GREAT COOKING ITEM Recipes

Venison Chili Colorado Recipe by Timber 2 Table From Realtree

By RVL / December 29, 2019

Venison Chili Colorado Recipe

A venison take on a classic recipe.

BY  AUTHOR OF TIMBER 2 TABLE WILD GAME RECIPESPRINT RECIPE

PREP TIME
COOK TIME
5-7
SERVES
MEDIUM
DIFFICULTY

Chili Colorado is one of those classic recipes where everyone has a version and most of them are delicious. Bon Appetit even called it the “Greatest Recipe of All Time.” The dish is slow-simmered meat in a sauce made from a blend of dried peppers.

Serve the Chili Colorado with warm tortillas and beans.

Serve the Chili Colorado with warm tortillas and beans.

While pepper choices vary depending on recipe, I use a mixture of dried California, ancho, pasilla, and guajillo. The peppers get simmered and soaked to soften, then blended to form a sauce. I like to push the sauce through a strainer before adding it to the dish to filter out any bits of skin or seeds.

Press the sauce through a wire strainer to remove any bits of skin and seed.

Press the sauce through a wire strainer to remove any bits of skin and seed.

The dish’s name comes from this sauce, meaning “Chili, colored red” and not the state of the same name. Don’t let the peppers scare you away. While the dish has some heat, the finished dish is rich and fruity.

The recipe starts with a blend of dried pepper varieties.

The recipe starts with a blend of dried pepper varieties.

Traditional recipes use pork, but the dish works well with just about any meat. I like to use a venison neck or round roast cut into bite-sized bits.

Serve Chili Colorado alongside beans and warm tortillas. A cold beer goes great with this dish.

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds venison roast, cut into bite sized strips

3 tablespoons lard for browning

Salt and pepper

 

Sauce

4 dried ancho peppers

3 dried pasilla peppers

3  dried guajillo peppers

2 dried California peppers

1 Sweet yellow onion, quartered

3-4 tomatillos, quartered

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon cumin

2 bay leaves

4 cups chicken stock

 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Start the recipe by placing the onions and tomatillos on an oiled cookie sheet. Place in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until roasted and softened.

Roast the onion and tomatillos before adding to the pot.

Roast the onion and tomatillos before adding to the pot.

Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers, then tear or cut into large pieces. Add the peppers to a large sauce pan or small Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring the mixture to a low boil, cover, and remove the pot from the heat. Allow the peppers to soak for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Add the softened peppers to a blender and pour in enough of the soaking water to form a thin paste. Strain the mixture through a wire screen to remove any solids. Set the resulting sauce aside.

Cover the dried peppers with cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover the pot to soak.

Cover the dried peppers with cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover the pot to soak.

In a heavy Dutch oven, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Brown the venison on all sides, in batches. Season each batch well with salt and pepper.

Brown the venison a batch at a time in smoking hot lard.

Brown the venison a batch at a time in smoking hot lard.

Once all of the venison has been browned, return it to the pot. Pour in the pepper sauce and add the roasted onions and tomatillos. Add the chicken stock. Toss in two bay leaves, the cumin, and the Mexican oregano. Stir well and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. Bring to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes or until the venison is tender. Serve with warm tortillas.

 

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