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Deep red venison chili in a white bowl topped with Greek yogurt, scallions and cilantro on a wooden table

High-Protein Venison Chili with Black and Kidney Beans

A thick stovetop chili built on lean ground venison, black beans and kidney beans, with about 40 g of protein per serving. It keeps and freezes well.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 261
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chili
  • 900 g ground venison / 2 lb; lean, thawed
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 yellow onion large (about 200 g); diced
  • 1 red bell pepper medium (about 150 g); diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 800 g crushed tomatoes / 28 oz can
  • 480 ml low-sodium beef broth / 2 cups
  • 400 g black beans / 15 oz can; drained and rinsed
  • 400 g kidney beans / 15 oz can; drained and rinsed
To finish
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method
 

  1. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a 26 cm / 5.5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the venison and break it into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until no pink remains and it reads 160 F / 71 C, then move it to a bowl. Brown the second half the same way.
  2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the onion and the bell pepper, and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cocoa, salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens, then return the venison and its juices to the pot.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil over high heat, about 2 minutes, then drop the heat to low so it barely bubbles. Partly cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in the black beans and kidney beans and simmer partly covered for 15 minutes more, until a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear trail. If it looks thin, mash about 1/2 cup of the beans against the side of the pot.
  6. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, then taste and add more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

  • Cook ground venison until no pink remains and it reads 160 F / 71 C on a thermometer.
  • Buy venison ground without added fat, or trim the silver skin before grinding at home.
  • Rinse canned beans well to lower the sodium and keep the broth clean.
  • Taste for salt at the end, since broth and canned beans vary by brand.
  • Chili thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of broth when reheating.