Venison Chili from the Land
- Level: Easy
- Total: 2 hr 15 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 2 hr 5 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds venison stew meat, cut into 1- or 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika (preferably smoked)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 cup dark beer (such as Dos Equis)
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce from the can
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and bacon and cook until the bacon renders its fat, about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Pat the venison dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In batches, cook the meat in the Dutch oven until browned all over, about 6 minutes per batch. Remove the meat to a plate as it browns.
- Once all of the meat is out of the pot, add the onion, bell pepper, green chilies, and garlic and cook until the onion and pepper begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and chipotle powder and cook until the vegetables are coated with the spices, about 1 minute. Pour in the beer, bring to a boil, and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beef broth, chopped chipotle and chipotle sauce, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Bring to a simmer and add the bacon and venison back. Simmer the stew, partially covered, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour and 45 minutes, uncovering for the last half an hour. If the meat is tender but the sauce is too thin, simmer rapidly over high heat for a minute or two to reduce, stirring to keep the bottom from burning.
