Savory Venison Chili Combining Burgers and Steaks

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of mild Italian sausage in bulk
• 1 pound of lean venison, cubed
• 2 pounds of ground venison
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 8 ounces of crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 red chile peppers, chopped and deseeded
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced and deseeded
• 1 can of tomato paste (6 ounces)
• 1 can of tomato sauce (28 ounces)
• 2 cans of black beans (15.5 ounces each), rinsed and drained
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (28 ounces each), including the liquid
• 1 cup of water (adjust as needed)
• 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
• 2 tablespoons of paprika
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons of dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of freshly minced parsley
• 1 package of shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Step 1

Begin by cooking the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it's crumbled and nicely browned. Transfer the sausage to a big Dutch oven. Next, sear the venison cubes until they develop a rich brown color and then add them to the sausage. Cook the ground venison until it's crumbly and no longer pink before also placing it into the Dutch oven.

Step 2

In the same skillet, heat up some olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the mushrooms and sauté them until they become soft, which should take about 2 minutes. Then, add the onion and garlic, continuing to cook until the onion turns translucent, for another 2 minutes. Introduce the green and red peppers, red chile pepper, and jalapeno into the mix, cooking until they soften before transferring everything to the Dutch oven.

Step 3

Now, stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, black beans, diced tomatoes, and water. Season the mixture with chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and oregano. Bring everything to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the venison becomes tender, which usually takes around 2 hours.

Step 4

Before serving, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and don't forget to stir in some freshly chopped parsley. When ready to serve, top each portion with a generous sprinkle of shredded Cheddar cheese.