Best Wild Game Chili

Chili seems to be a signature dish most often cooked up during the changing of the seasons. When the days get shorter, temperatures begin to drop and the leaves begin to change colors. So it only seems appropriate to share this chili recipe.

I’m calling this the Best Wild Game Chili because we are lucky enough to have three wild game meats in the fridge. I’m using ground pronghorn antelope, ground venison and ground elk slow cooked with a blend of savory and spicy ingredients. Of course, if you don’t have all of these game meats in your fridge, you can always substitute. If you prefer your chili with beans, go ahead and add a can of chili beans or kidney beans or even black beans.

Also, Thanks goes out to Weston Supply for letting us try their NEW Realtree Outfitters® 5 Qt. Camo Slow Cooker. The slow cooker kept the chili simmering to perfection… and besides that, it is the coolest Camo slow cooker I’ve ever seen!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground antelope
• 1 pound ground venison
• 1 pound ground elk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
• 14.5 ounces beef broth
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add butter, oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until onions and bell pepper soften. Add ground venison, elk and antelope meat to pot cooking until browned. Add remaining ingredients and gently stir everything together. Remove mixture from heat and carefully add to a crock-pot. Set crock-pot to low heat and cook for 8-10 hours.

Serve the wild game chili with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onion, red bell pepper, cilantro and crispy corn meal sticks.

Crispy Corn Meal Sticks

Boil 2 1/2 cups water and add a pinch of salt. Mix 1 1/4 cup yellow corn meal with 1 cup water. Add corn meal to the boiling water and reduce heat stirring until mixture thickens. Add a pinch of sugar, salt and chili powder. Spoon mixture into a 13×9 inch baking pan and cool in fridge for an hour. Slice cold corn meal, spray baking sheet with non-stick spray and place cut corn meal sticks on sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, gently turn over and bake another 10 minutes until crispy and browned.

KITCHEN GADGETS & ACCESSORIES USED IN THIS RECIPE

Weston Realtree Slow Cooker, Green, 8 quart