Recipe: Venison Beans with Cheesy Cornbread

Hearty and flavorful meals are always a hunting camp favorite. However, after a long day in the field, a quick-and-easy meal is often the difference between going to bed feeling satisfied or hungry. A one-skillet meal means fewer dishes but doesn’t mean you give anything up on taste or food groups.

Venison and beans are comfort food, loaded with energy to tackle the elements the following day. This recipe is easy to build and is ready in under an hour, giving you enough time to change and have a beverage.

Serving a great venison dish at camp helps inspire everyone to be successful and refill the freezer for the coming year.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds of ground venison
• 6 slices of bacon, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• ¼ cup of brown sugar,
• 1 twenty-eight ounce can of baked beans
• ½ cup of barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 seven-ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced (optional for heat and smoky flavor)

Cornbread

• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 1 cup of flour
• ¼ cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of milk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons of butter, melted
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

Cornbread Directions

1. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Combine the milk, eggs and butter in a second large bowl.
3. Add the cornmeal mixture to the milk mixture and lightly whisk until combined. Do not overwork the batter.
4. Fold in the cheese.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place a large Camp Chef cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon starts to brown and the fat renders.
3. Add the onions, green pepper, garlic powder and onion powder, and cook for about four minutes. Add the ground venison and cook until it is no longer pink.
4. Add the brown sugar, baked beans, barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard, and stir to incorporate.
5. Cover the meat and bean mixture with the cornbread batter and spread it evenly to the edges of the skillet.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cornbread is cooked and turning brown on top.

Note: *You can also make this recipe in a 9×13 casserole dish.