Texas Style Venison Chili

Yeah - I know.
My husband got a deer in the fall and our garage freezer is PACKED FULL of venison (and halibut from his fishing trip to Alaska last summer) so I'm always looking for ways to use up the venison - so I can put WHAT I WANT to eat in the freezer - LOL
My husband and kids all like venison - but it's a no for me.
I came across this recipe from Tyler Florence on the Food Network - and I gotta tell you - EVEN I liked it!


Chili:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, chopped
3 pounds ground venison
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock
2 tablespoons masa harina
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped

Cornbread:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the skillet
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs

For Serving:
1 cup sour cream

Zest of 1 lime 

Fresh cilantro leaves

For the chili: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and stir until toasted and very aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, onions and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the venison and cook, stirring, until slightly brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, masa harina, sugar and chocolate. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Stir together the cornmeal and flour in a small bowl.
Combine the buttermilk, water, sugar, the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter and the salt in a medium pot. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until the butter melts (about 180 degrees F). Add the cornmeal-flour mixture to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the bottom of the pot begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the batter to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until cool to the touch. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until the batter sticks to the side of the bowl. Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve chili and cornbread with dollops of sour cream, lime zest and fresh cilantro leaves.