When we’re without TV on board, we sometimes find ourselves hunkered down listening to Sunday football on the radio, like days gone by. We may sacrifice the visuals, but we’re not going to sacrifice the gastronomic delight of home cooked chili and cold beer. And all the better if you can make the chili with local venison. Adding so much pork fat to this chili recipe may defeat the whole purpose of using nutritional lean meat such as venison. But adding some fat to venison makes the meat a little richer and boosts the flavor of the chili. Throw in some smokey chipotle and black beans and you have a great variation on a traditional chili that will send all those football loving sailors back for more.

Chipotle Venison Black Bean Chili

For a print friendly recipe see below

1 tablespoon bacon grease (or vegetable oil)
2 lb ground venison
1 lb pork sausage
2 large onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 jalapeño peppers, or a variety of hot peppers, minced
1 small can chipotle chilis, chopped
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups beef broth, more if needed
1 can black beans
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano

Chop the onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers. In your favorite large stew pot or pressure cooker, melt the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the pork sausage to the pot and continue to cook, stirring as it browns.

Chop one can of chipotles and stir into the chili pot.

Then add the venison. See how dark and lean this meat is!

Cook through until all meat is browned. Then add the dice tomatoes and and beef broth. I typically make my beef broth from Better than Bouillon and water straight from our tanks.

Add the spices, cover and let simmer on low for 30 minutes. If you’re using your pressure cooker, bring it up to steam and let cook for half the time.

Add the black beans and let cook through for about 10 minutes longer before serving.

If you’re using your pressure cooker and want to keep the chili on the stove for the next day, bring your pressure cooker up to steam and turn off the heat. The chili will remain fresh, sealed in the pot for the day. Reheat when you’re ready to serve again.

Serve with chopped jalapeño peppers (if you can stand the heat) and tortilla chips. And beer. Lots of beer!

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Chipotle Venison Black Bean Chili

Using a combination of lean venison and rich pork, this is the chili recipe your football buddies will be talking about!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Bacon grease (or vegetable oil)
• 2 lbs Ground venison
• 1 lb Pork sausage
• 2 Large onions
• 6 Garlic cloves
• 3 Jalapeńo or serrano peppers (or substitute with 2 Habańos)
• 1 Small can chipotle chilis
• 1 28 oz Can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups Beef broth (or more if needed)
• 1 can Black Beans
• 3 tbsp Chili powder
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp Oregano

Instructions

• Chop the onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers. In a large stew pot or pressure cooker, melt the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the pork sausage to the pot and continue to cook, stirring as it browns

Chop one can of chipotles and stir into the chili pot.

• Add the venison. Cook through until all meat is browned. 
• Add the crushed tomatoes and and beef broth. (Can be made with Better than Bouillon and water.
• Add the spices, cover and let simmer on low for 30 minutes.
• Add the black beans and let cook through for about 10 minutes longer before serving.
• Serve with chopped jalapeño peppers and tortilla chips. And beer.

Notes