This rich and robust ground Bison Chili features plenty of warming spices and black beans. A simple recipe that’s highlighted with a lime crema topping, and garnished with chopped avocado, cilantro and green onion.
If you love chili soups as much as we do, you’ve got to try my recipe for Cowboy Chili. Rich, robust and one of the best bowls of chili you’ll ever have.
What You Can Expect From This Recipe
This Bison Chili Recipe is full bodied, rich and totally scrumptious. It will transform an everyday chili recipe into a five star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ meal. This one-pot recipe builds layers of complex flavors using warming ingredients using chili powder, smoky chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and a rich flavored dark beer.
This recipe also richer in color by using black beans rather than pinto beans like most chili recipes offer.
If you’ve been curious about cooking with Bison, this is a great recipe to try. You can substitute ground bison for about any recipe calling for ground beef. So with confidence this chili recipe required no special cooking skills.
Why Choose Bison For Chili? Flavor and Texture
- If you've never eaten bison, it's very similar to grass fed beef. Makes sense since bison are raised and roam in open pastures.
- What does bison taste like? Bison is slightly sweeter and richer than beef, which pairs well with this smoky chipotle sauce. Bison has a more dense texture due to being lower in fat.
- Ground Bison is lean, and offers a less fatty richer alternative to ground beef and brings with it a robust flavor.
- Bison meat has fewer calories and less saturated fat than beef, and a relative proportion of unsaturated to saturated fats is better for health, especially heart health. source: Webmd.
Where To Look For Bison Meat
Here in Colorado, ground bison is readily available at large supermarkets. I prefer to purchase the brand offered at Whole Foods. There are also on-line options like North Star Bison who will ship ground bison to your doorstep.
This recipe is adapted from a recipe from Nora Neureiter, a second place winner of the 2009 Leyden Streed Chili Cookoff here in Denver.
Let’s get started.
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Two Pounds Lean Ground Bison: You can substitute ground beef, but then it wouldn’t be bison chili.
- Beef Broth
- Canned Black Beans: A good substitution would be red kidney beans. Their rich red color will preserve the deep rich color of the chili.
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- Stout Beer or a rich flavored Dark Beer: Adding beer to chili or stews simply adds a unique layer of flavor.
- Ground Bison
- 2-Sweet Onions, Chopped
- 6 cloves Garlic, Diced
- Good Quality Chili Powder
- 3 Canned Chipolte Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Chef-Tip: Vinegar is an MVP pantry workhorse that I use almost as much as salt and pepper. Vinegar is an acid. Adding just a small amount will brighten and balance flavors.
How To Make Bison Chili, It’s Easy
- Step 1: Brown the Ground Bison: Using a 7-quart Dutch Oven or a large stock pot, add a splash of oil and the ground bison meat. Cook over medium high heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon or spatula until the meat is almost cooked through, stirring frequently. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions are turning soft, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.
Tip: Bison is a leaner meat than ground beef. Don’t skip adding the oil when browning bison. It will need a little fat to brown properly and not dry out during the process.
- Step 2: Add The Tomatoes: Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, chili powder, beef broth, dark beer, and chipotle chile peppers. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 1 hour.
- Step 3: Add The Black Beans and Cornmeal: To finish the soup, add the canned black beans and cornmeal. The cornmeal will help thicken the chili with a natural flavor that compliments any chili recipe. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- Step 4: Make The Lime Crema Topping. While the chili is finishing cooking, make the Lime Crema topping by combining sour cream with lime zest and lime juice. It’s that easy and it’s the key to the uniqueness of this chili. It’s creamy texture and citrus tones make this bison chili recipe even more special.
How to Serve It
Chili Toppings
- To serve, once the chili has been placed in bowls, spoon a dollop of Lime Crema on top.
- Offer chopped avocado, chopped cilantro and sliced green onions for toppings. These garnishes bring a beautiful contrast of color against the deep earthy color of this chili. Not to mention a fresh Mexican nuance.
Tips For Success
- Canned Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo sauce are dried jalapeno peppers drenched in a spicy adobo sauce. They pack some heat, so I always split them open with a knife and scrape out the seeds and veins, which is where the heat lies.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: Bison chili can easily be made a day or two ahead of time. Just keep it in the refrigerator in the Dutch Oven, covered until ready to use. Re-heat stove-top or microwave.
- Leftovers: This chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Chili is easy to freeze. I like to freeze it in zip-loc style freezer bags. Once sealed you can lay them flat to take up less freezer space. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Meal Prep: You can easily double this recipe and freeze portions for meal-prep.
What To Serve It With
- Try it with Buttermilk Jalapeno Cornbread. You’ll be glad you did.
- A side salad is always a great choice for a hearty chili soup like this Bison Chili. Take a look at this Baby Kale Salad with Honey Cider Vinaigrette.
- Don’t forget dessert. Wow your crowd with these High Altitude Oatmeal Cookies.
Ways to Use Leftover Chili
As with any soup, stew or chili, it always tastes better the next day. I prefer it re-heated in it’s original form, but here are some ideas to switch things up.
- Use it to make chili dogs.
- Serve over rice.
- Make chili fries, by spooning a bit over fries or potato wedges.
- Make baked potatoes and stuff some chili inside.
- This chili is thick and rich enough to use as a Sloppy Joe filling.
FAQ’s
Yes. Substitute equal amounts of Greek Yogurt. It will give you the same creamy results you crave and with an extra bit of tang. Creme Fraiche is another good substitute for Sour Cream.
Bison is a healthier meat than beef, lower in fat, calories and cholesterol. It's also richer in protein. Source: National Bison Association.
While Bison is the correct term, lots of people still use “buffalo”. So please feel free to call this a Buffalo Chili.
Here in Colorado, bison meat is readily available in our grocery stores and specialty markets. If that's not the case in your area, there are on-line options like North Star Bison who will ship bison to your doorstep.
If your chili powder doesn’t contain any flour thickeners, then yes, this recipe is naturally gluten free. The chili is thickened using cornmeal which is gluten free.
Convenient if you’re taking this to a chili cook-off, the answer is absolutely yes. Just brown the ground bison meat before proceeding with the recipe. Add the black beans and vinegar towards the end of cooking.
Yes. Choose a lean ground beef like 93/7% blend. There will be no recipe adjustments for this choice.
Bison Chili Recipe
There’s simply nothing better on a cold day that a big pot of chili simmering on the stovetop. I hope you give this hearty chili recipe a try. And if you’re looking for a unique recipe to win that neighborhood chili cook-off, this is a good bet.
If you’re curious about cooking with bison, don’t miss my Bison Recipes category. You’ll find the most popular bison recipe on my site to make a perfect juicy Bison Burger. And my recipe for Bison Meatballs.
I consider soups and stews to be my specialty, so if you’re looking for recipe ideas, don’t miss my soup category. You’ll find lots of recipes, including the most popular chili recipe on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Bison Chili with Black Beans and Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground bison
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil optional
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups chopped onions about 2 medium onions
- 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 28 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes canned, undrained
- ½ cup stout or dark beer
- 4 canned chipotle chiles veins and seeds removed, chopped
- 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 30 ounce black beans canned, rinsed and drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- Avocado chopped for garnish
- Cilantro chopped for garnish
- Green onion sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a 7-quart Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pot and heat it over medium high heat before adding the ground bison. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until meat is almost browned, using a spoon to break up meat as it cooks, stir frequently.
- Add chopped onions and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add diced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add chili powder, beef broth, tomatoes, beer and chipotle chile peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover partially, and cook for 1 hour.
- Stir in cornmeal and black beans. Let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes before serving. Stir in the vinegar.
- While the bison chili is finishing cooking, combine sour cream with lime zest and juice of one lime.
- To serve, ladle bison chili into soup bowls and add a large dollop of Lime Crema on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped avocado and sliced green onion.
Notes
- Canned Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo sauce are dried jalapeno peppers drenched in a spicy adobo sauce. They pack some heat, so I always split them open with a knife and scrape out the seeds and veins, which is where the heat lies.
- If you’re taking this to a chili cook-off, you can make slow-cooker bison chili. Just brown the ground bison meat before proceeding with the recipe. Add the black beans and vinegar towards the end of cooking.
Nutrition
Bison Chili with Black Beans and Lime Crema …It’s what’s for Dinner
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
1/4 cup of chili powder. What? Waaaaaaay to spicy.
Hi Misty, keep in mind this recipe calls for Chili powder, which is a blend of spices used in making Tex-Mex style chili recipes. It’s not near as spicy as a pure Chile (with an e) that is a single blend powder made from grinding dried chile peppers. Hope that helps.
This is a delicious chilli and I love the lean bison meat instead of beef!
Where does the cider vinegar come into play? I see it listed in the ingredients but not in the instructions?
Hi Brianna, thanks so much for your note. The recipe has been corrected. When adding vinegar to a recipe, think of it as “adjust seasonings” part of the equation. It’s added at the end to brighten and balance the flavors.
YUM! Looks great! Love the lime crema – I’ll have to give this a try on chili night. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Steph, and thanks for stopping by
I want this right now. I may have to go rob Ted Turner of a couple pounds of ground bison BUT I SHALL HAVE THIS CHILI.
I love the use of the lime leaves! What a brilliant idea. This sounds like a winner.
Whoa! I’m in!
That looks excellent and since I’m making chili this week, I’ll have to try the secret ingredient in it.
Love the addition of the lime leaves!
A tricks I have picked up over the years when making chili with beer, If you like a bitter kick to your chili, use a stout or any other dark ale. If you like things a little smoother, use a lager. There are some nice dark brown lagers that are almost nutty or even chocolatty that add an interesting depth of flavor.
And now you’ve gone and done it. I ahve a craving and I need to make chili again.
This looks wonderful. I love your idea to use the lime crema with fish tacos! Must try it.
Great ingredients–I have been craving chili lately. Love the lime crema!
Love this recipe and ur info on all that hops in making it fantastic…..
Sounds great! Love your secret ingredient!
Lea Ann this looks so wholesome and good! We can’t get bison here but I have some really nice mince that would be perfect for this and I picked up some fresh limes too! 😀
Chili looks delicious!!! I’ve never thought to add kaffir lime leaves, sounds intriguing!
this is one nice hearty dish and the lime crema is officially part of my repertoire – thanks!
Wow, you start with the crema and end with a secret – perfect! I’m a sucker for lime zest. This looks and sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Beautiful photos, LA!
The chili recipe looks great. Thanks for sharing your secret ingredient with us.
This chili looks unbelievable! I bet the dark beer, chilies along with the leanness of bison really makes this a great chili. And the addition of the lime crema must take it to another level, as well.
Many thanks…
My husband went crazy over it. I’m sure it would have been better with the dark ale, I only had Coors. That Lime Crema is very good. I can see using it on tostadas…fish tacos…. agree? Thanks for stopping by George.