This Venison Chili Recipe Comes From a Chef and Hunter

Cocoa powder adds depth and richness to this spicy venison chili. Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

By Gretchen McKay From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH—Dave Racicot, the executive chef of The Commoner restaurant in Kimpton Hotel Monaco, in Pittsburgh, is also a deer hunter.

The Indiana, Pennsylvania, native was around 10 years old when he started hunting with his maternal grandfather, Joseph Farine. And he soon learned how delicious venison can be.

“Everyone who says they hate it or don’t like it, it’s been overcooked,” Racicot said.

Depending on the cut, the meat can be roasted, dried into jerky, stuffed into sausage or turned into a spicy, hearty chili.

Below, is his recipe for chili. Racicot likes to garnish it with cheese and sour cream, with some crusty bread or oyster crackers on the side. Cocoa powder adds to its depth and richness.

Dave Racicot, executive chef at The Commoner restaurant in Hotel Monaco, Downtown, slices venison on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

Venison Chili

PG tested

Serves 8.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1cup diced peppers
• 1 habanero (optional)
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1/4 tablespoon cayenne
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 pounds ground venison
• 12 ounces beer (Iron City, of course)
• 24-ounce can chopped tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 15-ounce can kidney beans, optional
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup cocoa powder, or more to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Shredded cheese, scallions and sour cream, for serving

Add oil to large, heavy-bottomed pan set over moderate heat. Add onion, peppers, and habanero (if using) and cook until peppers are tender, 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add spices and venison. Cook, breaking meat up with a spoon, until it’s no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Add beer, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and kidney beans (if using) and stir well. Add cocoa powder and stir well to combine, then season with salt.

Reduce heat to low and cook chili for a few hours, stirring occasionally as it thickens.

Serve hot in a bowl with whatever garnish you like.

Recipe by Chef David Racicot, The Commoner. Copyright 2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.