I come from a hunting family, which is great because that is a huge source of meat for all of us.  We rarely go out and buy beef because we have a large store of venison in the freezer that we shoot, clean, and process ourselves.  On top of this being a great money saver, venison is one of the healthiest and naturally leanest red meats available.  And I'm basically a real cavewoman for actually killing the meat that I eat.

Anyway, this recipe is extremely simple and ready for you when you come home at the end of the day.  It's also a perfect make-in-bulk meal because chili freezes so well.  Allowing the ingredients and spices to sit on heat for an extended amount of time really enhances their flavors, and that will only become stronger if you have leftovers that you save to eat another day!

Slow Cooker Venison Chili

Prep time: 20 minutes   Cook time: 8 hours   Total time:  8 hours, 20 minutes

Yield:  6 servings

Directions

Ingredients

1.  Melt clarified butter in a pan on the stove over medium heat.  Add venison meat, diced onion, and garlic to the pan and cook until meat is brown and onions translucent.  Make sure to be breaking the meat into smaller chunks as it cooks.

2.  Once meat is fully browned, add all ingredients to the slow cooker.  Mix them thoroughly to make sure the seasonings are well-integrated.

3.  Cook on low heat for 8 hours, stirring a few times throughout the day if you have the chance (I didn't and it turned out fine).

4.  Once it's dinner time, turn off the slow cooker and ladle the chili into bowls.  Top with cashews if you're including them and enjoy!

2 lb ground venison (you can sub in grass-fed ground beef, if venison is unavailable)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 red or orange bell pepper, diced

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes

1 14-oz can of tomato sauce

2 Tbsp clarified butter

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika (I used Hungary Sweet)

1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional and varying depending on how much of a "kick" you want

Cashews for garnish and to mix in right before serving, if desired