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For the first 15 years of our marriage, our family practically lived on venison that my husband hunted, both deer and elk. After much trial and error, I learned the best recipes for using the roasts, steaks, and burger. This Thick Venison Chili recipe is one that uses ground venison burger.

My husband likes a thick chili (unlike my Game Day Chili with Beer recipe) so this is a recipe that he enjoys. Ah well, you have to give a man what he wants every now and then.
We have found when processing our own ground venison that it tastes better if you add a little beef tallow (or lard) to the meat to give it more flavor as well as add some fat to the very lean meat. We suggest between 15-20% of tallow works well, to give it 85/15 or 80/20 ratio.
If you don’t have a commercial grinder, you might consider using a countertop grinder, or even one for a KitchenAid Mixer, especially, if you are only grinding a small amount at a time.
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Ingredients for Thick Venison Chili
(As a Walmart Affiliate, I earn from qualified purchases at the links below. See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Instructions For Making This Recipe

Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a cutting board and a Chef’s knife, dice the yellow onion and green bell pepper. Mince the garlic.

If using whole tomatoes, go ahead and hand crush them in a separate bowl.
Alternately you may use one 14.5 can of diced tomatoes, and a can of crushed tomatoes for nearly the same results.
In a large Dutch oven, brown the ground venison, adding a little vegetable oil, if needed.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the diced onion and green bell pepper, and the minced garlic. Cook on medium high heat until the vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes.
When using an enameled Dutch oven, you should always use either a wooden, nylon, or silicone utensil so as not to damage the enameled surface.

Add the chili powder, onion powder, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the undrained red kidney beans, chili beans, hand crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Notice how this recipe layers its ingredients a little at a time, to give the flavors a chance to meld together. You’ll find that some of the most flavorful dishes use this method of cooking to bring the ingredients together. It’s a wonderful practice to follow.
Lower the temperature and cover with a lid. Simmer on low for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally.

The longer this chili cooks, the better. Some say it’s even better the next day when warmed a second time.
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Thick Venison Chili
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground venison (elk or deer)
- 1 cup yellow onion (diced)
- 1 cup green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 15.5 oz. red kidney beans (do not drain)
- 15.5 oz. chili beans
- 28 oz. whole tomatoes (hand crushed)
- 6 oz. tomato paste
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Using a cutting board and a Chef's knife, dice the yellow onion and green bell pepper.
- Mince the garlic.
- Hand crush the stewed or whole tomatoes.
Make the Chili
- In a large Dutch oven, brown the ground venison, adding a little vegetable oil, if needed.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the diced yellow onion and green bell pepper, and the minced garlic. Cook on medium high heat until the vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir together and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the undrained red kidney beans, chili beans, hand crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Lower the temperature and cover with a lid. Simmer on low for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer this cooks, the better. Serve with cheddar cheese and saltine crackers. Serves 4-6.
Nutrition
Will this work worth cubed venison instead of ground? This recipe sounds delicious.
Hi Angie, I’ve never made chili with cubed meat, but I’m sure it would work wonderfully, especially with it’s long cooking time.
What if I don’t have a Dutch over?
*oven
Hi Escha, You may simply use a large stock pot, 6-8 quart.
Would this work in a Crockpot?
Hi Craig, Yes, it will work fine. I would still go ahead and brown the ground beef along with the onions and green peppers. But then you could continue with the recipe by placing everything in the slow-cooker. Hope you enjoy it!
How long do we cook (assuming on low) if tossed into slow cooker?
I would suggest 6-8 hours for best results.
I can’t wait to try this Thick Venison Chili recipe! It sounds so hearty and full of flavor. Perfect for a cozy night in. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for leaving a comment. I hope you will enjoy this venison chili recipe.
Worcestershire sauce is not listed in the ingredients but is in the recipe. How much should be added?
Hi Kelly, Thank you so much for bringing my attention to this recipe. I had to search back to my original handwritten copy and found that yes, indeed, there is 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce in this chili recipe. I’m sorry that I failed to include it in the ingredient amounts, but it is fixed now. Thank you again for letting me know about the omission.
This thick venison chili looks absolutely delicious! I love how hearty it is, perfect for a chilly evening. Can’t wait to try this recipe out and share it with my family! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much for leaving a comment on this Chili recipe. I hope you will give it a try and enjoy it as much as we do!