Description
Rustic French onion short rib soup blends rich beef and caramelized onions into a luxurious comfort dish. Melted gruyere toast crowns this hearty meal, inviting you to savor complex flavors of traditional French cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) bone-in beef short ribs
Vegetables:
- 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
Herbs, Spices, and Liquids:
- 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) salted butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) chopped fresh sage
- 6–8 cups (1.4–1.9 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 star anise (optional)
- Black pepper, to taste
- Red chili flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Warm the kitchen oven to a gentle 325°F, preparing for a slow-cooking culinary journey.
- Transform yellow onions into golden delicacies by slowly melting butter in a robust Dutch oven, stirring frequently until they caramelize into sweet, soft ribbons.
- Enhance the aromatic foundation by introducing finely chopped shallots, crushed garlic, delicate thyme, earthy sage, and a whisper of red chili flakes, releasing their fragrant essence.
- Nestle robust short ribs among the caramelized onions, creating a hearty landscape. Flood the pot with rich chicken broth, complemented by savory tamari, rustic bay leaves, and exotic star anise.
- Transition the Dutch oven into the warm embrace of the oven, allowing the ingredients to harmonize and tenderize over 2½ to 3 hours until meat surrenders effortlessly from its bone.
- Midway through roasting, introduce tender baby carrots, allowing them to absorb the soup’s complex flavors.
- Extract and discard aromatics like bay leaves and star anise. Tenderly shred the succulent short rib meat, returning it to the liquid gold, and fine-tune seasoning.
- Crisp French bread slices in a 425°F oven until they transform into golden, crunchy platforms.
- Activate the broiler, crown each bread slice with a luxurious blanket of Gruyère, melting it into a bubbling, golden masterpiece.
- Ladle the rich, deeply flavored soup into waiting bowls, crown with the cheese-laden toast, and garnish with freshly cracked pepper and thyme sprigs.
Notes
- Caramelize onions slowly to develop deep, rich flavor without burning them by stirring frequently and using medium-low heat.
- Choose bone-in short ribs for maximum flavor and tenderness, allowing collagen to break down during long, slow cooking process.
- Swap Gruyere with alternatives like provolone or aged cheddar for different dietary preferences or taste variations.
- Consider reducing cooking liquid by simmering uncovered during final hour to concentrate soup’s intense flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg