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.