Quick Look at this Ground Bison Chili
- Ready In: 2 1/2 hours
- Serves: 12
- Main Ingredients: ground bison, bacon, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, onions, and chili spices!
- Why Bison? It’s a delicious lean, ground meat option instead of traditional ground beef.
- Dietary Info: Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free
- Protein: over 20g/serving
- Best For: serving a crowd for Sunday supper, set-it-and-forget-it dinner, game day, or enter a chili cook-off!
Share and summarize this recipe:
You Need To Make This Hearty Bison Chili This Weekend
- A one pot dinner that requires minimal cooking before dumping everything in to simmer.
- Instructions included for stovetop AND slow cooker.
- Lean ground bison + bacon = incredible smoky flavor that is not gamey
- Feed a crowd for your next game day celebration, family dinner, or at a chili cook-off!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Ground Bison – a lean ground meat that tends to have higher protein levels than a traditional ground beef.
- Bacon – bison is lean, so bacon isn’t just here for smoky flavor—the rendered bacon fat helps give the chili richness that the meat itself doesn’t contribute.
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes – these help to reinforce the smoky flavor profile of the bacon and bison. Plain diced tomatoes can also be used, but the flavor may fall a little flat.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms – our secret ingredient in this chili for the added texture to this flavor-packed chili.
How To Make Bison Chili
Step 1 – Sauté the onion, jalapeño, bacon, and garlic.
Step 2 – Add the ground bison, salt, and pepper. Break apart and move around until it is browned.
Does Bison Taste Different Than Ground Beef?
The biggest difference we noticed was the texture. Cooked ground bison has a softer mouthfeel than ground beef, which can be a bit chunkier when cooked. It also has a more mild flavor, due to being fairly lean. If you are worried about it tasting gamey, we are here to assure you that it doesn’t at all!
Step 3 – Add all of the remaining chili ingredients to the pot.
Step 4 – Mix, cover, and let it all simmer for about 2 hours for the best flavor!
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
– Cook Time – during testing we found that the best flavor resulted when the whole pot was able to simmer for 2 hours. It allows all of the ingredients time to fully soften and the flavors to deepen. It can be eaten after about 1 hour, but we highly recommend the extra time for depth of flavor!
– Troubleshooting Consistency – if the chili is too thin after 2 hours, let it simmer (uncovered) for 30 minutes. If the chili is too thick, add a little more water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Best Ways To Serve Bison Chili
Some of the best parts of a bowl of chili are the toppings and sides for dunking, this chili is no exception. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Toppings: sour cream (or dairy-free sour cream), shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and a sprinkling of bacon bits.
- Side Dishes: gluten-free cornbread, smoked cornbread for added flavor, or some easy cornbread muffins.
Slow Cooker Bison Chili
Follow Steps 1 & 2 as directed and then transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining chili ingredients, cover, and let it sit on low for 2 hours. If you have a slow cooker with a sauté setting, you can use that for steps 1 & 2 and then add the everything else.
Other Homemade Chili Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, diced with seeds and membranes removed
- 4 bacon slices, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground bison
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 30 ounces fire roasted tomatoes, 2 cans drained
- 15 ounces canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 ounces tomato paste , save can to fill with water to add
- 1 pint baby bella mushrooms
- 2-3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
Optional Toppings:
- sour cream, sub dairy-free sour cream
- chopped green onions
- shredded cheese, sub dairy-free
- bacon bits
Instructions
- Cook Down Bacon: Bring a large dutch oven to a medium-high heat, add ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add diced onion, diced jalapeño, bacon pieces, and 1 tablespoon garlic to cook down for about 2-3 minutes or until fat has rendered.
- Bison: Add 2 pounds ground bison, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper to the large pot. Break apart the meat and move around until browned.
- Simmer: Add 30 ounces fire roasted tomatoes, 15 ounces canned red kidney beans, 15 ounces canned black beans, 6 ounces tomato paste , 1 pint baby bella mushrooms, 2-3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 bay leaf, and 6oz water (use the tomato paste can). Give it all a mix. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
- Taste + Serve: Taste, adjust any flavors per your personal preference, and serve any way you want!
Notes
- Slow Cooker Method: This could easily be transferred to a slow cooker after Step 2 when the bison is cooked. Transfer that along with all other ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Serving Suggestion: option to add your favorite chili toppings and serve with some gluten-free cornbread or honey cornbread muffins!
- Dairy-Free: use a dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free shredded cheese for toppings.
- Storage: keep leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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