Quick, fun story. We stopped in a grocery store one town over and it’s a much nicer store than the usual day-to-day small town stores where we typically shop. Whilst taking a quick stroll through meat and seafood to gather up some fresh ocean goodness for some company that was in town we saw something that was eye-catching. You guessed it, ground elk. If you’ve ever been around this site then you’d know that was an immediate purchase. We had never seen elk in a regular grocery store. Given that it’s Winter the immediate thought was Classic Elk Chili. Well, folks, that decision paid off and we’re here to share it with you!
There are tons of arguments over what constitutes chili. Every region seems to have their own. Some regions swear off anyone that puts beans in chili. Some regions use pasta. We’re not here to judge. We love all things food and we hope you give this one a try.
Forgive the photos as there was a lot happening this day with some family and friends in town and there may have been some adult beverage consumption 😀 We will surely make this again and gather up some quality plated shots. One thing you can’t do is taste pictures but one thing you CAN do is make this recipe and fall in love.
Preparation: Classic Elk Chili
Get out your large stock pot for this batch. This will feed the family plus a few guests. Here’s a good one if you need an upgrade (affiliate link). Then, grab the goods and let’s get started!
Saute the veggies (ingredient list through green onion) for 10 – 15 minutes in the stock pot. Add garlic and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes. It will be difficult to burn the garlic given the amount of items in the pot but always be mindful to avoid doing so.
Stir in the elk and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until elk is browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Mix in the beans, tomato products, and the herbs and spices.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Slowly add in the chelada and simmer until desired consistency (at least another half hour), stirring occasionally. Drink any leftover chelada 😀
Ladle into bowls and pair with some jalapeno cornbread (something we’ll have to make again and blog about later) for a delightful comfort food perfect for those cold winter days. Other suggestions that are popular are toppings like sour cream and shredded cheese, green onion, cilantro, and the list goes on. Make it your own!
If You Like That, Try This…
- Three Bean Jamaican Chili
- Classic Beef Stew
- Moroccan Lamb Stew
- Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Soup
- Ham and White Bean Soup
- Black Eyed Pea Soup
Equipment: Classic Elk Chili
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You’re definitely going to want a large, quality stock pot for this one – there’s no two ways about it. It’s well worth the investment. If you’re in the market, take a look at this one (affiliate link):
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Classic Elk Chili
Equipment
- Stock Pot
Ingredients
- 2 Sweet Onions, diced
- 1 Serrano Pepper, diced Add more for extra heat, seed for less heat
- 2 Stalks Celery, diced
- 2 Bell Peppers, diced Medium size. We used on green and one red.
- 4 Green Onions, chopped Save tops for garnish
- 3 lbs. Ground Elk
- 4 cans Red Kidney Beans 15 oz. cans
- 2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes 15 oz. cans
- 1 can Tomato Sauce 15 oz.
- 1 can Tomato Paste 6 oz.
- ½ cup Cilantro, chopped
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 2 tbsp. Chili Powder
- 1 tsp. Allspice
- 1 tbsp. Ground Cumin
- 2 tbsp. Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
- 16 oz. Bud Light Chelada
- 3 Marrow Bones Optional. We added for fun =)
Instructions
- Saute the veggies (ingredient list through green onion) for 10 – 15 minutes in the stock pot. Add garlic and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes.
- Stir in the elk and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until elk is browned. Mix in the beans, tomato products, and the herbs and spices.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Slowly add in the chelada and simmer until desired consistency (at least another half hour), stirring occasionally.
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