Venison Chili
I've been trying different chili recipes over the years, and a few of them have made it to my site and YouTube channel.
But this one here I have to say is my best one yet. In past recipes, I've tried adjusting the fat, using different fats, with tomatoes, without tomatoes, you get the picture. For this recipe I took it right back to basics and built it from scratch.
What does a good chili need?
First, it needs good quality meat with the right amount of fat. Now we're working with venison, which I consider excellent quality meat but, uh, where's the fat?
Well, there's a solution to that. Use the goddamn fat it comes with. I'm sick and tired of hunters, or "wild food enthusiasts" saying how bad venison fat is. It's NOT. Use the right fat properly and it's better than any other.
So if you want the best venison chili, use the rib meat. You know that meat you don't know what to do with, the one you usually give to the dogs?
That's the best meat for your chili. Let me explain.
A good chili needs to bind together; you don't want it to separate in the bowl like it's ground meat soup. You want it smooth and unctuous. All that rib meat is full of good fat and connective tissue.
Now obviously I'm not talking about the big fat cap on the ribs, but the bit between the ribs. You can see clearly in this video what I'm talking about.
Now we have some of the fat but it's still not enough. So, use pork belly. You can use pork fat, but an extremely fatty pork belly adds another layer of flavor.
I was content with using venison fat, pork belly, but there was another thing that I thought would elevate this dish: pancetta!
Not only does this add a little more fat, but it's extremely high in monosodium glutamate, intensifying the flavors in the dish.
Chili Sauce
You can't make a chili without chili sauce.
I'm guilty of being lazy and using powders or flakes, but come on, you dragged yourself across a field in the freezing cold, hauled out a 600lb animal, strung it up and spent over an hour butchering just to throw powder on it? Let's not do that.
To build a proper chili base for venison, it's best to use dried whole chili. There are three main types for making a deep rich chili.
Ancho: this is the main one that brings sweetness and richness. Pasilla: this is a deeper flavor.
And guajillo: which is the deepest of them all. If you can only get one, get ancho.
To get the most from the chilis toast them on a hot pan for 5 minutes, then soak in stock or water for 30 minutes.
To finish the sauce add tinned tomatoes. Yes, I said tomatoes! I'm not debating it, for venison chili, you need tomatoes.
Now I don't care if you use San Marzano or fire roasted, but the sweetness of the tomatoes compliments the venison beautifully.
The Secret Ingredients
There are two more important things to note about this recipe that you typically won't see in others: fish sauce and apple cider vinegar.
Fish sauce is another source of MSG, and in a complex layered dish like this it helps bring out the most from all the flavors.
This is a rich dish, and to cut the richness I added apple cider vinegar at the end. This lifts the dish up.
Venison Chili with Dried Chiles
Ingredients
- Meat & Fat
- Dried Chiles
- Aromatics
- Liquids
- Spices & Seasoning
- Optional Beans
Method
- Remove stems and seeds from ancho, pasilla, and guajillo chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet, about 15–20 seconds per side, until fragrant. Place in a bowl and cover with hot stock or hot water. Soak 20–30 minutes.
- Blend the softened chiles with 360–480 ml (1–1½ cups) soaking liquid and the crushed tomatoes until completely smooth. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, cook the pancetta over medium heat until the fat renders. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- In a separate small pan, add the cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, and smoked paprika. Toast for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Grind if whole, then set aside.
- In a separate high-heat pan, heat a neutral high-temp oil until just before smoking. Brown the venison in batches to avoid steaming. Transfer each browned batch into the Dutch oven with the pancetta and aromatics.
- Deglaze the pan with beer and pour into the Dutch oven.
- Add the toasted spices, oregano, brown sugar, and molasses to the Dutch oven. Stir in the chile paste. Add 720 ml (3 cups) stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover the Dutch oven with the lid. Cook in the oven at 150–160°C (300–325°F). Braise for 2 hours.
- Remove from oven and stir in apple cider vinegar. Return to oven without the lid, and cook another 30 minutes to thicken. Add beans during the last 10 minutes if using.
- Let the chili rest 10–15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle.
