Colorado Elk Chili
A thick, dark chili made with ground elk, a lean, richly flavored game meat common in Colorado hunting households.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Dutch oven
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 14
- carbs
- 28
- protein
- 34
- calories
- 380
Instructions
- 1
Cook the ground elk in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned. Break the meat into small crumbles as it cooks.
- 2
Add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft.
- 3
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 4
Add the diced tomatoes, stock, and bay leaf. Stir everything together well.
- 5
Bring the chili to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- 6
Stir in the pinto beans. Keep simmering for 20 to 30 minutes until thickened.
- 7
Take out the bay leaf. Season with salt to taste and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Elk is very lean, so avoid cooking it too fast over high heat or it will get tough. A slow simmer keeps it tender. Stir in a spoonful of masa harina (fine corn flour) for extra thickness if you like.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking over heat that is too high, which dries out the lean meat.
- •Skipping the tomato paste step, which takes away rich depth of flavor.
Serving suggestions
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