Blueberry Venison Chili combines a hunter’s favorite game meat with fresh berries and chiles for a surprisingly delicious flavor combination.
Blueberry Venison Chili
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
Blueberry Venison Chili is my recipe of the day in this surprisingly yum bowl of chili.
You might think it odd to throw some blueberries into chili but actually it is not.
Venison, as a game meat, goes very well with the flavors of fruit. And as a very mild tasting fruit, blueberries will mix right in and pretty much disappear while taming the gamey flavor of venison.
Still, it’s a great thing that the flavors of chiles pair perfectly with both venison and fruit. So if you are looking for something to do with your stash of venison that you hunted or were gifted, this is a perfectly easy way to use that up.
Notwithstanding that it is also chili season as the temperatures cool down. We are definitely getting some cool temps this week and will have to watch for a possible frost.
So what better way to keep warm on the first of chilly nights than with a spicy bowl of chili and a handful of crackers?
This chili is a little different in that it uses no tomatoes. Blueberries and tomatoes just sounded yuck to me. However a little acidity is still needed so that is punched up with the addition of some merlot wine. You can use any general red cooking wine- merlot is a bit juicier than a dry wine like cabernet sauvignon but not as sweet as a port. If you have trouble choosing, lean towards dryer wines.
Blueberry Venison Chili
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Blueberry Venison Chili
Blueberry Venison Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 12 ounces red chile enchilada sauce
- 1 cup beef broth or venison broth
- 6 ounces Merlot wine
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 15.5 ounces canned light red kidney beans with liquid
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan and brown the venison along with the onions and garlic.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until thickened.
Notes
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I find this to be a very soupy chili. I would hold back on half the liquid and then add as needed at the end.
This is where the instructions ask you to cook by time or thickness. Meaning, if it is still too watery, cook it more. The liquid will reduce to your preferences.