Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp bacon grease
  • 2 lbs ground venison
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

  1. Heat the bacon grease in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground venison and cook, breaking it apart, until the meat is deeply browned and develops a dark brown crust.
  2. Stir in the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and the spice blend (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper), stirring constantly for 60 seconds to bloom the spices.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Add the kidney beans and simmer on the stovetop for 30 minutes or use a slow cooker for 6-8 hours to thicken the sauce and tenderize the meat.