Are you a chili mac fan? 
Let me take that a step further…are you a fan of chili mac with venison?? I know what you’re gonna say, venison is so GAMEY and TOUGH. It doesn’t have to be. I’ve definitely had some deer that tasted like shit and too tough to chew. To be honest, the last time I had it (a few years ago) I decided I was breaking up with it. Done. It grossed me out. However, I’ve since changed my mind.

There’s a few things that are key, in my opinion, to getting your venison to not be an asshole. Start the tenderizing process by letting it sit in the fridge for a day or two after you take it out of the freezer; the enzymes start to breakdown slowly instead of being shocked by the microwave defrosting process. Use a marinade with citrus – it’s a natural tenderizer. Also, beat the hell out of it with a meat mallet or other meat tenderizing tool. Again, you want to break those fibers down.
I was given some venison by a friend of mine recently and I have to say I’ve had fun with it. When I was at her house she made these – 
Battered and fried venison steak bites drizzled with maple syrup. They’re insane. I had to throw some mustard in the mix, because you know I can’t tolerate a lot of sweetness, and that made them even better. 

She gave me a roast, which I slow cooked in my new crockpot for several hours, then I let it rest and put it through my KitchenAid food grinder to grind it up for the chili. 
I added Cabot’s Spreadable Habanero Cheese, which gives it not only cheesiness, but a special element of heat on top of the jalapenos I added to it. I know; I’m a pepper whore. 

Here’s your printable-