Spicy Venison Chili with a Twist

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds ground venison
• 1 ½ pounds bulk mild Italian sausage
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles Pilsner-style beer
• 1 (16 ounce) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup bourbon

Step 1

Lightly heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the venison and cook it, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s nicely browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Once it’s done, drain off any excess grease and set the meat aside.

Step 2

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in another skillet and cook the sausage the same way—breaking it up and browning it for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the grease, then combine the sausage with the venison in a large pot.

Step 3

In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onion, jalapeño, and garlic, cooking until everything softens and smells amazing, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a food processor and pulse it just a little to blend it lightly. Add this back into the pot with the meat.

Step 4

Put the canned tomatoes in the food processor and blend them briefly until they’re slightly broken down but still chunky. Pour them into the meat pot. Now, add the chili powder, beef bouillon, liquid smoke, cumin, cayenne, and allspice one at a time, stirring after each so the flavors mix well.

Step 5

Pour in the beer, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and bourbon. Give everything a good stir, then bring the chili to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until it thickens up and the flavors come together beautifully.