A simple but tasty chili recipe using ground elk meat as the base. Best served with Mexican style cornbread. Beef may also be substituted for elk.
This is the best chili recipe for Elk! We've used it a couple of times and really like it. We did cut down on the brown sugar a bit but it is very ejoyable!
Read MoreIt was great until I added the sugar. I olnly used 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup. Too sweet.... Just personal preference. I will make this easy recipe again. Without the sugar.
Read MoreThis is the best chili recipe for Elk! We've used it a couple of times and really like it. We did cut down on the brown sugar a bit but it is very ejoyable!
Delicious but we had to adjust this recipe quite a bit: a lot less sugar; a lot more chili powder; two cans of beans. We also drain our tomatoes.
My favorite chilli recipe - we use either elk or deer. I don't use brown sugar and add hot jalapenos. We love it. Thank you.
Excellent use of Elk meat. I followed the recipe to a T and I am very, very pleased with it. I used the full 1/2 cup of brown sugar and it was just right, this is not meant to be a spicy chili, it is mild, smooth and absolutely delicious!! I will probably use stewed tomatoes next time in place of the italian, because those pieces are pretty large and I ended up cutting them down while they were cooking anyway. I also like the use of the canned kidney beans as they are already softened up which is normally the hardest part of cooking chili. Great recipe, thanks for sharing, I would have given 6 stars if possible!
This was the best chili I have EVER had. My boyfriend was very impressed, little did he know how easy it was! I cooked the chili in my crock pot for 3-4 hours on high while I was gone, came home to a wonderful meal in minutes! Great flavor, will make again and again. I did add celery, and sweet peppers as well.
This recipe rocked!!! I added 2 Tbsp of chili powder and halved the brown sugar and it came out PERFECT! I used deer meat instead of elk. Would make with beef too!
This was really GOOD. I was looking for a hearty dish to use up some elk tips and thought they would work with this recipe. Aside from not using ground meat, the only change I made was adding red pepper flakes. Otherwise...terrific chili!
I like it alot , but I thought it was a little on the soupy side. I have made it several times and after the first couple I started to drain, I know this will sound weird, the stewed tomatos. It helps a bit.
Freaking Awsome! reading the reveiws after i made it i figured out what they were talking about. if you cant take the chile heat you do have to cut the sugar. IF you love it like i do it is perfect! sweet and spicy i tossed the chile poder as i have a jalapeno bush out back minced 2 of those and instead of the small can of grean chile we have here in the sw this time of year fresh roasted chile on the side walk in abq. so i diced 3 of those and it was sooooo good! also subbed jarred black eyed peas for the kidneys cuz i didnt have any. so so good. oops i amost forgot. i only had elk in 1lb packages but i had a 1/2lb of beakfast sausage so ... never going to forget this.
This was very good, but I made quite a few modifications. I read the reviews and cut the brown sugar in half and pretty much doubled the chili powder, and also added a whole bunch of other ingredients (3 garlic cloves, a bell pepper, a fresno pepper, paprika, cayenne, dash of liquid smoke, dash of Worcestershire, and a dash of Chipotle Tabasco). Even with all the extra ingredients, it was still a bit sweet for me, so I would go down to just maybe 2 tablespoons of sugar next time. Husband loved it! You could even serve this to people who aren't fans of elk- it tasted like beef to me!
Good, but a little sweet... I will use less sugar next time. instead of a 1/2 cup sugar I'll use at most 1/3 cup brown sugar. I did use less tomsto sauce then the recipe called for (1 14oz can). it was plenty of sauce... anymore it might have been the consistency of spaghetti sauce. Good recipe though. We really liked it! Thanks!
It was great until I added the sugar. I olnly used 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup. Too sweet.... Just personal preference. I will make this easy recipe again. Without the sugar.
I chose this recipe ( versus using my usual chili recipe) in case I had to disguise the fact it had elk in it for my husband. It was great. My son rated it an A- which is really good by his standards. I would have made it a little less spicy for my taste, but the men in my family liked it the way it is. I think it would be a great chili with ground beef as well- will try it when the elk we were given runs out! Thanks for a great recipe.
Very good. I did add garlic when cooking the meat and onions, and I used 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar. I cannot imagine using a half cup. I did not add green chilies because I used diced tomatoes with jalapenos. Delicious. I thought this way was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
I made this for 80 people for a Cub Scout camping trip. I halved the brown sugar. This was wonderful. Smooth with a little kick at the finish. It was great. I had people begging to buy the leftovers!
This a good recipe and a great starter to build on. Elk is much different than beef for sure. I used 2 pounds of Elk Sausage and thought this was the best recipe to start with. I used more spice to accomodate for the extra meat. I did cut back on the brown sugar, but do not think it was necessary. I added ground sea salt to taste and paprika and used Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes.
Excellent, simple recipe. Would change around the spices a bit, but quite edible even following recipe to the "T".
I liked this recipe, but I didn't love it. The italian seasoning in the tomatoes came through a little too strongly for a chili recipe. And though I love sugar, I'll have to agree with previous reviewers who suggested cutting back on the brown sugar because the chili was SO sweet. If I had more elk, I'd try it again. Thanks for an elk recipe!
I really enjoyed this recipe with a few of my own changes...I added mushrooms and baked beans and used only 1 tablespoon brown sugar. This added bulkiness and less sugar. It was great!
Great recipe, used front quarter and thinly sliced meat instead of using gound, it was wonderful! I would recommend this to anyone with elk that wants a great chili recipe!
This is a great Chili recipe I added some Liquid Smoke and I used Cayenne pepper instead of the black pepper and 2 tsp of Ancho chile pepper and 1 hot link chopped and fried w\meat the flavor is BOLD W\an OUTDOOR CAMPING W\ a MILD SWEET then MILD WARMING SENSATION
This is a really good chili that is not too tomato-ey or too much chili powder. All my kids and my wife liked it.
This was soooo goooood. It was my first time making anything with elk. I hope it is not my last. Someone gave me some, and hopefully I will be able to get more. I think this would also be good with venison. Thanks. A keeper.
My new favorite winter go-to meal! My brothers are hunters and always give me meat so I thought I'd try this chili on a snowy Colorado night! What a hit! I used 1/3 cup brown sugar and instead of green chiles I used fresh jalapenos since we like it hot! It was great for nachos the next day too!
Good recipe, even picky kids ate it! Only got for stars because I would have liked a bit more flavor and spice, but that can be adjusted next time. Love that it didn't make a ton. Just enough for dinner and lunch the next day.
This was excellent but I made a few additions: 1 link chorizo,I use only Santa Cruz red chili. 3 cloves garlic, 1 can tomato paste and I used a 28 oz can of tomotoes. I agree on half the brown sugar. Fresh cilantro and NO cumin.
Mmmm so good! I like my chile thick & spicy, so I used 2lbs ground elk instead of 1.5, doubled the kidney beans, drained the stewed tomatoes, and added 3 finely chopped jalapenos, 2 chopped bell peppers and a few dashes of Tapatio. Served it up with some homemade cornbread & it was a hit.
I cut the sugar in half, as well, and it was still too sweet. Next time will only get about two tablespoons!
Great recipe and very simple, basically just brown your meat with the onions, and throw everything in a crock pot, and leave it for a couple hours on high...PERFECTION!! I also use half the brown sugar that it calls for
so so so good! Instead of tomato sauce I use two jars of spaghetti sauce---the garlic flavored one. I also replaced the beans with black beans put everything in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. WHen there is about 2 hours remaining I add 1 c of red wine. Served with fresh corn bread there is NOTHING better!!
This recipe made a great base for my own concoction. I sauteed the elk and onions in olive oil and 1/4c brown sugar. Then used the crock pot to slow cook while the family was out skiing. Added corn, mushrooms and black beans...yum! It was a very nice dinner to come home to...Don't forget the shredded cheese and garlic bread! Update: Doubled this recipe to feed 50+ at a CFC function. Received rave reviews!! I used Louisiana hot sauce to cut down on the sweetness and chunky salsa instead of stewed tomatoes.
We absolutely loved this! I useda 1 lb chub of ground elk and followed the recipe. BF and I will be making this again and again. I look forward to it!
Hubby gushed about this and went back for seconds. The key with elk is to brown at a lower temperature longer (don't rush!). Only major modification was the addition of chopped jalapeno, which gave it a very nice sweet and spicy balance.
Excellent. I followed other suggestions and cut the brown sugar in half. Thanks for a quick and easy chili!
This was my first attempt at chili, and I am very happy with it! I used 2 pounds of ground deer, and only 1 onion. I rinsed the beans because I don't like the slimy texture canned beans have. I used a liberal amount of chili powder and only about 1/8 of a cup of brown sugar. I put everything into my crock pot, added 1 cup water, and cooked it on high for 3 hours. Next time, I will add only 1/2 cup water, but overall I am very happy with this recipe.
Made this chili for the playoff game at our local bar. Doubled the recipe with the exception of the brown sugar, left that the same. The whole crock pot was scraped clean within 40 minutes. LOVE this chili!!! Not too sweet, not too spicy. Perfect, perfect, perfect !!!!
This was great, I too put half the brown sugar in. I added an extra can of kidney beans. It is thick. We ate it using corn chips to scoop it up. A great way to use Elk.
WOW! Great recipe, pretty easy to make, though dicing the onions took a little while. I also added 2 potato's (cubed).
We loved this recipe!
It doesn't hurt to add another pound of ground elk since it breaks down to a fine crumble when cooking. And who couldn't use more elk?! I always put more chili powder than called for, and we serve it over Fritos. I agree with others: no need for sugar. Will make again for sure!
Great recipe! I only added about a tablespoon of brown sugar and about 1/4 - 1/2 c of red wine. Cooked on high in the slow cooker for about 4 hours. Amazing!!!
I'm just giving it 1 star because most of the people rating this 5 stars say that they need to reduce or eliminate the sugar and still give it 5 stars (should be 2-4 stars in their case since they don't like it too sweet the way you wrote it). Have to equal it out. Great base recipe (3 stars), no brown sugar needed. I added ground wild boar meat to the mix with the ground elk and eliminated the brown sugar, also did not use canned chili peppers, added fresh peppers (jalapeno and serrano) which made this excellent, but I'm not rating based on my own tweaks. Not sure what was meant by the generic 'italian style' tomatoes, just use canned Hunt's pureed tomato and Hunt's tomato sauce instead (1 can each, I think they were 15 oz size). Reduced the cumin slightly and doubled the chili powder as well. I also used Mexican oregano, which has a totally different flavor profile than Mediterranean oregano (common). When using canned stuff, I wish people would specify the brand they use. Big difference at times. I give my version 4.5 stars, although still tweaking it. Making it again this weekend and then again in a couple more weeks. Maybe by then I'll have it tuned in just right.
This was my first time eating elk. I am so glad this recipe was fabulous!! I added 1 extra can of beans and a little bit of ketchup. Mmmm!
Love this recipe! I first tried it with Elk and have since made it with ground beef, ground turkey and chopped up chicken. I have a savory preference so I omit the brown sugar. I add a can of Great Northern Beans (white beans) for a color contrast and fiber boost and use a big 29oz can of tomato sauce instead of two smaller cans. My husband and kids love it.
I made it according to the recipe but in stead of the can of dried green chili's I used fresh bell peppers and my entire family ate it up said it was the best that they have had in a while thanks to ALLRECIPES.COM
Excellent recipe! I don't eat elk often.. saw this recipe didn't change anything. everyone wanted seconds.
it was ok way too much brown but with more spices and chillies it turnd out really good!!!!
This chili is the best one I've found yet! It doesn't have a nice "burn" though. If you favor a slow burn to your chili, but not really spicy, add just a pinch of crushed red pepper to this recipe and cook it in a crockpot on low for about 3 or 4 hours. It's wonderful!
Tasted yummy. Super easy to make. Substituteed 8oz can chipotle peppers for green peppers. Thanks!
Great recipe! I read the reviews, so stayed away from the sugar. I added 2 cloves garlic, corn, carrots and celery and it’s nice and chunky. Can’t wait until the leftovers!
Easy and really good. I skipped the brown sugar, and it wasn’t missed a bit. Might add jalapeños and/or bell peppers next time, too.
Yeah, maybe back off the sugar just a tad. I think its important to mask what could be strong elk taste - but start with a 1/4 cup instead. Otherwise, my wife is sitting here enjoying it - and having 2nds!
I tried this recipe for our House Warming Party and I can honestly say this is the WORST I have ever had.
My go to recipe, even if I don't have elk I will use beef or turkey. A hit Everytime I make it.
My family loved this! My husband and Father-in-law said it was the best chili they ever had. I didn't change anything. Thank you for a good recipe!
I tried this recipe last night and it was great! I will definitely be making it again w/ a few minor tweeks!
My boyfriend always has leftover elk from hunting, and I'm not usually a fan, but this is a delicious recipe! I don't even think you need the brown sugar and I added two cans of green chilies instead of one. Once you get past the browning process of the meat, everything is literally just thrown into a crock pot. I top with sour cream or sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the bowl.
It was delicious! I am concerned though, that the nutrition facts say sodium is 1462 mg! That seems (hopefully) too high. I didn't include brown sugar and it was plenty sweet , mild and hearty! I used 1 lb. of venison, and 1/2 pound of ground beef. I also added some cinnamon and red pepper.
Followed it to a T. But I did add chipolte peppers for heat and it was bombdiggity!!!
I used ground Elk meat. Did everything as directed except I left the chilies out and I cut back on the brown sugar (phenomenal)
My husband is an avid hunter.... We have a deep freeze FULL of game meat! I struggle to keep dinner interesting, and welcome new recipes in order to mix it up. This recipe is wonderful and perfect. A perfect mix of sweet and spicy. The hubbs usually doesn't like chili, but he raved about this! We shared with my in-laws, and they loved it too. Leftovers are even better because all the flavor intensifies. Heavily recommend! I followed the recipe exactly and served it with creamed cornbread, that had chunks of cream cheese in it.
Good but as suggested by others, I cut down on the brown sugar and added red pepper flakes.
We didn't use any brown sugar, we used only one can of tomato sauce, and we used a can of diced tomatoes instead of stewed tomatoes. Otherwise we used the same recipe. It was delicious!!! Even my husband and my 9 year old loved it!
I really enjoy this recipe. To make it spread more i double the seasonings and use 4 cans of beans and 2 cans of tomotoes. I also cut the brown sugar at least by half.
I've made this recipe over and over again, with not only elk, but venison and ground beef. my family can't get enough! thanks for sharing and I plan to keep making this recipe and pass it down the family.
This recipe receives 2 thumbs up from us. My husband said it was my best chili recipes I've ever made. I made it in the crock pot and it was Awesome!!
This recipe is delicious!!! Best chili I have ever had. I had to add a bit of cayenne pepper to it to spice it up a little. Left the brown sugar in it and added a can of white kidney beans. So delicious thank you!
My new favorite winter go-to meal! My brothers are hunters and always give me meat so I thought I'd try this chili on a snowy Colorado night! What a hit! I used 1/3 cup brown sugar and instead of green chiles I used fresh jalapenos since we like it hot! It was great for nachos the next day too!
Oh, how I wish I'd have read the reviews before making this. Then I would have known that 1/2 C. Brown Sugar is WAY. TOO. MUCH. It gave it a funky flavor that I had to add spices and stuff to to compensate for, and in turn ended up with a big pot of gross chili that we had to eat up anyway. Perhaps with less sugar, it would be better.
Since my friend just gave me a few pounds of fresh ground Elk, I decided to give this a try. Followed the recipe for the most part but did change a couple things, mainly due to what I had on hand. Substituted the tomato sauce for a thinned out tomato paste. Since I used 2 lbs of Elk, I added a can of Jalapeno Black Beans as well as the Kidney Beans. I browned the Elk and onions, drained the fat and then added everything to a crockpot and cooked it on high for approximately four hours. I baked some corn bread to go with it. It was perfect! Not too sweet, not too spicy, just right. I will definitely make this again.
This chili is a good base for what I consider great chili. The first time I made it had some elk from the friend so I was able to follow the recipe exactly. The flavor is really nice with a crowd pleasing amount of spice. I have made this many times now and have since perfected it to my liking. I add three bell peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow), only use one onion, and I usually use lean ground turkey since I rarely have elk on hand (though it is better with elk). That, in my book equals a five star dish.
Very good and simple. For a little more spice, we added 2x the chili powder, and used a couple thai chilis instead of green chilis (with the volume of chili, this gave it a nice mild spice (that was lacking in the recipe). We also used blackstrap molasses instead of brown sugar (better for you, easy to control sugar), and we added fresh sliced tomato, red bell pepper, and a can of tomato paste to control the liquid. We were very happy with the result. (it was also ready within about 30-40 min cooking time)
TOO SWEET. Really disappointed, should've read more of these reviews before making. Now I know for next time!
Very tasty! Been meaning to use an elk loin in the freezer and found this recipe. I chopped the elk into 1/4” pieces before browning in a skillet. Added quarter chopped red bell pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and omitted brown sugar. Tossed ingredients into an Instant Pot to cook for 35 minutes. Elk was tender and not gamy at all.
Double the beans and the green chili!! I used cubed venison I seared with the onions... Ah-MA-zing!
I was looking for a recipe using a crockpot because of the simple fact that I do not have a stove right now. I also didn't have any meat thawed out - and had been given some elk that had been canned. This is the perfect recipe. It is spicy and slightly sweet which doesn't overpower the meat or beans. I will definitely make this again. The only change I made was that I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies. If you decide to make this recipe, you will be making an excellent choice. This will become a family favorite.
This was a great chili recipe! We used about half venison and half elk since that's what we had. I had about 2 1/2 pounds of meat, so we used 2 cans of beans and increased the tomato sauce and spices. I used the full 1/2 cup of sugar and thought it was perfect with this amount of chili. I also used about 2 oz. of diced jalapenos instead of the green chiles to give it more kick. Perfect!! Thanks for a great recipe for game meat.
