This venison chili is one of the easiest ground deer meat recipes that you can make on the stove or in a slow cooker! The addition of the bacon helps give it a flavor that will leave you craving it on those cold winter days!
We absolutely love deer meat recipes and are always looking for new ways to use it, since we live in Montana and my husband is a hunting guide. So if you have a freezer full of venison, adding deer chili to your menu plan is always a good idea! Or, put it on top of Frito’s and make a chili pie!
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Why You’ll Love This Venison Chili
I love using ground venison to make chili because it’s a great way to use up that deer that can’t be cut in to steaks.
NOTE: If you’re someone who doesn’t really care for a gamey venison taste, using it in chili is a great way to use it up!
Want Slow Cooker Venison Chili?
Similar to our stovetop or slow cooker bean soup, this recipe process below will show you how to cook on the stovetop. However, if you’re planning on making this in the slow cooker… here is what we recommend:
- Cook the bacon, venison, onions, peppers, and garlic together in a skillet over medium-high heat until the venison and bacon is cooked through.
- Add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook on high heat for about 5 hours or on low heat for about 8 hours. (Temperature settings on different slow cookers may vary. Check periodically for best results!)
How to Make Deer Chili
If you’re ready to get started on this venison chili, you can find the full stove-top recipe at the bottom of this post.
However, I LOVE to show you process photos too in case you like to follow along visually like I do, when making a recipe I find online!
First, you’ll chop up your bacon and cook it over medium heat in a large pot for about 10 minutes until done. (Or longer if you prefer a crispier bacon in your chili.)
Add your onion, garlic and bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes.
Then, add the ground venison until venison is no longer pink.
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, onion powder and salt until the meat is evenly coated.
Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chili beans, and kidney beans.
Stir in the brown sugar…
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes!
Doesn’t this look amazing?!
Venison Chili Tip
If you’re using 100% ground venison, you’ll want to keep all of the bacon grease that cooks out. However, if you are using processed venison, drain the bacon grease because beef or pork may have been added to it during the process, giving it the fat that this recipe needs.
Side Dishes for Venison Chili:
If you’re looking for something to serve alongside this deer chili recipe, you love these:
- Side Salad Recipe
- Easy Focaccia Bread
- Caprese Chicken Sandwich
- or put it on top of these chili cheese corn dogs
More Chili Recipes You’ll Love:
More Venison Recipes You’ll Love:
Recipe
Venison Chili
Ingredients
- 12 ounces thick sliced bacon
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoons onion powder
- ½ tablespoons salt
- 15 ounces can tomato sauce
- 2 cans 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes or similar size
- 15 ounces can hot chili beans or mild if you’re not in to “hot”
- 15 ounces can kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Chop bacon into small pieces.
- In a large pot, over medium heat, cook bacon about 10 minutes (you can cook it longer if you prefer a crispier bacon).
- Add chopped onions, bell pepper, and garlic.
- Cook vegetable together with the bacon for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground venison and cook until the venison is no longer pink.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, onion powder and salt until the meat is evenly coated.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chili beans, and kidney beans.
- Stir to combine.
- Stir in brown sugar.
- Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Notes
- Cook the bacon, venison, onions, peppers, and garlic together in a skillet over medium-high heat until the venison and bacon is cooked through.
- Add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook on high heat for about 5 hours or on low heat for about 8 hours. (Temperature settings on different slow cookers may vary. Check periodically for best results!)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Jacque says
Hi, I’m about to make it but wondered the ounces for the cans of tomatoes. Are you talking about a large can or average size? Thanks!
Jessica says
Hi Jacque! So sorry about that. It should be the 14.5 oz. cans or close to it! I hope you love it!
Jacque says
The whole fam Loved the recipe! Will make again. Made it for my husbands chili cook off and it have raving reviews.
Jessica says
Awww!! This is so great to hear Jacque! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this about the venison chili! It makes me so happy! 🙂
Jill says
Ok ok, I’ve made deer chili a hundred times, but I gotta admit, this was awesome. The kids loved it. Like A LOT. I changed only one thing, and that was because I didn’t have something…I didn’t have diced tomatoes, so I just added a bit more tomato sauce and some water. I also didn’t have chopped bell pepper. Still great.
Jessica says
Excellent!! I’m so glad you liked this deer chili! Thank you for sharing!
Vince says
I tried the Stove-top recipe. Stuck to the recipe except I only used 1 can of beans, medium chili beans (pinto). I’m not into chili with a lot of beans. I loved it. Next time I may try the slow cook version and I’ll kick it up just a bit with a can of hot chili beans. I went with half hot mexican chili powder and half regular chili powder. I may go with full hot mexican next time, as well. I wouldn’t change anything else. 👍 👍
Jessica says
Hi Vince! That’s great!! I’m so glad to hear that you liked it, thank you!
Amber says
This recipe saved my dinner crisis tonight. Thank you! Its delicious!
Jessica says
Awww! Yay! I’m so glad, thank you so much for letting me know. 🙂
Chelsey says
How long should I let the chili cook in my slow cooker? The recipe cuts off and does not say in the slow cooking instructions. Thank you.
Jessica says
Hi Chelsey! I’m so sorry about that. I’m not sure what in the world happened with that. I’ve updated the post, but just in case:
Cook on high heat for about 5 hours or on low heat for about 8 hours. (Temperature settings on different slow cookers may vary. Check periodically for best results!)
Hunter Duff says
Are the chili beans and kidney bean the big can or normal can
Jessica says
Hello! The 15 oz. cans are what you need! Sorry about that! I’ll go update the ingredients list right now. 🙂