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Easy Smoky Slow Cooker Venison Chili Recipe

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This quick smoky slow cooker venison chili is the recipe that changes minds without even trying. It takes about fifteen minutes of hands-on work—browning the meat, tossing in the spices, letting the slow cooker do its thing—and delivers a deep, smoky, hearty chili that even venison skeptics love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground venison
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, pickled jalapeños, crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Brown the venison: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground venison and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over—about 5 to 7 minutes. If the venison is very lean, add a tablespoon of olive oil first.
  2. Add the aromatics: Push the browned meat to one side of the skillet. Add the diced onion to the empty space and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Mix everything together.
  3. Bloom the spices: Sprinkle the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper over the meat and onions. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the spices.
  4. Deglaze the pan: Pour in about ¼ cup of the beef broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it simmer for a minute until the liquid reduces slightly.
  5. Transfer to the slow cooker: Dump the meat and onion mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced green chiles, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and the remaining beef broth. Stir well.
  6. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
  7. Add the beans: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans and pinto beans. Let them heat through.
  8. Finish and adjust: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the chili is too thin, cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes to thicken. If too thick, stir in a splash more broth.
  9. Rest before serving: Let the chili sit for about 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the meat—it builds flavor. For a milder chili, reduce or omit chipotle powder and use regular paprika instead of smoked. For a spicier version, add an extra chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo. This chili freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: venison chili, slow cooker chili, smoky chili, easy chili, venison recipe, game meat chili, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/easy-smoky-slow-cooker-venison-chili-recipe/