Axis Sloppy Joes with Fire Roasted Hatch Chiles

At some point in all of our childhoods, there was a time where Sloppy Joes reigned supreme. Not a hamburger, not quite a chili, but it's own marvelous creation of rich and delicious goodness on a bun. Oh, not to also mention that it's cheap to make, can feed a crowd and cooks in 15 minutes. What more can you ask for? So, as an ode to the good ol' days of sloppy joes and summertime, I give you a newer, wild game version of a classic.

Axis Sloppy Joes with Fire Roasted Hatch Chile

Yields: 4 Servings

Dry Spice Blend

1/4 teaspoon of mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of dark chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of ground pepper

All Other Ingredients

1 pound of ground venison

2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

3 tablespoons of molasses

8 ounces of tomato sauce

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup of ketchup

4 Hatch peppers, fire roasted and peeled

3 glugs of olive oil(for the pan)

Burger buns, optional

This recipe comes together super quick, so have all of your ingredients ready to roll. In a large pan over high heat, add the olive oil and venison and begin to brown. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring from time to time to ensure that the meat has a good sear on it. Using a wooden spatula for this is key to help scrape the bottom of the pan. After seared, lower heat to medium-low and add the spice mixture, fresh garlic and all other remaining ingredients, except for the Hatch peppers. Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits of goodness. Simmer for 10 minutes to let the meat finish cooking and the sauce to thicken slightly.

Serve on bun with a heaping pile of roasted Hatch peppers on top.