The Best Elk Meat Chili Recipe, Easy and Homemade 

If you are looking for the best elk meat chili recipe, look no further. This easy chili will hit the spot! It’s loaded with elk meat, beans, and spices to give it lots of flavor. 

Growing up, we ate this hearty chili with cornbread, butter, and honey. It’s a delicious comfort meal that I feed my family on cold winter days.

Chili is a classic comfort food that isn’t just delicious right after it’s done cooking. It is even better the next day after the flavors have blended. There you go, dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow!

I don’t know about you, but I’m all for easy, homemade, convenient meals made with wholesome ingredients. This is one of my favorite wild game recipes, and I love to add it to my freezer for a quick meal on a busy day. Just make extra and freeze the leftovers for later!

This is an excellent crock pot recipe if you need to bring a dish to a potluck or church dinner. Simply add the browned meat and spices mixture to the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. I love this no-fuss and simple way of cooking. Throw all the ingredients into the crock pot in the morning and leave it until it’s time for dinner. Everyone will think you spent hours in the kitchen making this delicious chili! 

Gather the ingredients, and let’s make some chili, shall we?

For exact measurements, check the recipe card below.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Ground elk meat
• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Pork n beans
• Kidney beans
• Chili powder
• Ground cumin
• Oregano
• Smoked paprika
• Salt 
• Black pepper 
• Optional:
• Brown sugar
• Cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add the chopped onion and elk burger. Cook over medium-high heat until the meat has browned. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the minced garlic and spices and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.  For a milder chili, use less chili powder and omit the cayenne.

For a touch of sweetness, add 1-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar. This will not only sweeten the chili but also help cut the acidity a bit.

Add the diced tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, and sugar, if using, and stir to combine, making sure to get all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. This adds more flavor to the chili.

Bring to a boil on medium heat, then partially cover and simmer on low heat for 30-45 minutes. 

Taste the chili to check the seasonings. If necessary, add a little bit of salt to suit your taste. 

Chili toppings:

Serve with your favorite toppings and a side of cornbread for a hearty and well-balanced meal. A few of our favorite toppings are sour cream, cheddar cheese, and green onions. Green chilies would also be an excellent addition for added flavor. 

Optional add-ins and extras:

Green bell pepper – chop and saute with the onions and meat.

Jalepenos – Slice and use as a garnish, or chop and saute with the onions.

Corn chips or tortilla chips – crumble into a bowl of chili before serving.

Substitutions: 

Beans – Any kind of beans will work in the recipe. You could use black beans, pinto beans, or even chili beans. Since pork and beans have more sugar than other canned beans, adding extra sugar to the chili will help sweeten it and cut the acidity level a little. 

Meat – Ground beef or venison is a great alternative to elk meat if you don’t have access to it. This recipe would also work well with stew meat.

Onion and garlic – If you prefer not to use fresh onions and garlic, you can substitute them for onion powder and garlic powder, although they will not give the chili as much flavor. 

Paprika – regular paprika works just fine for this recipe.

How to store chili: 

Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to a week. 

How to freeze chili: 

Cook the chili and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, pour it into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for 3 months.