Easy, hearty and crazy delicious venison beer chili is the perfect cozy dinner for a cold night! Venison chili is made using ground venison and can be cooked on the stove or in the crockpot. Serve with your favorite chili toppings and Easy Buttery Beer Bread!
Easy Venison Chili Recipe
This recipe may be easy, but it certainly isn't lacking flavor!! Just the right mix of spices, lots of ground venison and just enough beans - my perfect chili!
All you need is 15 minutes of hands-on cook time! Brown the meat and sauté onion and peppers, then add the remaining ingredients. Let the chili simmer on the stove for 30-40 minutes, or cook low and slow in the crockpot - the choice is yours! So easy and so delicious!
If you're looking for more easy and crave-worthy ground venison recipes, you absolutely have to cook up my wildly tender venison meatballs and my insanely flavorful venison tacos with avocado lime crema! You won't be disappointed!
Check out this review for my easy ground venison tacos:
"Just made these (only modification was no pickled jalapeños) and oh man, some of the best tacos we've made!!!! Thank you SO much-this is definitely going in our regular rotation! YUM!" - MFE Reader, KT
Ingredients.
- Olive oil.
- Onion.
- Bell pepper.
- Ground venison.
- Fresh garlic.
- Tomato paste.
- Light beer.
- Beef broth.
- Tomato sauce.
- Diced tomatoes.
- Crushed tomatoes.
- Chili beans.
- Kidney beans.
- Pinto beans.
- Chili seasoning (homemade blend in recipe card).
How to Make Venison Chili.
Making venison chili is incredibly easy, which is part of the reason why I love it! There's minimal prep and hands-on cook time needed, and a lot of the ingredients are from a can, keeping things nice and simple.
The key is to let the chili simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow the spices to mingle together, creating amazing flavor!
Here's how you do it!
- Cook the venison, onions and peppers. Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook diced onion and bell pepper for a few minutes then add the ground venison. Cook until the venison is nicely browned and no longer pink.
- Mix in tomatoes and spices. Add the garlic and tomato paste - let cook for another minute. Then mix in lots of tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and all the chili seasoning!
- Add the Beans. Gently mix in the 3 cans of beans - I recommend chili beans, kidney beans and pinto beans.
- Simmer the chili. Simmer the chili for about 30-40 minutes on the stove, or let the chili cook in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Serve! Serve with your favorite chili toppings, such as sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese!
P.S. Don't forget to make my Easy Buttery Beer Bread to serve with the Venison Beer Chili!
How do you cook deer meat so it doesn't taste gamey?
Venison chili is a great venison recipe for those who don't like the gamey taste of venison. The beer, broth and spices in the chili help to remove gamey flavor, while simultaneity infusing the ground venison with all the delicious flavors of the chili.
I also highly recommend you try my Beer Braised Venison Roast. It's my most popular venison recipe!
What is the best way to cook ground venison?
Ground venison can be used in a variety of different recipes. You can use ground venison just as you would ground beef. I love to use ground venison to make tender venison meatballs, hearty venison chili, juicy venison burgers, and you can even use ground venison to make easy maple sage venison breakfast sausage!
How to make Crock Pot Venison Chili.
Venison chili is a great recipe to make in the crock pot!
- Brown the venison, onion and bell pepper in a large skillet, as directed in the recipe card.
- Transfer the meat and vegetables to the crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients, mix, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Serve with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, shredded cheese, and green onion!
Frequently Asked Questions.
Is there a substitute for beer?
Yes! I recommend using chicken broth as a substitute for beer, or you can use more beef broth for a richer flavor.
Can I use different beans?
Yes! I feel as though 3 cans of beans is just the right amount, but feel free to use any combination!
Can I leave out the beans?
If you don't like beans, you can certainly omit them, but the chili won't be as hearty and filling. To make up for that, I recommend adding another pound of ground venison, ground beef or ground pork!
What's the best secret ingredient for chili?
My favorite secret chili ingredient is beer! Beer adds a little sweet and malty flavor to the chili enhancing the chilis overall flavor and texture. Keep in mind that the type of beer you use matters. The darker the beer, the more richness it will add to the chili.
What spices are good on deer meat?
There are a lot of spices that pair well with deer meat. When it comes to making venison chili, I recommend the following spices: chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
Can you mix venison with ground beef?
Yes! Ground beef pairs nicely with ground venison. Since venison is so lean, mixing it with ground beef adds fat and flavor. To make venison chili with both ground venison and ground beef, use 50/50 ratio of ground venison and ground beef.
Storage and reheating.
How to store venison chili.
Venison chili leftovers are the best! It stores really well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze deer chili?
Yes, you can freeze deer chili in an airtight container up to 6 months; however, the texture will change slightly from the beans. Thaw in the fridge.
How to reheat venison chili.
Reheat venison chili on the stove in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently so it doesn't burn. The reheat time varies depending on how much chili you're reheating.
Alternatively, you can reheat single portions in the microwave.
Recommended Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below! I'd love to hear from you! If you're on Instagram, share a picture of the food you created and tag me at Modern Farmhouse Eats! I enjoy seeing all the pictures! 😊
Best Venison Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 12-ounce light beer lager, ale or your favorite beer
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 16-once can chili beans
- 1 16-ounce can kidney beans drained
- 1 16-ounce can pinto beans drained
- sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onion optional toppings
Chili seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for a few minutes then add the ground venison. Cook until the venison is no longer pink and lightly browned.
- Mix in the garlic and tomato paste and cook one minute.
- Add in the beer, beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and chili seasoning; mix to combine.
- Mix in the beans and simmer uncovered for about 30-40 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and my easy buttery beer bread!
Notes
- Follow steps 1-2 then transfer the mixture to the crockpot.
- Add the remaining ingredients as directed in the recipe above.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3.
- Is there a substitute for beer? Yes! I recommend using chicken broth as a substitute for beer, or you can use more beef broth for a richer flavor.
- Can I use different beans? Feel free to use any combination of your favorite beans.
- Can I leave out the beans? If you don't like beans, you can certainly omit them, but the chili won't be as hearty and filling. To make up for that, I recommend adding another pound of ground venison, ground beef or ground pork!
- Can you mix venison with ground beef? Yes! Ground beef pairs nicely with ground venison. Since venison is so lean, mixing it with ground beef adds fat and flavor. To make venison chili with both ground venison and ground beef, use 50/50 ratio of ground venison and ground beef.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
Helen Forrest says
Church members loved it
Rachel Kochlin says
So happy to hear that! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Helen!
Shawn says
I’m a long time hunter and this is the 1st time I have ever made venison chili (1 of my hunting buddies has done it). My wife lost her dad a few years back and she said this is the closest thing to what he made. Thanks for the recipe this will be used often. 100% awesome recipe the guy that said he doubled it and threw it out must have not followed the instructions.
Rachel Kochlin says
Shawn, thank you so much for sharing this with me! It truly means a lot to hear that the chili reminded your wife of something her dad used to make. That's such a special compliment! I appreciate you taking the time to leave such a kind review.
Merek moseley says
How many chili packs instead of making it
Rachel Kochlin says
You would like to use a chili seasoning packet in place of the homemade chili seasoning? I can't say for sure how much to add since I always make my own (which I highly recommend) but I would start with one packet, let it simmer a bit, and then do a taste test and add more if needed.
Chad Moore says
Come back every year for this!! This will be year 5 of making htis chili!!
Rachel Kochlin says
Ohh wow 5 years is amazing!! I absolutely love that this chili has become a yearly tradition for you! Thank you so much for coming back and sharing that with me!
lachelle Jones says
I made it! I used a light beer Miller light and 3 cans pinto beans great recipe. We loved it
Carla says
Let it be said that I do NOT like venison but my husband is a hunter, so here we are. I fixed this chili for one of his lodge meetings and I would taste it as I was preparing it to make sure it was turning out OK. Let me just say, I've made a 2nd pot of this and my husband and I consumed the whole thing!!! I'm so glad I found a recipe that incorporated venison in it so that I could enjoy it and reap the benefits of this lean meat. It's crazy to me that I would EVER eat venison willingly. Great recipe. Thanks for changing my mind.
Rachel Kochlin says
Carla, that is the best compliment!! This is why I love sharing my venison recipes! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Ann Pitt says
Out of this world!!! The most flavoful Venison Chili ever. Would not change a thing!
Kierstyn says
Whats the best light beer to use?
Rachel Kochlin says
Kierstyn, whatever you have in your fridge will work! For us, that's usually Busch Light. Any lager or ale will work. The darker the beer, the more flavor and richness it will add to the chili.
Ed Thomis says
I was expecting some delicious chili so I doubled the recipe. Big mistake! The taste of garlic was so overpowering it drowned out the taste of every other ingredient. 3 out of 10 people liked it. I threw out all that was left. Very disappointing!☹️
Rachel Kochlin says
Hi Ed! I'm sorry the recipe didn't work out for you. This recipe has many 5 star reviews. I feel that the amount of garlic that the recipe calls for isn't enough to overpower the chili though. The recipe just calls for 4 cloves (not whole bulbs) and just 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Did you possibly add too much by accident? I'd love to help you troubleshoot.
Alex says
We loved this!! I have a question, is this safe for pressure canning? It's just my husband and I, so I made a big batch in hopes of having it put back. Thank you 🙂
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
Alex, I'm thrilled that you love my venison chili!! I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to pressure can this chili, but I personally haven't tried it.
Anna says
Made for a crowd, and it was a huge hit! Absolutely delicious!
Joe says
I made this and brought it to work for a potluck. Everyone RAVED about how good this chili was! I followed the recipe with the exception that I added two chopped Serrano peppers for an extra kick.
austin says
this is totaly awsome
Julie Parks says
Loved it. Excellent recipe!
Nate says
Best venison chili!!!
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
Nate, I'm so glad you love the recipe!