Deer Camp Venison Chili
Ground venison, ranch beans, and tomato sauce in one pot, with the spices going in twice.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 14 oz
- cal / oz
- 37
- protein
- 42 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 120 min
- total time
- 140 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Dutch oven
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Winter / snow
- Dairy free
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Ground venison | 2 lb | coarse grind; rides in the cooler on ice |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking oil | 1 tbsp | venison has no fat of its own |
| Yellow onion | 1, diced | |
| Green bell pepper | 1, diced | or 1/2 cup canned green chiles |
| Celery | 1/2 stalk, minced fine | |
| Chipotle in adobo | 1 pepper, diced | |
| Tomato sauce | 15 oz can | |
| Ranch beans | 15 oz can | undrained |
| Beef broth | 14 oz can | |
| Dark chili powder | 2 tbsp total | split in two additions |
| Light chili powder | 2 tbsp total | split in two additions |
| Ground cumin | 2 tbsp total | split in two additions |
| Smoked paprika | 1 tsp | |
| Garlic powder | 1 tsp | |
| Chicken bouillon powder | 1 tsp | |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Build a bed of coals or set a burner to medium. Put the oil in a heavy pot and brown the venison hard, breaking it up as it goes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and chipotle. Cook until the onion goes soft, about eight minutes.
- Stir in half the chili powders and half the cumin. Let them toast in the fat for a minute before any liquid hits them.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, beans, and broth. Add the paprika, garlic powder, bouillon, salt, and pepper.
- Bring it to a bare simmer and hold it there. Over a fire that means the pot sits off to the side of the coals, not over them.
- At the ninety-minute mark stir in the rest of the chili powders and cumin. Simmer another thirty minutes and taste for salt.
- Pull it when it coats the spoon. Longer only makes it better.
Venison is lean enough that it will go dry and grainy if you treat it like beef. The tablespoon of oil and the long low simmer are both there to fix that, and the tomato sauce and bean liquid keep the meat sitting in something wet for two hours instead of drying out at the bottom of the pot.
The spices go in twice on purpose. The first half toasts in the hot fat and turns deep and slightly bitter, which is the backbone. The second half goes in near the end still raw and sharp, so you get the top notes back that two hours of simmering would otherwise cook flat. This one needs a cooler and real heat, so it is a car camp or basecamp dinner, not something to carry.
Packing
Mix the two spice additions into separate labeled bags at home so you are not measuring six things twice in the dark. Cans and bouillon go in the food bin, venison and vegetables in the cooler.
Variations
- Swap the venison for ground beef or bulk sausage if the freezer is empty.
- Leave out the bouillon and use vegetable broth to drop the salt.
- A can of hominy in the last thirty minutes stretches it to eight people.
https://realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/contest-winning-venison-chili-recipe