Friday Feast: Western Venison Chili

Fall means two things: hunting and football. Next weekend, I go back to my alma mater for Homecoming and have been searching for new tailgate recipes for game day. I stumbled across this Western Venison Chili recipe that I just couldn’t resist! Spicy chili is the perfect dish for the cooler temperatures of fall and what better way than to replace beef with some fresh venison. 

Disclaimer: I picked this recipe because I LOVE spicy food (yes, I’m that person who snacks on jalapeños...) So if you prefer your chili more mild, North American Whitetail has included some other takes on this classic dish you may want to try.

Image and recipe from www.northamericanwhitetail.com

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans
• 1 can red beans
• 1.5 pounds ground venison
• 1 lime zested and the juice
• 3 tbls dark chili powder (El Guapo makes a great N.M. Molido)
• 1 tbls chipotle pepper, ground
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced small
• 2 tbls olive oil
• 2 cups onion, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 4 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 can diced green chilis (6-8 oz)
• 1/2 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 12 oz jar of Hot Chunky Salsa, or make your own!
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbls fresh garlic, chopped
• 2 tbls Sriracha Chili Sauce Topping
• sour cream
• fresh avocado

Directions:
Heat oil in a pot and brown the venison for about 8-10 minutes on medium heat. Add in all the chopped vegetables and spices and cook another 15 minutes. Then add in all the rest of your ingredients and cook down on a medium to low heat for at least 30 more minutes. The longer, the better. Lastly, spoon into a bowl and top with the thickest sour cream and freshest, ripe avocados you can find.