Venison Chili and Top 5 Posts

Book Update: “Sugar Salt Fat” has still been a really interesting read.  It is not about nutrition, but the food companies that have stocked our grocery shelves for a hundred years.  It is how they changed their products, how they changed how we see food and how they convinced a generation that they need convenience foods.  Why is this interesting?  The nutrition and impact of these three ingredients has been well-documented a hundred thousand times over.  However, the inside documents of how companies like General Foods put people in associations to turn the tide towards processed foods and away from homemade food is not found in many other places.  I haven’t read far into the book or I would list some bullet points.  I find the documentation interesting because these corporations have taught millions of people how and what to think.  Convincing an entire nation that a cereal made up of 43% pure sugar is actually healthy (and not candy??) would be difficult I would think.  But they did it.  What “healthy” cereal is 43% sugar?  Apple Cinnamon Cheerios.

TOP FIVE POSTS for 2013!!

• 1 Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars 14 COMMENTS October 2011
• 2 Inside-Out Bag 27 COMMENTS January 2013
• 3 Instant Chocolate Pudding 13 COMMENTS July 2013
• 4 Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes 12 COMMENTS April 2013
• 5 Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken 5 COMMENTS January 2013

Recipe Update:  Deer season is still here in Missouri, but many hunters that went in November will be getting their meat soon.  Here is a great recipe that I made just for using venison meat.  It is not your typical chili recipe because it doesn’t use ground beef.  I actually prefer the deer meat taste… it always tasted more like chili to me!   I am sure you could use ground beef as well if you are interested in making a chili with less typical tomato taste.

Venison Chili
serves 6

1 tablespoon smoky bacon grapeseed oil, canola, vegetable or olive oil**  See alternative  below
1 tablespoon butter
1 red or white onion, chopped
1 & 1/2 pounds – 2 pounds venison meat, ground or stew meat
4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional of course depending on taste)
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper
5 slices of bacon, chopped/diced (optional)
2 cans (15 oz.) light or dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1.  In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium heat.  Add onion.  Cook 5 minutes or until soft.  Add meat.  Cook until browned.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
2.  Drain the meat on a plate of paper towels.  Place back into the pot.
3.  Add brown sugar, broth, red wine vinegar, cumin, cayenne, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes uncovered.
4.   In the meantime, cook the bacon in another skillet and add to the chili.**
5.  Add the beans.  Add any additional broth depending on how thick you like your chili.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
6.  Serve as is.  Or add chopped onion, green onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cornbread, cilantro,

**Another method to cook this:  cook the bacon in the pot first.  Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and use the rendered bacon fat to cook the onion and continue recipe as stated and adding the bacon back into the chili later.