The Perfect Chocolate Sauce To Accompany Your Meat Dishes

Chocolate is a versatile ingredient that tastes fantastic on its own but it also pairs well with spirits, fortified wines, coffee, desserts, and even meat dishes and this chocolate sauce is the perfect example of that.

Although unusual, the combination of chocolate and meat has always worked wonderfully both in home kitchens and restaurants. One of the most common and loved ways to incorporate chocolate and meat together is by pouring chocolate sauce over meat.

This combination has been a prevalent one since ancient times, chocolate sauces have been paired with meat and there are many variations of the sauce. The classic examples of such chocolate sauces are red wine and chocolate sauce to citrusy variations that include orange juice as well.

Meat And Chocolate

The secret to making an enjoyable oxtail according to tradition is to add a teaspoon of bitter cacao powder to the sauce. It appears to be an unpleasant decision, yet international gastronomy is rich with recipes that combine meat - and in the past, blood - and chocolate, whether in deeper dishes like the Roman one with oxtail or in desserts.

There are many historical dishes that have been prepared with meat and chocolate. Here are some of them.

Sanguinaccio

It is a sweet Italian pudding that is enjoyed during the Carnival period. It is a traditional dessert which is an outcome of the peasant tradition where it was made with fresh pig blood. The dessert is made with dark chocolate, cocoa, flour, cacao, sugar, cooked wine, raisins, nuts, pork fat, cloves and cinnamon.

Mpanatigghi

These are crescent-shaped cookies that are small in size. It is an unusual cookie made with ingredients such as cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, lemon peel, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, and almonds, and the most unusual ingredient being ground beef.

These are a specialty of Modica in Sicily.

Mole Poblano

This is a traditional dish from Mexico. Mole Poblano is a dark red-brown sauce that is made using chocolate and ancho chilies. It is traditionally served with turkey or chicken.

It is made with ingredients like cinnamon sticks, anise, cloves, pumpkin seeds, almonds, plantains, chocolate, and chili peppers.

So now that you know how the combination of chocolate and meat is a cherished one for ages, making a perfect chocolate sauce is crucial to elevate your meat dishes. You can either use this sauce as a drizzle over your grilled meats or simply serve your meat in your chocolate-based sauce. Your meat is bound to taste fabulous. Here's the recipe.

Red Wine And Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 90 ml red wine
• 4 cloves
• Dark chocolate as required.

Method:

• Fill a saucepan halfway with red wine and two cloves, then bring to a boil over medium-low heat.
• When it reaches a boil, remove from the heat and stir in the dark chocolate chips until the mixture is smooth and thick.

Notes:

• It's best to make the sauce one hour ahead of time so it can rest and the cloves can release their fragrance.
• This sauce is ideal for cooking a chocolate-flavored pot roast or pouring over classic winter dishes, while in the summer, try a lighter dish like chicken with chocolate and citrus fruit. Simply replace the red wine and cloves with orange juice and a few drops of brandy when creating the sauce for lighter foods.