This is a good basic chili that you can customize to your personal tastes by adding more of one thing and/or less of another. It's a good crowd pleaser and a great way to introduce newcomers to game cookery.
Serves 8
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs ground venison
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp hot pepper flake
2 Tbsp cumin, ground
2 Tbsp coriander, ground
2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper, ground
1 bottle beer
2 Tbsp molasses
2 28 oz tins crushed tomato
2 18 oz tins kidney beans, drained
To taste: salt, hot sauce, sour cream, grated cheddar, pickled jalapeno rings
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven and brown meat. Remove meat reserve. Sauté onions, celery, carrot and green pepper until soft but not brown. Add garlic and spices and cook 2-3 minutes to "toast" spices. Add beer, mollases and crushed tomatoes and season with a bit of salt. Simmer 40 minutes and then add beans. Simmer 15 minutes more and then season to taste with salt and hot sauce. Serve with dollops of sour cream, grated cheddar and pickled jalapenos.