Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

Deer Chili

Teresa Ambra

Gluten Free Living – 2015

Deer Chili is a great way to use up venison and a delicious comfort food on cool winter nights. For those of you deer hunters (or those of you married to deer hunters), I’ve got a great venison chili recipe for you today. This one is super easy, using ground venison (which is preferred, although I used hot venison links and sliced them down like sausage). It also uses ground pork, Low-Sodium V-8, a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, green pepper and kidney beans along with a Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Brand Chili Kit. Deer Chili is gluten free for those with gluten intolerance.

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I have a friend whose husband hunts regularly so he keeps them supplied with venison. This recipe came from his father although they NEVER include beans when they make this chili. Jeff tells me his dad was from St. Louis and they never put beans in their chili. I’ve eaten this chili both with and without beans and it is wonderful either way.

If I would have had ground venison I probably would have eliminated the beans, but since I sliced the hot links, I decided the chili needed more texture so I added a can of beans and a bell pepper. I have to admit this is one of our favorite chili recipes. For those of you concerned about the pork, you can probably substitute ground turkey, but if you do you will have to increase the seasonings accordingly because turkey is so bland.

I used part the of the Chili Kit. I skipped the Masa Flour as the thickener because I didn’t think the recipe needed it. I also used only half of the cayenne pepper. Yes, I’m a chicken! 🙂 Because the venison sausage links were already hot, I didn’t think I needed the full effect of the cayenne pepper. But if you have plain venison links or plain ground venison without seasonings you may want to increase the cayenne seasoning.

We are so busy with the construction of our new house that I don’t have a lot of time for extensive meal preparation. I’ve been over at the house writing Scripture verses on stud after stud trying to fill the house with verses that are meaningful to us. On top of that, we’ve had changes we’ve had to make on the fly, so it’s been helpful to be able to pick up and go and meet with the contractors.

Gratefully, I was on hand when the licensed plumbers in Vancouver were installing the shower knobs a couple of days ago because we wanted a remote entry location and the way we placed it on the plan was backwards! The nice thing about Deer Chili is it’s one of those dump and cook recipes for the most part. I made it one morning with very little effort. That way I was free to pick up and go and take care of house business.

If you have friends that hunt and are willing to give you some ground venison out of their freezer, or if you are in part of the country where you can purchase venison, this is a fantastic way to use it. You can make it the way Jeff does without the beans or bell pepper, or you can add those if you desire.

I chose a low-sodium V-8 because the original is so high in sodium it gives you a week’s worth in one meal! This recipe is flexible–use two different kinds of meat and you’re good to go. I made it and brought it to a fellowship at Jeff & Debra’s house a few weeks ago and served it with a batch of Jalapeno Cheddar Honey Cornbread. Ahh, yes, a match made in heaven. 🙂

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Deer Chili has wonderful savory and spicy flavors.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Every spoonful is scrumptious! It’s also gluten free.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Garnish Deer Chili with either sour cream or cheddar cheese, if desired.

Here’s what I did.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

I used these ingredients.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with olive oil. Brown pork and venison. 

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Add the seasoning packet, the salt packet and half the cayenne pepper packet from the Chili Kit.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Add diced tomatoes with green chiles, Low-Sodium V-8 juice and if desired, drained kidney or pinto beans.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Simmer one hour. Add green pepper, if desired. Cook a few more minutes until pepper is tender.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

Serve Deer Chili with your favorite homemade rolls, bread, or cornbread.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

This is a hot and spicy chili that is absolutely delightful.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

I love the easiness with which this recipe can be prepared–leaving me time to do other things.

Here’s the recipe.

DEER CHILI

(Recipe adapted from Jeff Kilzer, Ovilla Road Baptist Church, Ovilla, TX)

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

Deer Chili

Teresa Ambra
This delicious chili uses both ground venison and pork and it's seasoned with a chili kit, diced tomatoes and green chiles, kidney beans and green bell pepper. Excellent idea for tailgating parties and when you're having friends over to watch sport events. Gluten free.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Main Dish, Soups, Stews & Chowders
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 12
Calories 371 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven with lid
  • 1 hamburger choppper to break meat down into small pieces while frying
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 soup ladle

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. ground venison or hot links with casings removed and sliced (I prefer the ground venison in bulk like sausage)
  • 1 lb. ground pork sausage
  • 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
  • 15.5 oz. can light red kidney beans drained, or pinto beans, if desired
  • 32 oz. can Low Sodium V-8 Original vegetable juice
  • 4 oz. pkg. Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Brand Chili Kit I used only half of the cayenne pepper packet
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream for garnish, if desired
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Coat the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven with olive oil.
  • Add venison and sausage and brown until meat is no longer pink and cooked through.
  • If both venison and sausage are in bulk (rather than in casings) use a hamburger chopper to break the meat up in small pieces while frying.
  • Add seasoning packet from Chili Kit, also the salt packet and half the cayenne pepper packet.
  • (Add the whole packet of Cayenne Pepper if you want really hot chili).
  • Cook an additional 3 minutes until meat is well coated.
  • Add tomatoes, kidney beans and V-8 juice.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Cover and simmer about one hour.
  • Add green pepper and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
  • Thicken with the masa corn flour thickening packet from the Chili Kit, if desired.
  • Garnish each serving with sour cream and cheddar cheese, if desired.

Notes

NOTE: I did not thicken with the masa flour.
 
NOTE: While I used venison in sausage links, you may prefer using bulk venison sausage that you fry like ground beef. Either way will work. My personal preference is the bulk version, but this is what I had on hand.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 567mgPotassium: 897mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5489IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 6mg
Keyword beans, cheese, chili, kidney beans, main dish, pork, sausage, soup, Tex Mex, tomatoes, Venison
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Deer Chili[/b]
Recipe Type: Soups, Stews & Chowders
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from Jeff Kilzer, Ovilla Road Baptist Church, Ovilla, TX
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
This delicious chili uses both ground venison and pork and it’s seasoned with a chili kit, diced tomatoes and green chiles, kidney beans and green bell pepper. Gluten free.
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. ground venison or hot links with casings removed and sliced
  • 1 lb. ground pork sausage
  • 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
  • 15.5-oz. can light red kidney beans, drained (or pinto beans, if desired)
  • 32-oz. Low Sodium V-8 Original vegetable juice
  • 4-oz. pkg. [url href=”http://www.carrollshelbyschili.com/site.php” target=”_blank”]Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Brand Chili Kit[/url] (I used only half of the cayenne pepper packet)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • olive oil
  • sour cream or cheddar cheese for garnish, if desired
Instructions
  1. Coat the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven with olive oil.
  2. Add venison and sausage and brown until meat is no longer pink and cooked through.
  3. Add seasoning packet from Chili Kit, also the salt packet and half the cayenne pepper packet.
  4. (Add the whole packet of Cayenne Pepper if you want really hot chili).
  5. Cook an additional 3 minutes until meat is well coated.
  6. Add tomatoes, kidney beans and V-8 juice.
  7. Stir to combine.
  8. Cover and simmer about one hour.
  9. Add green pepper and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
  10. Thicken with the masa corn flour thickening packet from the Chili Kit if desired.
  11. Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired.
Notes
I did not thicken with the masa flour.
Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

The venison and pork take on the heat from the chili powder and cayenne pepper making this chili pop with flavor.

Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fantastic #chili recipe that's quick and easy. #glutenfree #venison #Tex-Mex

If you love chili, this is a great one to make for cold, winter nights, tailgating games or other fun family get-togethers.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Chili Con Carne

Favorite Chili Con Carne | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this is our favorite #chili recipe. Perfect comfort food for fall & winter nights! #soup #glutenfree

Wendy’s Chili

Wendy's Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fabulous #copycat recipe for #Wendy'schili. #chili #glutenfree

Firehouse Sausage Chili

Firehouse Sausage Chili | This fantastic #chili uses #Italian #sausage, 2 kinds of #beans and a #chili seasoning packet to amp up the flavors. It's made in the #crockpot so it's incredibly easy.
Deer Chili | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

Deer Chili

Teresa Ambra
This delicious chili uses both ground venison and pork and it's seasoned with a chili kit, diced tomatoes and green chiles, kidney beans and green bell pepper. Excellent idea for tailgating parties and when you're having friends over to watch sport events. Gluten free.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Main Dish, Soups, Stews & Chowders
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 12
Calories 371 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven with lid
  • 1 hamburger choppper to break meat down into small pieces while frying
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 soup ladle

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. ground venison or hot links with casings removed and sliced (I prefer the ground venison in bulk like sausage)
  • 1 lb. ground pork sausage
  • 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
  • 15.5 oz. can light red kidney beans drained, or pinto beans, if desired
  • 32 oz. can Low Sodium V-8 Original vegetable juice
  • 4 oz. pkg. Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Brand Chili Kit I used only half of the cayenne pepper packet
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream for garnish, if desired
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Coat the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven with olive oil.
  • Add venison and sausage and brown until meat is no longer pink and cooked through.
  • If both venison and sausage are in bulk (rather than in casings) use a hamburger chopper to break the meat up in small pieces while frying.
  • Add seasoning packet from Chili Kit, also the salt packet and half the cayenne pepper packet.
  • (Add the whole packet of Cayenne Pepper if you want really hot chili).
  • Cook an additional 3 minutes until meat is well coated.
  • Add tomatoes, kidney beans and V-8 juice.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Cover and simmer about one hour.
  • Add green pepper and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
  • Thicken with the masa corn flour thickening packet from the Chili Kit, if desired.
  • Garnish each serving with sour cream and cheddar cheese, if desired.

Notes

NOTE: I did not thicken with the masa flour.
 
NOTE: While I used venison in sausage links, you may prefer using bulk venison sausage that you fry like ground beef. Either way will work. My personal preference is the bulk version, but this is what I had on hand.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 567mgPotassium: 897mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5489IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 6mg
Keyword beans, cheese, chili, kidney beans, main dish, pork, sausage, soup, Tex Mex, tomatoes, Venison
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

7 Comments

  • How to Minimize Meat Loss When Hunting Big Game – OffloadBarrel

    June 29, 2021 at 8:14 am

    […] you use ground beef or turkey, you can usually swap it out for some ground venison, and chili is no […]

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    May 17, 2016 at 3:11 pm

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  • Bonnie warkentine

    February 23, 2016 at 9:12 pm

    This is a very good recipe ! Especially if you are new to venison

    1. Teresa

      February 24, 2016 at 6:02 pm

      Thanks, Bonnie, I’m so glad you liked it. We thought it was delicious too. I have a friend that makes it frequently. Always tasty.

  • Sweet Corn Muffins – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    December 23, 2015 at 9:02 am

    […] is reduced to 350. That sets the muffins so they won’t sink later. If you love a good chili during these cold winter months, add a batch of these muffins and you’ll find them both great […]

  • Andrea

    November 24, 2015 at 3:33 am

    5 stars
    Your recipes Rock!
    I get tired of making the same things over & over for every event. Even though they are asked for.
    You have so many great twists on the classics & new idea’s!
    And this Deer Chili, is perfect! A lot of hunters where I live, so this is a great one for me!
    Thank you!
    Happy Holiday’s

    1. Teresa

      November 24, 2015 at 11:45 am

      Thanks, Andrea. While I would have preferred ground venison, I used hot venison links and sliced them down (because that’s what I had on hand). I’m sure this recipe would work with elk, buffalo, or any other wild game you would like to make it with–whether it’s ground, or cut in cubes like stew meat, or shredded like BBQ pork.

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