By Fall. Deer season. The stand. The coffee. The dawn. But this year, something different: Rémy carried a .410 shotgun. His first real gun. The smallest gauge, the lightest recoil, and the biggest milestone in a young Cajun boy's life. He's nine — some would say too young, and some would be people who didn't grow up on the bayou where your grandfather handed you a gun at eight and said, "This is not a toy. This is a trust." That's what I said to Rémy. "This is a trust." He nodded. He understood. He carried the gun with his muzzle down and his safety on and his finger off the trigger, exactly the way I taught him, exactly the way Joey taught me.
He didn't shoot anything. The deer didn't show. But the carrying was the thing. The carrying was the lesson. The weight of the gun and the weight of the responsibility and the knowledge that your father trusts you with both — that's the milestone. That's the inheritance. Not the killing. The carrying.
Made venison chili from last year's freezer stock — the last of it, making room for this year's deer. The cycle continues. The freezer empties. The stand fills. The season turns. The boy carries the gun. The father watches. The roux turns. The life goes on.
That last package of venison from the bottom of the freezer — the one you’ve been saving without quite meaning to — deserves something that does it justice. Rémy carried his gun all morning and never fired a shot, and that was exactly right, but when we got home I needed something warm and full and nourishing enough to match what the day had been. Chili Mac Casserole is what I make when a meal has to carry weight — the chili for the season, the pasta for the comfort, and the venison because the freezer is ready for whatever this year’s deer brings us.
Chili Mac Casserole
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground venison (or ground beef)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Brown the meat. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground venison, breaking it up as it browns, about 5–7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Build the base. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Season and simmer. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and beef broth. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Add the pasta. Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish if not using an oven-safe pot. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered. Bake for 25 minutes, until the macaroni is just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add cheese and finish. Remove the foil and stir gently. Top evenly with 1 cup of the cheddar and all of the Monterey Jack. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top. Return to the oven uncovered and bake 10–12 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges.
- Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions or a dollop of sour cream if you like.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 47g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 820mg