Fall Dinner Recipes — The Halloween Chili That Became Circle of Life

Halloween. Year three of costume chronicles. Luc: "I'm not dressing up." Danielle: silence. Luc showed up on Halloween wearing a full Ghostbusters costume, which I suspect Danielle acquired and left on his bed with a note that said something manipulative and effective. Colette: artist. Beret, smock, palette, the whole thing. She painted a tiny canvas during trick-or-treating at one house and gave it to the homeowner. She is nine years old and doing guerrilla art installations. Rémy: alligator. Full body. Green. Teeth. He walked on all fours for three houses before his knees hurt and he stood up and walked normally, which was a six-year-old in an alligator suit walking upright like a person, and the neighbors loved it.

Made chili again — the Halloween standard. Ground venison this year, from the doe. Rich, dark, gamey in the best way. The kids ate it without knowing it was deer. I told them afterward. Luc shrugged. Colette said, "That's circle of life, Papa." Rémy said, "More." Perspective and appetite, cher. My kids have both.

Every Halloween I want something on the stove that asks nothing of me — something that cooks low and slow while I’m tying alligator tails and tracking down berets. Chili has been that thing for three years running, and this year with the ground venison from the doe, it fit every fall dinner recipe requirement I have: rich, dark, deeply savory, and built to feed kids who’ve been walking the neighborhood in the cold. These are the fall dinner staples I come back to when the season turns and the family needs something with weight to it.

Fall Dinner Recipes: Hearty Venison Chili

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs ground venison (or ground beef)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced green onions, crackers

Instructions

1. Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add ground venison and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
2. Soften the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes and paste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it caramelize slightly. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir to combine.
4. Season and simmer. Add the beef broth, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
5. Cook low and slow. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick and the flavors have melded. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and green onions. Serve with crackers or warm cornbread on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 11g | Sodium: 720mg