Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2kg chuck steak, cut into very large chunks, about 10cm square
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 large carrots (1 finely diced, 2 cut into thirds)
  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 large brown onion, thickly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 red capsicums, cut into large chunks
  • ¼ cup sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp Vegemite (optional)
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 can (400g) whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 75g dark chocolate
  • 500g potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • ¼ cup finely shredded parsley

Instruction

  • <p>Season the beef well with salt and pepper.</p> <p>Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole dish over high heat and sear the meat until very well browned on all sides then set aside.</p> <p>Add the diced carrot, cel<b></b>ery, onion, garlic and capsicum, reduce the heat to medium and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the paprika, flour and Vegemite (if using) and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.</p> <p>Add the soy sauce, tomatoes, stock and herbs and return the beef to the pot. Cover and simmer for about 2½ hours, stirring occasionally until the beef is tender.</p> <p>Place the chocolate in a small saucepan with half a cup of the liquid from the goulash. Stir frequently over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and combined with the liquid.</p> <p>Stir the chocolate sauce through the goulash, and then add the remaining chunky carrots and quartered potatoes. Simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes until the carrot and potatoes are soft and the goulash is thick and dark. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.</p> <p><b>Adam's tip:</b> Cutting meat into "bitesized pieces" is often a mistake. Meat will shrink during cooking so it can end up as firm nuggets or sloppy mush. It's much better to leave meat in bigger chunks for long braises. They'll have a better texture while still being soft enough to tear apart.</p>