Boeuf bourguignon, also known as beef bourguignon or beef burgundy, is a French beef stew braised in red wine. It seems quite elegant, but is surprisingly easy and comforting to make. Which is a good thing, since most restaurants use dairy butter in the preparation. This prize winning boeuf bourguignon is completely butter-less and dairy-free, and is actually gluten-free and allergy-friendly, too (most recipes use flour for thickening). It also includes a slow cooker option for a set-it-and-forget-it crockpot dinner!
Special Diet Notes: Boeuf Bourguignon
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and generally top food allergy-friendly. Despite the name, crème de cassis is actually dairy-free.
- 4 pounds beef shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes for stew
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 cups burgundy or other dry red wine
- ¼ cup crème de cassis (liquor stores)
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 6 bay leaves or 1 teaspoon ground bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 2 pounds very thin carrots (not baby carrots please!), scrubbed and cut in 2 inch sections
- 2 dozens very small potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 dozen pearl onions, peeled and left whole (frozen is okay: no peeling necessary)
- Salt, as needed
- Layer all of the ingredients, except salt, in a 6 quart crockpot, in the order they were given.
- Set the slow cooker on low in the morning, and let it cook for 10 to 12 hours.
- Taste, and season with salt, if needed.
- Place the beef, oil, and 6 cups of water in a heavy wide bottom pot. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 2 hours.
- Add the garlic, wine, cassis, tomatoes, pepper, and bay leaves, and cook or 30 more minutes.
- Add the thyme, carrots, potatoes, and onions and cook 30 more minutes.
- The meat should be fork-tender.
- Taste, and season with salt, if needed.
- Transfer the meat and all vegetables onto a serving dish with a slotted spoon.
- If the liquid left in the pot is too thin, reduce it in a pot over high heat until thickened to the consistency of maple syrup.
- Pour the reduced liquid over the whole dish, and serve hot.
Bacon Option: This is another great addition to boeuf bourguignon. It's typically used as a garnish. Cook a few slices of bacon and crumble into the dish when it is almost done cooking.
More French-Inspired Dairy-Free Entrees
Parisienne Snapper with Vegetables En Papillote
Coq Au Vin
Rustic Ratatouille over Couscous
2 Comments
If I halve this recipe, do I still cook it in the crockpot for 10-12 hours? Thanks!
Yes, but make sure your crockpot is still full. Don’t use just half the recipe in a large crockpot.