Name: Easy Beef Chili (or Venison)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Comfort Food
Ingredients: 2 Pieces of bacon, finely chopped (optional); 1 medium onion, diced; 1 large carrot, diced; 2-3 celery stalks, diced (match the amount of diced carrot); Olive oil; 1 1/2 Tbsp Butter; 1.5lbs ground meat or (I use lean beef or venison); 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (optional); 1 x 14.5oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes; 1/2 cup tomato sauce; 2 Tbsp tomato paste; 1 can kidney beans, rinsed well & drained; 1/2 cup of a sweet & smokey type bbq sauce (I used 365 Brand); 2 cups beef stock; 2 tsp cumin; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1 Tbsp dried oregano; 1 tsp paprika; 3 large cloves of garlic, minced or crushed; *Optional Garnishes:; Cilantro leaves; Sour cream; Guacamole; Garlic toast or small sized pasta

We are currently in Sydney, Australia and it is a cold wintery day in July. This easy chili recipe is sure to warm your belly and keep your family happy! I love to make it with lean ground beef or venison but it could also be made with other wild game such as elk or moose. We spent a couple years living in Montana so I was fortunate enough to be able to cook with some amazing high quality wild game. I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does. ~Chef Jen

Easy Beef Chili (or Venison)

Yield: Serves 4 hungry adults

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This chili is the ultimate comfort food!

Ingredients

2 Pieces of bacon, finely chopped (optional)
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2-3 celery stalks, diced (match the amount of diced carrot)
Olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Butter
1.5lbs ground meat or (I use lean beef or venison)
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (optional)
1 x 14.5oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can kidney beans, rinsed well & drained
1/2 cup of a sweet & smokey type bbq sauce (I used 365 Brand)
2 cups beef stock
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
3 large cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
*Optional Garnishes:
Cilantro leaves
Sour cream
Guacamole
Garlic toast or small sized pasta

Instructions

METHOD:

1. Heat a few Tbsp of olive oil in a pan then sauté bacon, onion, celery & carrot until veggies are tender and bacon fat is rendered.

2. Add butter, mushrooms and ground meat then season with salt & pepper, cumin, oregano, cayenne, cinnamon, paprika and cook until meat is browned and mushrooms are tender. *Add a splash of olive oil, water or stock if your pan dries out.

3. Add tomato paste & tomato sauce and cook for a few minutes then add beef stock, canned tomatoes, kidney beans & bbq sauce. Cover and cook on medium high for 5mins then remove lid and simmer until veggies are all cooked and the chili has thickened to a thick soup consistency.