Easy Weeknight Venison & Pumpkin Chili
This easy venison and pumpkin chili uses a can of pumpkin purée and is ready in just 35 minutes, so you can feed family and friends on game day or Halloween.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds venison steak or roast, trimmed of silver skin
- 1 ½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeño, diced, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, with liquid
- 4 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional
- Sour cream, for serving
- Salted roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, for serving
Instructions
Tenderize and brown the venison.
- Pat the venison dry with paper towels and place it on a sturdy cutting board. Tenderize with a meat tenderizer. Cut the tenderized venison into ½-inch cubes. Season with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the venison, arranging the pieces in a single layer. Cook, turning occasionally, for 3–4 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the flavorful browned bits in the pot.
Soften the vegetables.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, and jalapeño to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits left behind by the venison.
Build the pumpkin chili.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée, smoked paprika, cumin, and the remaining ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spices release their fragrance. This brief cooking concentrates the pumpkin's flavor and develops a richer, more savory base.
Return the venison to the pot.
- Add the browned venison and any accumulated juices to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Toss until the venison is thoroughly coated in the fragrant pumpkin mixture.
Add the beans and simmer.
- Stir in the garbanzo beans with the liquid from the can and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
- Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens and the venison is cooked through. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- If it's a little too spicy for you or your family, stir in a pinch of sugar to balance the heat.
Serve.
- Ladle the chili into warm bowls. Finish each serving with a spoonful of sour cream, a scattering of roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and a few thin slices of fresh jalapeño for those who want a little extra heat.
