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Venison is slightly gamey; ground beef or pork make good substitutes, if preferred. You can omit the dried kidney beans and stir in 1 drained 398 ml can about 20 minutes before finishing cooking.

Servings: 6 to 8

Ready Time: 2 hours

Wine Pairings: Venison chili works best with a fruity, opulent red to offset the gamey quality and tame the heat. Try shiraz or zinfandel. Or a citrusy, bitter West Coast pale ale. - Beppi Crosariol

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

2 pounds (1 kg) ground venison

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup diced carrots

4 stalks celery, diced

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp paprika

2 bay leaves

1 796 ml canned whole tomatoes, crushed

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups red kidney beans, soaked overnight

1 sprig fresh rosemary

salt and freshly ground pepper

6 bannocks

Method

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add venison and cook until browned. Spoon into a bowl.

Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until vegetables are soft, about 4 min. Return venison to pot.

Stir in chilli powder, paprika and bay leaves and cook until fragrant. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, kidney beans and 1 ½ cups water.

Simmer for 15 minutes. Add rosemary. Cover and reduce heat to medium low.

Cook until beans are soft, about 1 1/2 hours, adding more water if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve chili on bannocks with a spoonful of sour cream, grated old cheddar, and chopped chives.

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