French Onion Soup With Short Rib

 

Years ago, I ate some unbelievable French onion soup from a restaurant I could no longer remember. It was unique in that it had some sort of shredded brisket or chuck in it, which made it full of rich, beefy flavor.

I haven't stopped reminiscing about this soup for four years. Since I can't remember where I got it from, I haven't been able to drown myself in it. So, to shut me up, my wife recreated it with short ribs.

4 TB unsalted butter

4 lbs onions, halved and sliced thin

4 lbs beef short ribs, bone-in or boneless

2 tsp salt, divided

1 tsp sugar

1 cup dry red wine

8 cups beef broth

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

3/4 tsp pepper, divided

6 oz baguette, cut into slices or cubes

4 TB extra virgin olive oil

8 oz shredded cheese (about 2 cups), divided - we used sharp cheddar and havarti, but Gruyere is more traditional

I cried until I was dehydrated

Heat 1 TB olive oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven. Salt the short ribs with 1/2 tsp salt on all sides. Brown the short ribs in the Dutch oven on all sides. Set aside.

Wipe out the Dutch oven after removing the short ribs. Melt butter in the Dutch oven over medium high heat. Stir in onions, 1 tsp salt, and sugar. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions release their liquid and become translucent, about 20 minutes.

Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates and brown bits begin to form on the bottom of the pot, 5 - 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, uncovered, until onions fully caramelize, 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If onions or brown bits begin to burn, reduce heat to medium low.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Stir in wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot and cook about 1 minute until almost evaporated. Stir in broth, thyme, bay leaves, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add short ribs back to pot, including any accumulated juices. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, cover pot, and transfer it to the preheated oven.

Bake until short ribs are easily pierced by a knife, 2 - 3 hours (depending on the size of the ribs). Remove pot from oven and remove short ribs to a cutting board. Remove the short rib meat from the bones (if using bone-in) and chop the meat.

Toss baguette, oil, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper together in a bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crips, about 15 minutes. Remove sheet from oven, set croutons aside and increase oven temp to broil.

Divide short rib meat evenly into six 12-oz oven safe crocks. Set crocks on a second rimmed baking sheet. Discard thyme and bay leaves from soup. Adjust taste of soup with salt and pepper. Divide soup evenly among crocks. Divide 1 cup cheese evenly among crocks, top with baguette croutons, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and soup is bubbly, 5 - 7 minutes. Let cool a little before serving.