moose meat chili

I made this simple moose meat chili on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

All of our Sunday afternoon activities had been canceled, so I started the pot of chili and we played a family board game while it simmered.

When our game was over, we scooped up the hot chili and topped it with shredded cheese, avocado, red onion, and sour cream. A side of cornbread completed the meal. It was a delicious and cozy way to spend the drizzly evening together. And the chili was a hit with the whole family!

About moose meat

Moose meat is extremely high in protein, but low in fat. A three ounce serving has over 20 grams of protein and less than one gram of fat. Because of this, you will have to start the chili with a base of fat. I used tallow, but any good fat will do. The fat profile in moose meat is impressive. It contains important fatty acids that are beneficial to health in many different ways. If you are interested, you can read about that study and the findings here.

As far as the flavor, it is similar to beef, but more mild. There is no gamey taste when cooked low and slow, like in this recipe.

Moose meat is delicious and healthy, and we thoroughly enjoyed our chili. And it is a good thing, because moose meat is extremely hard to come by. Few states have a large moose population. Those that have moose and allow hunting give out very few permits. Even then, if you are lucky enough to get a tag and fill it, you are limited to one per lifetime. What I’m saying is, we probably won’t be eating moose meat chili again!

moose meat chili recipe

heat: 1 tbsp fat (I used tallow; lard, avocado oil, or even butter would work) over medium heat

add: 1 large yellow onion, chopped and cook for a few minutes

then add: 1 1/2 lb ground moose meat, breaking it up as it beigns to cook

season liberally with: salt and pepper

Then add the spices:

1 1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 to 1 tsp chili powder (my kids won’t eat anything if it seems too spicy, so I only added 1/2 tsp)

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp oregano

Stir the meat and onions so that they are coated in the spices; then add:

4 oz can diced green chilis

6 diced cloves of garlic

Stir and let cook until the garlic is fragrant. Then add:

15 oz can tomato sauce

3 cups cooked (or canned) beans

3 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable broth

1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)

Turn the heat down to medium-low and let simmer at least 45 minutes, or up to 3 hours.