We don’t know how to feel about chocolate beef (yes, really)

Ever feel like combining two of your favorite things, say chocolate and beef? Yep, chocolate beef. And why not, right? Bacon seems to be combined with chocolate and desserts more and more, so why shouldn’t beef be next? Well, you’re in luck. A chocolatier in New Zealand has just created beef chocolates, wherein the chocolate is at least 50 percent beef. And, good (?) news — depending on how you look at it — the chocolate may be on the market soon.

Devonport Chocolates in Auckland, along with scientist Mustafa Farouk, created the new chocolatey sweet, reported Death and Taxes. But, there’s a twist. The chocolate beef candies won’t taste meaty and will have the texture of a Turkish delight — yum! “We knew we could turn meat into different forms, but whether we could actually fool people by making it look like chocolate is what we didn’t know,” Farouk said. “When you try it now, you don’t know what you’re eating.”

Okay, so beef chocolate that tastes like chocolate, not beef. Studies have shown the positive effects of dark chocolate, so perhaps this invention will be a win-win — yummy chocolate + protein.

Unfortunately, if you’re hoping to get a big protein boost from beef chocolate, you’re out of luck. To make the confection. Farouk took a lean cut of beef, made it safe to eat, and took out the protein, according to Stuff. Then, horopito (an herb native to New Zealand) and turmeric were added and it was made into “chocolate butter” before being handed over to Devonport Chocolates for its chocolate casing. Interesting.

Yet even with most of the protein having been removed, some remained. An official nutritional analysis is not out yet, but Farouk estimates that one square could contain approximately 25 percent protein, in addition to zinc and iron. Not bad. I’m in.

“So far when we have talked to people about it, and they understand its advantages over other chocolates, they get very excited and I think it’s highly likely it will take off,” Farouk said.

If you happen to be in New Zealand, the chocolate beef treats will be at AgResearch’s site at the Fieldays trade show beginning June 15.

Lamb and venison could be next, which Farouk is now researching, and while the chocolates certainly aren’t vegan-friendly, it’s hard not to marvel at what food science can do.