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This is a no-fuss wild game recipe made with simple pantry ingredients and just a few minutes of hands on time. You're going to love my Best Venison Chili (Hearty Instant Pot Recipe)!
Make this with deer meat, ground elk, or even bear! If you don't have venison in your freezer, you can totally substitute lean meat ground beef or ground turkey or even stew meat.
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients for deer meat chili in the instant pot
- Instructions
- Recipe
- VARIATIONS
- STORAGE
- Variations
- Serving suggestions
- Equipment
- Storage
- FAQ
- More wild game recipes:
- Comments
Does cold weather make you crave chili? The temps dropped into the sixties this week and I just had to make a batch! I know, I know. It's not even fall yet!
And I know that whatever excitement I'm feeling for fall food, my husband is definitely feeling for hunting season! This chili is also a great way to work through the deep freezer in preparation for the upcoming hunt.
When it comes to hearty and satisfying meals, few things beat a steaming bowl of chili. And when you want to infuse your chili with a touch of the wild, there's nothing quite like Instant Pot Venison Chili.
Why this recipe works
My goal for this deer meat recipe was to develop a no-fuss chili that would taste even better than traditional beef chili. The aromatics are simple, commercial chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano flakes, diced onion and chilis in adobo.
Using both diced tomatoes and tomato puree creates a rich and thick sauce.
One of the best parts about making this chili in the instant pot is that it really breaks down the wild game meat and chili beans, allowing the textures and flavors to really get nice and cozy with each other.
If you are working your way through a freezer full of wild game, you'll love my Venison Burgers recipe! I also have a really good Venison Shepherd's Pie and a hearty Venison Breakfast Casserole that is one of my most popular recipes!
Ingredients for deer meat chili in the instant pot
- olive oil | This is just to keep the lean deer meat from sticking to the pan while it browns. You could also use lard, bacon grease or vegetable oil instead.
- ground venison | I love making this recipe withdeer meat, elk meat, bear or even ground beef if I'm all out of game meat.
- onion | Choose a mild medium yellow onion. Chop it into small, uniform pieces.
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce | I am only using 2 peppers in this recipe. A little goes a long way, but you can absolutely add more to taste!
- beans | Today we are using chili beans and kidney beans, bothundrained. If you are feeding a crowd and need to stretch this recipe a little further, add another can or two of your favorite beans. Other beans that would be good are garbanzo (think copycat Panera chili!), black beans, pinto beans, or red kidney beans.
- tomatoes | Use both diced tomatoes and tomato puree. If you want an even thicker sauce, add a small can of tomato paste. Otherwise just go with the diced tomatoes.
- water | This is a must to keep the instant pot from scorching the chili.
- chili seasonings |chili powder, ground cumin, oregano flakes, garlic powder and onion powder. You will also want to add salt and pepper to taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1. Turn on the instant pot and select the low sauté function. Add the olive oil, then the ground deer meat. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat and stirring.
2. Add then chopped onion and sauté for 3 more minutes.
3. Turn off the instant pot to cancel the settings and then turn it back on. Add the rest of theingredientsand close the lid. Make sure the pressure valve is in the closed position. Manually select high pressure and set the timer for 20 minutes.
4. Use a natural release on the instant pot to depressurize.Carefully remove the lid and either serve immediately or keep on the warm setting to eat later.
Now you have a big pot of chili in just a very short cook time!
Hint: To make this recipe ahead, simply make the chili and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When it's time to reheat, bring the chili to a gentle simmer on the stove top, instant pot or crock pot.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
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Best Venison Chili (Hearty Instant Pot Recipe)
This is a no-fuss wild game recipe made with simple pantry ingredients and just a few minutes of hands on time. You're going to love my Best Venison Chili (Hearty Instant Pot Recipe)!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili, deer meat, instant pot, venison, wild game
Servings: 6
Calories: 216kcal
Cost: $8
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds ground venison deer meat, elk meat
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped
- 2 15.5 ounce canned chili beans undrained
- 1 15.5 ounce canned kidney beans drained
- 1 28 ounce canned diced tomatoes
- 1 28 ounce tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup water
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Turn on the instant pot and select the low sauté function. Add the olive oil, then the ground venison. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat and stirring.
Add then chopped onion and sauté for 3 more minutes.
Turn off the instant pot to cancel the settings and then turn it back on. Add the remaining ingredients and close and lock the lid. Make sure the pressure is in the closed position. Manually select high pressure and set the timer for 20 minutes.
Allow the instant pot to release pressure naturally once the setting is complete. Carefully remove the lid and either serve immediately or keep on the warm setting to eat later.
Notes
VARIATIONS
This recipe is very easy to customize! Here are a few ideas:
- Spicy- Pick a pepper and add it in! Diced jalapeños or even extra adobo sauce can kick up the heat!
- Veggie lover- I absolutely adore chili with colorful bell peppers. Chop yellow, green, orange or red peppers and add them in with the onions during the sauté!
- Sweet & Savory- Hear me out. This might sound crazy, but add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of molasses to this ground venison recipe. It won't taste like chocolate, I promise! It gives it a really rich and deep flavor.
STORAGE
To store leftover chili, first allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. It's a good idea to portion it into smaller containers if you have a large batch.
Label the container with the date to keep track of its freshness. You can store chili in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you plan to keep it longer, chili freezes exceptionally well.
In the freezer, chili can stay good for 2-3 months. To reheat, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth to maintain its consistency.
Nutrition
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 401IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 4mg
Variations
This really is the best chili recipe, but it still very easy to customize! Here are a few great options:
- Spicy - Pick a pepper and add it in! Diced jalapeno peppers or even add extra adobo sauce can kick up the heat!
- Veggie lover - I absolutely adore chili with colorful bell peppers. Chop yellow, green, orange or red peppers and add them in with the onions during the sauté! I've also been known to add a diced sweet potato and garbanzo beans (hello, Panera copycat!). Another veggie add-in that is more popular in some regions than others is adding sweet corn.
- Sweet & Savory - Hear me out. This might sound crazy, but add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of molasses to this ground venison recipe. It won't taste like chocolate, I promise! It really develops a more complex depth of flavor. And I don't mean like a candy bar!
Serving suggestions
We like to eat this chili with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and a little pinch of cilantro or parsley. Serve it with a batch of Homemade Sourdough Crackers!
When we serve chili for a group, I usually prep bowls of toppings to set on the table and everyone can add whatever they want. Here are a few of my regulars!
- Corn chips
- Saltine crackers
- Green onions
- Green chiles
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese (white, mild or sharp)
- Pickled peppers
As an amazon associate, this post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosurehere.
Equipment
The only equipment necessary is an Instant Pot. I really love this model. I did purchase a stainless steel insert for mine because I'm not a fan of using non-stick coated pots and pans in my kitchen.
You will also need a can opener, wooden spoon, serving ladle and bowls.
I buy my seasonings in bulk and then put them in these spice containers.
Storage
To store my hearty venisonchili, first allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. It's a good idea to portion it into smaller containers if you have a large batch.
Label the container with the date to keep track of its freshness. You can store chili in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you plan to keep it longer, chili freezes exceptionally well.
In the freezer, chili can stay good for 2-3 months. To reheat, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth to maintain its consistency.
FAQ
What should I mix with ground venison?
We do not add any other meat (like pork fat or bacon) in with our ground deer and elk meat.
Why add fat to ground venison?
Wild game meat is lean. When I am cooking a recipe with venison meat, I always preheat my pan before adding a tablespoon of avocado oil, olive oil, bacon grease or lard. This keeps the meat from drying out during cooking and also adds flavor and keeps it from sticking.
How do you make ground venison taste better?
It's all in how you process it and cook it! Trust me, it's delicious when done right. I have several recipes you can try! Just visit my venison page.
If you make this ground venison recipe, leave me a comment and tell me how you liked it! It's early September as I'm writing this, and I'll just be over here dreaming of fall!Be sure to pin one of these pictures to your Pinterest so you can easily find this recipe later!
Happy baking!
-Meg
More wild game recipes:
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- How to make smoked venison summer sausage
- Easy Venison Meatballs Recipe (Baked 3 Ways!)
- Venison Hamburger Helper (ground venison recipe)
- GROUND MEAT VENISON GOULASH (easy venison recipe)
