Tex-Mex Venison Chili

Winter has returned to the Northeast, and it's great weather for hot and spicy foods like chili.

Our neighbor across the street was kind enough to give us some venison (neatly sealed in airtight packages), but having had no experience up to this point with cooking this particular meat, I was at a bit of a loss for what to do with it.  I figured my best bet would be to start with something simple using the ground venison.

I decided on chili.  And since I had a package of McCormick's Tex-Mex chili seasoning (which appears to be a relatively new product), I thought I'd give it a go.

Unfortunately, I have no in-process pictures, because I'd been home sick from work for a day and a half and really didn't feel like doing much fussing with the camera.  My only goal was to feed my husband.

I made this batch the "old fashioned" way on the stove, but it would easily translate to a slow cooker.  It's also really low in calories - a 1 cup serving has about 140 calories.  Plus, venison is a really lean meat.


Tex-Mex Venison Chili
Ingredients

• 1 pound ground venison
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in puree
• 10 oz. can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
• 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 package McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning
• 1/2 cup water
• Optional accompaniaments:  shredded cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream

Method

1. Brown venison in a non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until no longer pink.
2. Meanwhile, in a 3 quart pot, combine crushed tomatoes, Rotel, black beans, and water. Stir in seasoning packet.
3. Remove browned venison from skillet with a slotted spoon, transferring to pot.  Stir to combine.
4. Cover, with lid tilted, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes.
5. Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and/or other optional toppings.