Antelope Chili — Hunting Camp Edition

One Dutch oven, a pile of coals, and stuff that fits in a cooler. Antelope is super lean, so the whole secret is adding fat back and not overcooking it.

Ingredients (feeds 4–6)

• 2 lbs ground antelope (or cubed stew meat — see note below)
• 3–4 strips bacon, chopped — or a big spoon of bacon grease
• 1 onion, chopped (skip if you don’t feel like chopping)
• 1 packet chili seasoning (camp shortcut) or 2 tbsp chili powder + 1 tbsp cumin + salt/pepper
• 1 big can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 can Rotel or a jalapeño if you’ve got it
• 2 cans beans — pinto, kidney, whatever’s on sale (drain one can, dump the other with liquid)
• Optional: half a beer poured in, drink the rest

The Method

1. Render the bacon in a hot Dutch oven. Set the crispies aside, leave the fat.
2. Brown the antelope in that fat with the onion. Don’t fuss with it — lean game goes from juicy to jerky fast, so just get color on it.
3. Dump everything else in — tomatoes, Rotel, beans, seasoning, bacon bits, splash of beer if using.
4. Simmer 30–45 minutes over low coals, stirring now and then so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Longer is fine as long as the heat’s lazy.
5. Serve over Fritos or with shredded cheese and hot sauce on the table.

Cubed Stew Meat Version

Same everything, but sear the chunks hard in batches, then simmer 1.5–2 hours until fork-tender. Add the beans in the last 30 minutes so they don’t go to mush.

Camp Rules

• Fat is your friend — bacon grease fixes 90% of lean-game problems.
• Salt at the end, not the start — game meat + long simmer concentrates it weird otherwise.
• Coals, not flame — chili scorches on a bottom with direct fire. If it starts sticking, off the heat and stir.
• Better tomorrow — it’s a boss breakfast over eggs the next morning.

If you tagged an antelope, let us know if you give it a try!