French Onion Soup with Homemade Beef Stock

Name: French Onion Soup with Homemade Beef Stock
Prep time: 53 min
Cook time: 153 min
Total time: 206 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Unknown
Ingredients: 12 cups water; 1 pound beef short ribs; 3 parsnips , peeled and cubed; 3 onions , coarsely chopped; 2 carrots , peeled and coarsely chopped; 2 stalks celery with leaves , coarsely chopped; 2 bays leaves; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme; 0.25 cups butter; 4 large onions , thinly sliced; 3 cloves garlic , smashed; 0.25 cups flour , or more as needed; 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley , or to taste; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme , or to taste; 0.25 cups dry white wine; 2 tablespoons dry sherry; 1 dash hot pepper sauce , such as Tabasco®; 4 thicks slices French bread; basil and garlic-flavored olive oil for brushing; 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Total Time

3h 26m

53m prep · 153m cook

Servings

4 people

Rating

—

Difficulty

Hard

24 views

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While making beef stock from scratch is time-consuming, it really makes the best beef broth for French onion soup! Of course, you can always buy beef stock, too (if you are in a hurry)! This serves four as a main course with crunchy French bread and a simple side salad (try mixing tender butter lettuce, sweet green and red leaf lettuce, some crunchy iceberg, confetti light green cabbage, and grated carrot with candied pecans and a light balsamic or Italian dressing).

Ingredients

12 cups water
1 pound beef short ribs
3 parsnips , peeled and cubed
3 onions , coarsely chopped
2 carrots , peeled and coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves , coarsely chopped
2 bays leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
0.25 cups butter
4 large onions , thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic , smashed
0.25 cups flour , or more as needed
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley , or to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme , or to taste
0.25 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 dash hot pepper sauce , such as Tabasco®
4 thicks slices French bread
basil and garlic-flavored olive oil for brushing
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Instructions

1

Place water, beef ribs, parsnips, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme into a large soup pot over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, skimming and discarding foam that forms on top of broth, until broth is a rich brown color, 5 to 6 hours. (Broth may also be made in a slow cooker.) Strain broth, discard ribs and vegetables, and refrigerate extra broth.
2

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium-low heat. Cook onions and garlic until caramelized and brown, about 30 minutes.
3

Mix flour, herbes de Provence, paprika, and garlic powder together in a bowl; sprinkle over browned onions. Cook and stir 5 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Stir in parsley and 1 teaspoon thyme.
4

Pour in 4 cups beef broth, white wine, sherry, and hot pepper sauce; simmer until flavors have blended and soup has thickened, about 15 minutes. (More time doesn't hurt.)
5

Preheat the oven broiler about 15 minutes before serving time. Place a rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
6

Brush slices of French bread with flavored olive oil. Toast under the preheated broiler until well-browned on each side, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Ladle soup into oven-proof soup bowls; place a toasted bread slice on top of each bowl. Sprinkle each bread slice evenly with Gruyère cheese.
7

Place the filled soup bowls under the broiler until cheese is melted, bubbly, and browned, 2 to 4 minutes.