Dice and mince your onion, garlic, and peppers. This adds layers of flavor right from the start.

Drain and rinse your beans—no one likes extra sodium or that canned bean juice. Set them aside for later.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

Add the ground venison and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Brown the venison, stirring occasionally, until it’s no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Venison is lean, so watch closely to avoid overcooking.

Add diced onions, garlic, and peppers to the browned venison. Cook for another 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Transfer the venison mixture to your slow cooker.

Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, kidney beans, black beans, and all the spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cocoa powder).

Pour in the beef broth, stirring everything together until well-combined.

Set your slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. The longer it cooks, the better the flavors will meld together.

After cooking, taste the chili and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or spices if needed.

If you like your chili thicker, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes to let some liquid evaporate.