It’s the perfect time of year to break out my favorite chili recipe. Cold weather and Monday Night Football calls for my Elk Chili with Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread. This is the only chili recipe you will ever need! It’s versatile, easy to make, and a real crowd-pleaser. The flavors really come together overnight so double the recipe for leftovers the next day.
This recipe works well with turkey or beef too, so switch out the elk if you like. I source my elk from Dr. King’s Farms in Asheville, NC. I also use JD’s Rub available at jdsrub.com
This recipe goes great with my Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread! Get the recipe here. If you’re serving a crowd, make a toppings bar with sour cream, cheddar cheese, jalapeno, cilantro, lime slices, scallions, avocado, pickled onions, and hot sauce so your guests can top their chili however they like.
Elk Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground elk (Asheville, NC)
- 1 tbsp JD's Rub (www.jdsrub.com)
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 yellow or white onion diced
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 2 14.5 oz can of triple mixed beans (kidney, black, pinto)
- 2-3 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock (use water rather than stock if you prefer)
Instructions
- Brown the meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
- Reduce the heat a little and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your pot about 2-3 Tbsp.
- Add your spices—this is very important, you are blooming your spices and really opening up the flavor profiles which adds so much flavor and richness to your chili
- Toast the spices for 30 seconds, stirring constantly so they don't burn
- Add your diced green peppers and onion – stir for a minute or two until the onions and peppers become more tender (it is not important that they are completely cooked through because as they simmer in the chili everything will cook down)
- Add the tomato paste and stir until the ingredients are combined
- Next, add your diced tomatoes with green chiles, triple-bean mixture, and about 2-3 cups of water or stock, depending on your pot size—stir.
- Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer
- Simmer for at least one hour, but the longer you allow this to simmer the better it gets
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
This elk chili is also nice served over spaghetti squash or pasta.
