I have a love-hate relationship with venison. Good venison is expensive and hard to come by. The standard of lots of the venison sold in Irish butcher shops is, in my experience, variable at best. Buying from a good, reputable butcher is important, if one want’s to avoid some of the pitfalls. Having said that, I have no issue with the lovely venison meat in this post. I got it specifically to make a chilli with layers of flavour built by using a range of chillis. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the different types of dried Mexican chillis. They can offer great variety of flavour and a warming depth to any stew.
The chillis I used were as follows: Chipotle Morita, Mulato, Guajillo, Ancho and Pasilla. Anybody who knows their Mexican chillis will agree that this mixture will deliver a lovely set of flavours to any chilli. Now, here’s the ingredients list:
Ingredients
- 1 kilo of venison meat, cubed
- 500 gms of venison meat, ground
- 500ml of good quality venison or beef stock
- Chorizo or ordinary bacon lardons
- 500 gms of kidney beans
- 4 large onions
- 5 or 6 garlic cloves
- 20 gms achiote paste
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 6 types of chilli (2 each of the large ones 4 to 6 of the smaller)
- 2 bottles of beer
- 2 tins (400gms each) of plum tomatoes
Remove the stalks (and the seeds if you want a milder dish) from the chillis. Add hot water and soak for about 30 minutes. Use this time to chop the onions into bite-sized pieces and to add the lardons to a large casserole ahead of browning them and then the venison.
Chop the garlic small. Fry off the onions and garlic over a medium heat before adding them and all the other ingredients bar the beer to the browned venison.
I couldn’t resist taking a couple of pouring shots. These are more for my amusement than yours. Please bear with me.

Those tomatoes are a tricky enought thing to photograph. They certainly won’t g back in the bowl for a second attempt.
Use some of the beer to deglaze the onion pan. Add this to the mix along with the balance of the beer.
Place the chillis and the soaking water in a blender. Blitz until you have a pungent, gloopy paste. Then add this to the casserole and stir to combine the ingredients.
Bring this to a boil. Pop on a lid and transfer to a 165ºC/330ºF fan oven for about three hours. At this stage, add the kidney beans. The beans add a good bit of carbohydrate to the chilli and, if you rehydrate your own, a good deal of goodness too.
Return this to the oven and leave it alone for about an hour. You should end up with a fine flavour filled chilli that will feed six to eight hungry adults. As I cooked this during the third lockdown, it fed two of us twice with another round waiting in the freezer. I served it with some buttered Naan breads and some grated Cheddar cheese. It would be just as nice served with corn bread, rice or a nice crusty roll.
I really do encourage you to experiment with the chillis. The flavours are amazing. Just be sure to buy good venison.
Linda Duffin | 26th February 2021
|
Gorgeous recipe and your usual stellar photos, Conor.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
Thanks Linda,
In truth, I have been struggling a bit with the photography of late. As I am shooting a little less often, I find myself fussing over the F stops and ISO, changing settings and ultimately not being happy with the outcome. The answer is to shoot and post more often. I apprecite the encouragement.
Conor
Greenshoots Photography | 26th February 2021
|
The onion pour shot is especially good!
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
Thanks, I used the tripod for those few shots and it really makes a huge difference to the level of ‘pour detail’. sometimes I rush and go handheld. I always regret the decision. Thoiugh it is usually driven by trying to catch up on my estimated cooking time and family feeding expectations.
cookinginsens | 26th February 2021
|
Super! I wish I had some venison.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
Thanks Rosemary,
I hope you are doing well,
Conor
Mad Dog | 26th February 2021
|
You will have to take up poaching! That looks delicious.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
It is tempting. I see so many deer in the early morning when I cycle up in Wicklow. That is a pleasure denied at present due to Lockdown restrictions.
Mad Dog | 8th March 2021
|
Get a little trailer for the back of your bike!
katechiconi | 26th February 2021
|
This is one I’ll have to admire from afar… No venison, no chillis. I liked the tomato pouring shot, with those long ribbons of tomato juice twining down.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
I think I got lucky on that shot. Mind you, shoot enough of them and one has to be right!
chef mimi | 26th February 2021
|
Beautiful photos! It’s so funny cause in the U.S. our chili con carne has one “l” and we spell your chillis chile peppers. Sometimes it throws me off. Looks like you’ve really learned your Mexican chile peppers. I’ll just have to make your version. I’ve never made one with venison.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
I struggle with the one or two ‘Ls” in my posting of chilli. I have decided to stick with convention and go European on it. My learning is entirely due to the intervention of the lovely, late Richard McGary, whom I know you remember fondly. Fun times when we received the box of chillis for the “McGary Chili Challenge” a few years ago. Happy days.
Marty K | 26th February 2021
|
As a chili aficionado, I definitely approve! 🙂 One of the best chilis I ever had was one made with some very fresh venison. I like the two cuts of meat. I’ve always used one or the other, depending on my mood and the kind of chili I’m making. I’ve never thought of incorporating both in the same pot. I also like using a variety of chiles and I usually do a quick toasting of them in a dry pan prior to giving them their soak.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
Thanks Marty,
I have roasted them in the oven for the same reason, but, ended up with burnt chilli flavour. Not good. I suppose I should keep a better eye on them next time. Thanks for the tip. The mixed meat leads to an additional dimension as the smaller mince pieces stick to the sauce in a different way. Well worth trying.
Eha | 26th February 2021
|
*;augh* I know it looks as if original thought has left me and I am copying Kate ! Well I guess I am – no venison, virtually no chillies !! Have used dry ancho and chipotle in trying to copy Mexican fare. And I too clap at your ever increasing ability to produce the best ‘pouring shots’ on foodie posts ! Hmm – shall have a later look at your appetizing dish . . . some form of interesting translations may be possible . . . ! . . be well . . .
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
Thanks Eha,
The pouring shots are my bit of escape. No matter how good they appear, they can always be better. It is a constant quest for me. I hope you are staying well. You seem to be doing well in Oz. We are badly behind in Europe, victims of bureaucracy and in Ireland, victims of being a small unimportant nation.
Sherry | 27th February 2021
|
Well this sounds amazingly tasty. I’ve never had venison but I’m sure it’s good.
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
Sherry, seek it out. It is a lovely meat. Though you need to buy quality and cook carefully.
Ron | 1st March 2021
|
Conor, I’m a grand lover of both chilli and venison. Luckily we have very good quality fresh venison when it’s in season. We also have farm raised red deer available all year, but I like the fresh hunted wild variety. I wish I could easily acquire the peppers. I may have to make it two chilli chilli…
Conor Bofin | Author | 8th March 2021
|
A two chilli chilli is better than no chilli at all!
Stay well Ron,
C