Stoverij with Chocolate – Belgian Beef Stew | Coeur de Xocolat

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 2 ½ -3 hours

Total time: 3 hours 20

Dietary: None (check chocolate for possible dairy or soya traces)

Meal type: Main

Misc:

Occasion: supper

Author: dghchocolatier

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Ingredients

  • 500g beef chuck, cut into large chunks
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

  • ½ Spanish onion, diced
  • 1 stick celery, thinly sliced
  • ¼ leek roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 30g smoked bacon lardons
  • 1 splash olive oil
  • 1L good-quality beef stock
  • 25g butter
  • 1 sprig thyme(plus extra to garnish)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 500ml bottle porter or stout chocolate safari is perfect
  • 50 g 70 % dark chocolate (unsweetened or low-sugar)
  • Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Brown the beef
Heat a large heavy-based pan over high heat with a little olive oil. Season the beef and sear in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté the base
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the bacon lardons and onion. Cook until the onion softens and starts to caramelise (about 5 minutes).

3. Build the flavour
Add the carrot, celery, leek and crushed garlic. Sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the browned beef to the pan.

4. Deglaze and simmer
Increase the heat and pour in the porter or stout. Bring to a rapid boil and let it bubble for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.

5. Slow cook
Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, and a generous grind of salt and pepper. Bring back to the boil, then reduce to the lowest heat.

Cover and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours, until the meat is tender and falling apart.

6. Finish the sauce
Remove the herbs and discard. Lift the beef from the pan and keep it covered. Use a stick blender to blitz the sauce until smooth, then boil rapidly to reduce by half.

7. Enrich with chocolate
Stir in the butter and dark chocolate until melted and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning.

8. Reunite the beef
Return the beef to the pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes to heat through and let the flavours marry.

9. Garnish and serve
Spoon into warm bowls and finish with a fresh sprig of thyme. Serve with crusty bread, creamy mash or buttered noodles.

Chef’s Tip

Don’t rush the simmer low and slow gives the collagen time to break down, creating that luscious, velvety texture. The chocolate doesn’t sweeten the stew; it enriches it with body and umami depth  think Flemish comfort meets Mesoamerican finesse.

Interesting Fact

Traditional Belgian stoverij (often called carbonnade flamande) is usually made with beer and sometimes thickened with brown sugar or gingerbread. Swapping in dark chocolate adds depth, echoing both those caramel-spice notes and the ancient cacao sauces of Mesoamerica.

Shelf Life & Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavour improves beautifully overnight.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Belgian-style frites, buttered noodles or creamy mash.

A tangy endive salad or spiced red cabbage cuts through the richness perfectly.