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This venison chili recipe made in the slow cooker is perfect for cold Idaho nights after a long day in the backcountry. At Granite Peak Outfitters, our guides have been cooking wild game chili with whitetail venison harvested from the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness for decades.

WILD GAME RECIPES

Set it and forget it — the best deer chili for cold hunting days

If there is one recipe that gets made more than any other during deer season, it is chili. Ground venison is practically made for it — the lean meat absorbs spices beautifully, and the long cook time means even the toughest ground scraps turn silky. This slow cooker version is our go-to because you can load it up in the morning and have dinner ready when you get out of the stand.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs ground venison (whitetail)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 can (15 oz) dark kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 bottle (12 oz) dark beer (or beef broth)
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Brown the ground venison in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles. Season with salt, pepper, and half the chili powder. Drain any liquid.
2. Transfer the browned venison to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add diced onion, jalapenos, and garlic on top.
3. Add diced tomatoes, all three cans of beans, tomato paste, and beer. Stir to combine.
4. Add remaining chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Stir well.
5. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Stir once halfway through if possible.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and cornbread.

Pro Tips from Our Guides

• Browning the venison first adds a layer of flavor worth the 5 extra minutes.
• Dark beer adds richness — stout or porter works best. Beef bone broth is a great substitute.
• This recipe gets better every day. Make a big batch and eat it for a week.
• For competition-style chili, replace half the ground meat with cubed venison stew meat.

This is our deer camp staple. We make a double batch on opening weekend and reheat it all week.