textures and make it your own! Happy cooking!

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

Marinades tenderize (soften muscle fibers) and enhance the flavor of venison. Marinades can add fat and calories to this lean cut of meat. Always be marinate meats in the refrigerator. Always include a high-acid liquid like lemon or tomato juice, vinegar or wine to soften the muscle fibers.

When people describe venison taste and texture, they often use words like rich or earthy; this is a festive-tasting meat, often imbued with hints of the acorns, sage and herbs that the deer enjoyed during its life. It's also considered to be less juicy and succulent than beef, but also smoother and firmer.

In the Cincinnati region, chili is done differently. In place of chunks of meat and sizeable beans, you'll get savory soupiness and creative accoutrements like spaghetti, hot dogs and mustard. In place of an overtly tomato-y base, you'll taste hints of cinnamon, cloves, allspice and maybe even chocolate.

What is the difference between Texas chili and Colorado chili? ›

So how do they differ? Well, besides the different chile peppers used, Texas chili is traditionally made without tomatoes, though you will find them in chile colorado. Likewise, fillers are verboten in Texas chili yet potatoes are welcome in chile colorado.

You can also choose to add more beans to the chili, mashing them first to help thicken the broth. Depending on how much you add, you may need to adjust spices and seasoning after.

Stirring it in with the spices, onion, celery, and garlic ensures it breaks up as it cooks slowly. There's yet another slow step in this recipe, coming after the tomatoes, tomato sauce, peppers and beans have been added: make sure to stir your pot every so often over the next two hours.

Acidic foods, like citrus juice & vinegars, brighten up the heavy flavor of venison, bring out the best tasting notes, and cut through a bit of that “gamey” flavor. I make sure to use acid in all of my marinades (it also helps to tenderize the meat), and in almost every single dish I make with deer meat.

Venison silver skin, fat, ligaments, and other undesirable parts of a deer that aren't muscle don't taste very good. Deer fat is generally bitter, unlike beef fat. This is probably the number one reason why folks think venison, particularly ground venison, tastes gamey.

Marinating venison in buttermilk or a mixture of vinegar and water can help reduce its gamey taste.

Depending on what you're planning to cook, you may want to add fat to your ground venison. This added fat can be bacon, pork shoulder, pork belly, beef tallow, etc. It's purely personal preference. I always add about 15-20 percent fat if I'm making hamburger or kebabs, which makes the meat juicier and more flavorful.