Venison Red Chili Stew

Ingredients

Instructions

When you order chili in New Mexico, you will be served a variation of this recipe. It is a recipe that has its roots in old Pueblo Indian cooking and is basically meat in a seasoned chile sauce. Pork and beef are more commonly used, but venison is a tasty variation. If you want beans in your chili, you need to ask.

• 6 to 8 dried red New Mexican chiles

• 1 ancho chile

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 pounds venison, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups beef broth

• Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Place the chiles on a baking pan and toast them in oven for 15 minutes, or until fragrant, being careful not to let them burn. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and crumble them into a bowl. Cover them with hot water and let them steep 15 minutes. Drain and discard the water.

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the venison, and brown. Remove the meat and add the onion to the pan. Add more oil if necessary and saute until the onion begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Place the chiles and the onion mixture in a blender or food processor. Add 1 cup of the broth and puree until smooth, adding more broth if necessary. Strain the mixture through a sieve.

In a large saucepan, combine the chile mixture, venison, and remaining broth. Bring to just below boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer until the meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with a warmed flour tortilla.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Heat Scale: Medium