Venison Chili

Venison is a uniquely sweet meat, low in fat with lots of high quality protein.  It's always had a very special place on my menu.  Some of my earliest memories are running up to my father on a cold autumn evening as he comes home from a long day of deer hunting.  "Daddy, did you get one? Did you get one?!"  I would peer into the back of his old T100 pickup, gazing at the noble animal who would fill our freezer and our bellies, and anticipate the story of the hunt at the dinner table.

It takes a special talent to cook venison without messing it up- its low fat content makes it prone to drying out (as I have learned to my chagrin).  That's why my version of venison chili is an excellent introduction to cooking with deer; the other ingredients and the long, slow and low heat cooking keeps it moist.  When obtaining venison, it helps to either be or to know a hunter, but it is available in some stores and online.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground venison
1 lb canned crushed tomatoes
15 oz canned black beans (no salt added)
15 oz canned red kidney beans (no salt added)
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 tbsp vegetable oil
fresh chopped cilantro, to taste
4 large cloves of garlic, crushed
ground black pepper, to taste
chipotle chili powder, to taste
2 tbsp ground cumin

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  In an oven safe pot large enough to hold all of the above ingredients, saute the pepper and onions in the vegetable oil over medium low heat until the onions begin to soften and become translucent.  Add everything else in no particular order and stir well together.  Cover and transfer to the oven.  Allow to cook for about 2.5-3 hours.  Serve hot with grated cheddar (or whatever cheese your heart desires and your palate deems appropriate).