Your outdoorsman has drug in some fur covered critter and you are wondering what exactly he expects you to do with it, you know it is pretty hard to understand all of those grunts and snorts he keeps throwing at you.  Well I will share with a tasty recipe to make some of that meat yummy.  I know that the outdoorsman is perfectly happy to sear the outside of his meat and swallow it whole, but I need something with a little flavor, a flavor besides that of the pavement where the critter was found. So you have this slab of venison sitting on your counter…What the heck do you do now?  First of all make sure that all of the fur is cleaned off and buy some nose plugs for the outdoorsman’s after chili toots!

Venison Chili & Taters

Chili Ingredients

2lbs venison steak, cut into bite sized chunks

2 t. salt

1 t. ground pepper

2 T. cooking oil

2 (16oz.) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (16oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (160z.) can corn, drained and rinsed

2 (14 ½ oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2 (8oz.) cans tomato sauce

2 large yellow onions, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 T. Salt

4 T. minced garlic

3 T. chili powder

1 t. smoked paprika

1 t. ground cumin

Tater Ingredients

10 large baking potatoes

Kosher salt

Canola oil

Garnish options

3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup diced green onion

1 cup diced, cooked bacon

1 cup sour cream

Chili Directions

1. Place oil, steak, salt and pepper in hot skillet and brown meat.
2. Place meat and remaining ingredients-to the potatoes, in a slow cooker. Stir until combined.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 6.5 hours or High for 4.5 hours.

Tater Directions

Try and time this about 3 hours before your chili will be ready so that your taters are hot and ready to go.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and position racks in top and bottom thirds. Place cookie sheet on the bottom rack.
2. Wash potatoes thoroughly. Dry, then using a Sharp knife poke 5-10 deep holes all over the tater.
3. Place in a bowl and coat lightly with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potato directly on rack in middle of oven.
4. Bake 2+ hours or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft.

The final product directions

1. Cut a line down the center of your taters and squeeze the ends to open the tater. Place each tater in individual serving bowls and ladle the chili over the tater.
2. Sprinkle Cheese, then green onions and bacon. Then place a dollop of sour cream in the center.
3. Enjoy!!

Kristen Berube lives a crazy, laugh-filled life with her outdoorsman husband Remi and their three camo-clad children in Missoula, Montana. A graduate of Montana State University and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, she loves being a mom and enjoys hiking, fishing, and camping. “Confessions of a Camo Queen: Living with an Outdoorsman” is her first book. – 

It is available for purchase at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1560376287/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk