Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Beef Stew

Rich, slow-cooked beef with a deep savoury sauce and just enough Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate to add body, colour and complexity.

After discovering that Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate can work beautifully in savoury dishes, we decided to take things one step further.

Just tender beef, onions, carrots, herbs, stock and a small amount of Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder working quietly in the background.

The result is a dark, rich stew with a deeper sauce and a subtle roasted character.

It does not taste like dessert.

It tastes like a beef stew that somehow has a little more depth than expected.

Ingredients

• 1 kg stewing beef, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 250 g baby potatoes, optional
• Fresh parsley for serving

Method

1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towel and season generously with salt and black pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat.

3. Brown the beef in batches.

Do not overcrowd the pot. Giving the beef space allows it to brown properly instead of steaming.

Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.

4. Reduce the heat slightly and add the onion, carrots and celery.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.

5. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for approximately 1 minute.

7. Sprinkle over the flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.

8. Slowly add the beef stock while stirring.

9. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.

10. Stir in 1 tablespoon of Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder.

11. Return the browned beef and any resting juices to the pot.

12. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer.

13. Cover and cook over low heat for approximately 2–2½ hours, stirring occasionally.

The beef should become tender enough to break apart easily with a fork.

If using baby potatoes, add them during the final 45–60 minutes of cooking.

Why Add Hot Chocolate to Beef Stew?

The Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate is not there to make the stew sweet.

Used in a small quantity, it helps add:

• Deeper colour
• Roasted flavour
• Body to the sauce
• A subtle richness
• Balance against the tomato and beef stock

Think of it as another seasoning rather than a main ingredient.

If someone can immediately identify hot chocolate in the stew, you have probably added too much.

The Golden Rule

Start small.

One tablespoon is enough for a large pot.

You can always taste the sauce towards the end and add another teaspoon if you would like a slightly deeper chocolate note.

The beef should always remain the star of the dish.

Add Mushrooms

Mushrooms work particularly well with this recipe.

Add approximately 250 g sliced brown mushrooms after softening the onions and cook until lightly browned.

The earthy mushroom flavour works beautifully with the deeper notes from the Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate.

Rescue Roast® Coffee & Hot Chocolate Beef Stew

For an even richer version, replace approximately ½ cup of the beef stock with strong brewed Rescue Roast® coffee.

Coffee and chocolate both bring roasted flavours that work surprisingly well with slow-cooked beef.

The result is a dark, rich sauce without making the stew obviously taste of either coffee or chocolate.

Slow-Cooker Version

Brown the beef first, then soften the onion, garlic and vegetables in the same pan.

Transfer everything to your slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook:

• Low: approximately 7–8 hours
• High: approximately 4–5 hours

The beef should be beautifully tender by the time it is ready.

How to Serve It

Serve your Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Beef Stew with:

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Rice
• Fresh bread
• Roasted potatoes
• Polenta

Finish with fresh parsley and plenty of the rich sauce from the pot.

Perfect for Cold Evenings

This is the sort of meal that deserves time.

Let it simmer slowly until the beef is tender and the sauce has become dark and rich.

Then serve it in big bowls with something on the side for soaking up every last bit of sauce.

250 g or 500 g?

Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate is available in both 250 g and 500 g bags.

The 250 g bag is perfect for drinking and experimenting with the occasional Rescue Roast® Academy recipe.

But if your Hot Chocolate powder is now appearing in desserts, breakfasts and dinner...

The 500 g bag may officially have become a pantry ingredient.

Hot Chocolate for Dinner?

Apparently so.

Tender beef.

Slow-cooked vegetables.

A rich savoury sauce.

And one unexpected spoonful of Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate.

Sometimes the best secret ingredient is the one nobody sees coming.