VENISON CHILI FROM THE LAND

Steps:

• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and bacon and cook until the bacon renders its fat, about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Pat the venison dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In batches, cook the meat in the Dutch oven until browned all over, about 6 minutes per batch. Remove the meat to a plate as it browns.
• Once all of the meat is out of the pot, add the onion, bell pepper, green chilies, and garlic and cook until the onion and pepper begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and chipotle powder and cook until the vegetables are coated with the spices, about 1 minute. Pour in the beer, bring to a boil, and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beef broth, chopped chipotle and chipotle sauce, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Bring to a simmer and add the bacon and venison back. Simmer the stew, partially covered, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour and 45 minutes, uncovering for the last half an hour. If the meat is tender but the sauce is too thin, simmer rapidly over high heat for a minute or two to reduce, stirring to keep the bottom from burning.