With the cooler temps we’ve been experiencing in the mornings and evenings these days, I think it’s safe to say that fall is officially here! YESSS!
Our favorite yearly fall tradition when it comes to cooking is making a deer chili recipe that Price stumbled upon years ago on one of his message boards!
I don’t know who came up with the original recipe, but we’ve tweaked it over the years to make it our own and boy is it good! It’s the perfect thing to eat with a grilled cheese sandwich sitting outside around the fire pit!
>> WHAT YOU’LL NEED <<
(makes about 8 servings)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 to 4 lbs. coarsely ground deer meat
2 large yellow onions, diced medium
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chili powder
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 can of diced tomatos
2 cans of Bush’s chilli beans
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer – we usually use whatever fallish craft beer we have on hand. But just plain Budweiser works!
1 cup water
2 tbsp. cornmeal
optional for toppings:
shredded cheese
finely diced yellow onion
sour cream
>> WHAT YOU’LL DO <<
Heat a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the oil. Add the venison and cook until it begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion becomes soft, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar, and cook until all of the meat is coated with the spices, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, and water, and bring the chili to a simmer. Cook the chili at a low simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the flavors come together and the texture thickens, then add the beans and simmer another 15 minutes . During the cooking, add water to keep the chili moist as the liquid evaporates.
At the end of the cooking time, sprinkle the cornmeal over the chili and stir in. Cook until the cornmeal is cooked through and has slightly thickened the chili, 10 to 15 minutes. Ladle the hot chili into bowls and top with cheese, diced onion, and sour cream.
With all the hunting Price does, this usually helps us use up the last bit of deer meat we have in the freezer just in time for a new hunting season! Ha!
If you make this, I’d love to know what you think! We are just crazy about this recipe!
I hope you’re having a great week so far and enjoying the fall weather! Thanks so much for reading!
