This easy Elk Chili recipe features bold fresh flavors to make the most of your game meat! Serve it with your favorite toppings and a thick slice of cornbread for the ultimate comfort food.
I mentioned in my recipe for Venison Chili that we’re a hunting household, and I’m here with my go-to recipe for elk chili.
The concept behind both the venison version and the elk version is the same: We’re making a big hearty batch of filling, flavorful chili using fresh ingredients, no fancy tricks, and little prep time.
While I embrace its earthy flavor, I realize that a lot of people love the idea of eating wild game but don’t prefer its taste. Turning ground elk meat into chili is a goof-proof way of covering the game essence, as the chili ingredients are bold enough to dominate the flavor.
I have included all sorts of tips and customizations in this recipe to make the most out of your meal prep!
Elk Chili Ingredients:
Ground Elk: The star of the show here, elk meat is one of the earth’s most treasured superfoods. It is packed with lean protein, B vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, and is known for being a powerhouse fuel. This lean meat is an incredible substitution for ground beef in just about any application.
Onion and Garlic: Fresh onion and garlic add robust flavor to chili. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount according to your personal taste.
Chili Powder and Dried Oregano: In order to get the classic chili flavor, we need chili powder (and a lot of it). I use more than most chili recipes call for in order to mask the flavor of the game meat and enhance the chili experience. Dried oregano brings a slight herby flavor.
Bell Peppers: I add one red bell pepper and one green bell pepper, but you can pick and choose your colors. Bell peppers bring natural sweetness and a subtle smoky flavor, which makes chili recipes taste refreshing and flavorful.
Crushed Tomatoes: A good deal of crushed tomatoes brings that tangy acidic flavor we all love in chili recipes. If you prefer less tomatoes, feel free to use a regular sized can instead of a 28-ounce can. You can also swap out the crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes.
Chicken Broth: We need a little additional liquid without over-powering the chili with tomato flavor, so we use chicken broth for that job.
Pure Maple Syrup: A little sweetness counterbalances the acidity of the crushed tomatoes. Feel free to use broth sugar instead.
Beans: Pick your favorite kind of beans! I like using black beans and pinto beans, but kidney beans, white beans, and garbanzo beans all work too.
Red Wine or Marsala Wine (optional): Another flavor addition! A splash of red wine or marsala wine brings greater depth of flavor. I like using a bold red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon. Skip it if you don’t cook with alcohol.
Ways to Customize:
- Just add bacon – chop up 3 to 6 slices of thick-cut bacon and cook them in the soup pot to render the fat for sautéing the onion. You can leave the crispy bacon in the pot to cook into the chili, or reserve it for later to sprinkle on top.
- Swap the meat – Use ground venison, ground antelope, ground beef, ground pork, etc. You can also use half ground elk and half of a different kind of ground meat like ground beef.
- Make it spicy – Add 1 to 2 chopped jalapenos (with the seeds), or add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to your personal taste. Canned green chilies are a great addition here too, and come in mild, medium, or hot.
How To Make Elk Chili:
Heat the avocado oil in a large pot such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the garlic and ground elk meat to the pot and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces.
Add in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder and ground oregano, and continue browning the meat while allowing the peppers to soften until the meat is nearly cooked through.
Pour in the beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, red wine, pure maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper (the remaining ingredients) and stir well.
Cover the pot and bring it to a full boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook the chili uncovered for 30 minutes at a low boil, stirring occasionally. If you have more time, increase the total time to 45 minutes or 1 hour and add a little extra broth.
Serve chili in big bowls with your choice of toppings. I love mine with cornbread!
Storage Options:
- Refrigerator: Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: For longer storage, scoop the chili into a large zip lock bag or freezer bag. Seal it tight, double bag it, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Tips for The Best Elk Chili:
- Add in your favorite high-flavor ingredients to maximize the savory flavor of the meal. This also covers the gamey flavor of the meat, which many people prefer to minimize.
- Chili tastes even better the next day and the 2-3 days following prep. For this reason, feel free to make this easy recipe in advance of when you need it.
- Load it up with your favorite toppings, like cheese, crispy bacon, sour cream, green onions, etc. Chili toppings always enhance the whole experience.
- Cooking the chili at a boil uncovered allows the chili to thicken while condensing the flavors. If you prefer soupier chili, cook it covered, and/or add more chicken broth.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The most common way people source their elk is through hunting or knowing friends or family who hunt. If you don’t have a resource for elk, there are several companies that sell game meat online. I have even seen it in select natural food stores.
Prefer cooking in the slow cooker? Feel free! Simply brown the meat with the onion then add all of the chili ingredients to your crock pot. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or High heat for 3-4 hours.
Yes! Chili is a great way of using liver, heart, and other game meat organs to hide the flavor while still getting the benefits.
My husband and I try to keep liver in our diets but we both don’t enjoy the flavor, so grinding it up and adding it into chili is an excellent move.
The next time you’re looking for great ways of using your game meat, enjoy this hearty meal!
If you love making homemade soups and stews, be sure to check out some of my other reader favorites.
More Hearty Soup and Stew Recipes:
- Black Eyed Pea Soup
- Dairy-Free Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Beef Noodle Stew
- Birria Soup with Vegetables
If you’re a chili lover, enjoy this ground elk recipe throughout the cold weather months!
Elk Chili Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 lbs ground elk meat
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 4 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry red wine or marsala wine
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large pot such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the garlic and ground elk meat to the pot and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Add in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder and ground oregano, and continue browning the meat while allowing the peppers to soften until the meat is nearly cooked through.
- Pour in the beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, red wine, pure maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper (the remaining ingredients) and stir well. Cover the pot and bring it to a full boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and cook the chili uncovered for 30 minutes at a low boil, stirring occasionally. If you have more time, increase the total time to 45 minutes or 1 hour and add a little extra broth.
- Serve chili in big bowls with your choice of toppings. I love mine with cornbread!
I try to use what’s on hand so made this chili with half ground turkey and ground wagu beef, and it was delicious! Also added garbanzo beans, sliced zucchini, chopped kale and spinach, a can of fire roasted tomatoes, and additional broth. All that to say, don’t be afraid to try this recipe using something other than elk, the flavors are amazing!
Thank you, Julia, for the inspiration and another healthy dish!
My pleasure, Linda! I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that you were able to make it work with what you had on hand. I bet the wagyu beef was incredible! 🙂
Yes, the wagyu beef was incredible!
Your recipes are pulling me out of a cooking slump!😀