Better Than Beef: One Chili Meat Alternative Is A Healthier Choice With Just As Much Flavor

From rabbit to alligator, you'll find plenty of chili recipes that use uncommon meats, but it's still beef that's arguably most associated with this hearty dish. Few deny beef makes a delicious chili, but if you're looking for a healthier option that delivers just as much flavor, consider swapping it for venison.

For those who don't eat a lot of game meat, here are a few key facts about venison. Venison is red meat that comes from deer, which are naturally leaner than cattle, thanks to their higher activity and the nature of their diet. If we compare 100 grams of venison to 100 grams of beef sirloin, venison has roughly half the calories, over 80 percent less fat, and only 1.2 grams of saturated fat compared to sirloin's 6 grams. Venison also contains more protein, iron, and Vitamin B12 than beef.

One of the few downsides of venison is due to its leanness. When cooked, venison can dry out far more easily than beef. This can be avoided in a venison chili, in which the meat will stew in whatever liquid ingredients you are using, like tomato sauce, broth, or beer. If you want to make your venison chili a little more indulgent, no one's stopping you from adding a little fat, be it butter, bacon grease, or even duck fat. However, you will be able to exert greater control over the amount of fat in your chili than if you were using grocery store ground beef.  

Of course, the health advantages of venison would ring hollow if it didn't also taste good. Fortunately, you needn't worry. Venison will taste similar to beef, but more intense, with stronger earthy notes thanks to the variety of the deer's natural diet. It is for these reasons that venison loyalists will argue that its taste is superior to beef.

Tasting Table's recipe for venison chili is a pretty simple one. The ground venison is sautéed along with onions before five kinds of beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, and tomato sauce are added to the pot to simmer. If you're a spice-fiend, don't be concerned — venison is still an excellent choice. Thanks to its bold flavor profile, you don't have to worry about venison getting overwhelmed by any other assertive ingredients you've included. Rather, heavy seasonings like chili powder, paprika, cumin and other common chili spices complement this meat. Due to its similarity to beef, it is unlikely that any ingredients or garnishes you would use in a beef chili won't also go well with venison, so feel free to use all your favorites. If you're stuck for ideas, take a look at these 12 secret ingredients celebrity chefs use in their chili.

Venison isn't the only alternative to regular beef worth considering. If you can find some, bison is another richer red meat that will produce a lean, smoky chili. Or, if you're feeling really adventurous, you could try a chili that makes use of both these meats.