Beef Tongue

Why beef tongue is rated low

Beef tongue is low FODMAP. Under its rough skin it is a rich, well-marbled muscle made of protein and fat with almost no carbohydrate, and FODMAPs are carbohydrates, so the meat carries nothing for the rating to count. The rating is estimated from what the food is made of rather than a measured serving, and it covers "Any typical portion" as low. Because tongue almost always spends hours simmering in a pot with aromatics, the cooking liquid matters more than the cut.

What changes your risk

• The simmering pot Tongue is traditionally simmered with onion and garlic. Cooking does not destroy their FODMAPs; they leach into the broth, so the liquid and anything spooned from it carries them even though the tongue itself is low.
• Salsas and sauces Tongue tacos and braised tongue are often served with salsa or a tomato sauce full of raw onion and garlic. The sauce, not the meat, decides whether the plate stays low.
• Pickled, corned and deli tongue Cured or pickled tongue is brined with spices that can include garlic, and sometimes sugar. Ready-sliced deli tongue is not covered by the rating for the plain cut; check the label.
• Tortillas and bread Wheat tortillas and ordinary bread rolls are not low. Corn tortillas or gluten free bread keep a tongue taco or sandwich in line.
• Portion beyond typical The rating describes any typical portion. A far bigger helping than usual sits outside that estimate.

What else works

Other plain cuts sit in the same low place: beef cheek, brisket, chuck and short rib cooked without onion and garlic, along with beef heart, lamb, pork shoulder and chicken thigh. The lookalikes to watch are deli tongue, pickled tongue and ready-made braised tongue, which bring their brine or sauce with them, and any taco filling that comes pre-seasoned.

How to keep it low

Rinse the tongue, then simmer it gently in water with carrot, leek leaves, the green tops of spring onions, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt until a knife slides in easily. Peel the skin off while it is still warm, since it comes away much more easily before it cools. Slice it across the grain and either serve it as is, or crisp the pieces in a pan with garlic-infused oil and cumin for taco filling in corn tortillas. Top with chopped tomato, coriander, lime and chives instead of a raw onion salsa. Cooked tongue keeps well in the fridge for a few days and freezes well, and freezing does not change the rating.

Common questions

is beef tongue low fodmap

Yes. Plain beef tongue is rated low at "Any typical portion", estimated from it being muscle made of protein and fat with almost no carbohydrate.

are tongue tacos low fodmap

They can be, if the tongue is cooked without onion and garlic, served on corn tortillas, and topped with tomato, coriander, lime and chives rather than an onion salsa.

is deli or pickled beef tongue low fodmap

Not automatically. Pickled and deli tongue are brined or seasoned with spices that can include garlic, so the rating for plain tongue does not carry over. Read the ingredient list.

how to cook beef tongue without onion and garlic

Simmer it with carrot, leek leaves, green spring onion tops, bay and peppercorns, then finish slices in garlic-infused oil. That builds the savoury flavour without the onion and garlic themselves.