Spicy Venison Chili in the Instant Pot: Quick Pressure-Cooker Recipe

This Instant Pot Spicy Venison Chili comes together in under 30 minutes using cooked deer roast. A mix of hot peppers gives it bold, layered heat while the Instant Pot makes the process fast and hands-off.

Instant Pot Spicy Venison Chili

Venison is excellent in chili and stews, and this Instant Pot version highlights the lean, gamey flavor with spicy peppers and classic chili seasonings.

The recipe below uses precooked venison roast shredded or chopped, but you can substitute ground venison or another ground game meat. If you prefer a more traditional, easy option, swap in ground beef.

Instant Pot Spicy Chili

This chili has a definite kick, but you can easily adjust the heat level by adding or reducing peppers. The combination of jalapeños, serranos, and chile de árbol gives a balanced mix of flavor and spice.

• Jalapeños – Jarred diced jalapeños in their liquid add extra flavor, but fresh, seeded and sliced jalapeños work well too.
• Chile de árbol – These dried chilies bring pronounced heat and smokiness; Japones peppers or crushed red pepper can be used if needed.
• Serrano peppers – Smaller than jalapeños but significantly hotter; use fewer if you prefer less heat.

The recipe also uses diced tomatoes with green chiles; choose mild, medium, or hot depending on your taste. If you want a mild venison chili, leave out the jalapeños, serranos, and chile de árbol and add extra bell pepper for texture and flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs venison roast, precooked (or substitute ground venison, ground game meat, or ground beef)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1/4 cup jarred jalapeños with liquid, or 2–3 fresh jalapeños seeded and diced
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced (adjust to taste)
• 8–16 chile de árbol, seeded and chopped (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (optional, for extra heat)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup beef stock

How to Make Instant Pot Chili

Layering ingredients without stirring helps prevent the Instant Pot from triggering a burn warning. Follow these steps for best results:

1. If using ground meat, brown and sauté it in the Instant Pot first, scraping the bottom to remove stuck bits. If using precooked venison roast, add it directly to the pot.
2. Add the diced onion, green bell pepper, and minced garlic on top of the meat.
3. Add the serrano peppers, jalapeños, and chopped chile de árbol. Adjust quantities to control the heat level.
4. Sprinkle all spices over the vegetables and meat.
5. Layer the canned diced tomatoes with green chiles on top, then pour the undrained kidney beans over the tomatoes.
6. Pour 1 cup beef stock on top—do not stir. The liquid is needed to build pressure.
7. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 15 minutes.
8. Allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
9. Set to Sauté if you want to simmer off excess liquid and thicken the chili.
10. Serve topped with shredded cheddar, sliced serranos or jalapeños, spoonfuls of sour cream, and fresh parsley for color.

Note: After sautéing raw meat, deglaze and scrape the pot bottom thoroughly to avoid the Instant Pot’s burn error.

Nutrition (estimate)

Calories: ~320 per serving; Protein: ~43 g; Carbohydrates: ~26 g; Fat: ~5 g. Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredient brands and portion sizes.

Recipe

Instructions (short)

• Add precooked venison roast to the Instant Pot (or brown ground meat first).
• Layer onion, green pepper, garlic, and all peppers over the meat.
• Sprinkle spices across the vegetables, then add diced tomatoes with green chiles and kidney beans.
• Pour in beef stock, close the lid, and pressure cook 15 minutes.
• Let it naturally release for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick release if needed. Thicken with sauté if desired.
• Garnish and serve.

This Instant Pot Spicy Venison Chili is hearty, flavorful, and easy to scale. Adjust the peppers to make it milder or hotter, and enjoy a comforting, protein-packed meal.