Erin Moraghan
Julia Child is said to have called this dish “certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man.” She’s not wrong. I was raised on this delectable stew, otherwise known as “Beef Burgundy”, so you can imagine my heartbreak when some of the key components of this recipe became off-limits for me. Bourguignon without garlic and sweet pearl onions? Why. Even. Bother. Right? Well, apparently I was wrong. I was able to pull together a low FODMAP version that blew my mind.
Is life even worth living without garlic? And why would anyone try?
Fabulous questions. French cooking was a staple of my upbringing, and the savoury aroma of garlic sizzling in butter was mapped into my brain as the very definition of cozy comfort and happiness from day one. When I was diagnosed with some inflammatory issues a few years ago, the Monash University Low Fodmap diet ignited a profound improvement in health for me. It’s a temporary elimination diet, but sadly, garlic and onions are two foods I have not been able to successfully reintroduce…yet. Gut healing is a process, and I’ll get there!
I’ve been happily eating so many of my favourite foods, but the original version of this rich, earthy stew was a recipe I didn’t bother attempting without garlic and onions, until last week when my friend Alli from Ritual Yoga House texted me photos of her steaming bowl of happiness from the cottage.
I pulled out my dutch oven, and got myself to work!
Beef Bourguignon: Erin’s Low FODMAP Version
This recipe is delicious no matter what your food preferences, but if you’re on a prescribed Low FODMAP diet, please take care to use your own judgement and refer back to Monash University’s FODMAP food database app to double-check your quantities, as I’m not including FODMAP guidelines in this post.
Also, making this dish is the real deal. It’s a 4 hour process, making it perfect for Work From Home life. Your entire home will smell like a delicious night out at your favourite French Bistro. Pro tip: Reserve a glass of your wine for sipping during your last hour of cooking!
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 6-7 pieces good quality bacon, chopped.
- 2.5 pounds brisket/chuck steak/stewing beef cut into 2 inch cubes and trimmed of fat
- 1 large carrot sliced into short sticks
- 2 tablespoons of gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups of beef stock
- 2 cups of burgundy (use decent quality wine)
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of dried herbs de provence, without onion or garlic powder for Low FODMAP peeps)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 can of mushrooms (see below)
- Salt + pepper
Get rocking.
First, I know what you’re thinking. Canned mushrooms? I know, I know. If you’re not a low FODMAPper, please, for the love of funghi, use fresh! For some mystical reason, canned mushrooms are tested Low FODMAP by Monash University, and fresh are not. Mushrooms do contribute to the earthy depth of beef bourguignon, which is why I don’t omit them. As for beef broth, I make my own without onions and garlic, inspired by my friend Deb Agar’s bone broth recipe right here. (Possibly the world’s most calming cooking video of all time.)
- Preheat oven to 425.
- In your dutch oven, sauté bacon over medium heat until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towel.
- Keep about 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan.
- Gently tap your beef dry with paper towel for best browning.
- In batches, pan-sear your beef on all sides in the dutch oven. Set aside with your happy little plate of bacon.
- In your pot, add sliced carrots and sauté until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Add beef and bacon back into your pot. Add your flour, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Place in your oven for 4 minutes, covered. Toss and return to oven for4 minutes.
- Remove dutch oven and reduce heat to 325. Now the really fun stuff…
- Add about half a cup of wine to your dutch oven and stir into the beef mixture with a wooden spoon, scraping down the sides of the pan gently.
- Add your beef stock and remaining wine. Ohhhh there it is! The magical aroma.
- Add thyme and herbes, along with your tomato paste and bay leaves.
- Gently simmer this happy little pot on the stove, then cover and simmer in the lower rack of your oven for 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes prior to finish time, strain and rinse canned mushrooms.
- Sauté in a little ghee on the stove with salt, pepper, and a little extra thyme if you wish. I find they don’t brown up, but – if only in my mind – this makes them more flavourful!
- Remove your beef from the oven, and gently spoon off the fat sitting at the surface and discard.
- Add your mushrooms, and additional salt and pepper if needed to taste.
- Keep your dutch oven covered on the stove to set for at least 15 minutes.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, made delicious with ghee, sea salt, and chopped chives.
Cozy. Delicious. Happiness. Share yours and tag me on Instagram!