Hunting & Cooking: Pronghorn Pumpkin Ale Chili

I’ll admit it, I am a fall fad junkie. Pumpkin gimmicks hosted by Starbucks? Sign me up for a pumpkin latte or autumn apple Frappuccino. Temperature drops below 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day? I’m all about declaring “Sweater Weather” season officially here with any burnt orange or royal purple knitted sweater from my closet. I love fall fads.

Besides falling for the commercialization of fall, I also really do love the flavors that go with the changing leaves and cooler temperatures: pumpkin, apple, squash, cinnamon, maple, pear, nutmeg, ginger. Basically, anything that leads to cozy and comforting feelings is something worth looking forward to in my opinion. 

I also think wild game proteins and the flavors of fall are definitely in a symbiotic relationship, and it is a relationship that is fun to explore as a home chef and even more enjoyable to share with your friends and family around the evening dinner table. One of my main purposes for learning more about wild game and cooking was so I could share the dishes with my family, and I think this pronghorn pumpkin ale chili is one of my family’s fall favorites. 

Pronghorn Pumpkin Ale Chili

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pronghorn, deer, or elk meat
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 large bell peppers (any color)
• 1 bottle of pumpkin ale beer
• 3 cans beans of choice (black, kidney, pinto, etc.)
• 1 can pureed pumpkin
• 1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 to 2 teaspoons nutmeg

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil.
2. To heated oil, add chopped onions and garlic. Cook for two to three minutes.
3. Add chopped bell peppers and cook an additional two to three minutes.
4. Add ground pronghorn and cook until browned, five to seven minutes.
5. Turn the heat up to high, and pour in an entire bottle of pumpkin ale. Let cook for a minute and stir to break browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn the pan to low and set aside.
6. To a large crockpot, add remaining ingredients.
7. Add meat and pepper mixture to crock pot. Stir.
8. Set crock pot to low for six to eight hours.
9. Enjoy with toppings such as shredded cheese or sour cream

Lindsey Bartosh, an eighth-generation Moab girl, loves hiking, hunting, fishing, cooking, writing, photography, and working on her website www.huntingandcooking.com.

Author: Lindsey Bartosh

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