French Onion Beef Short Rib Soup
This French Onion Beef Short Rib Soup takes everything good about a classic bowl of French onion soup and folds in fall-apart braised beef for a deeply savory, spoon-and-fork kind of soup that eats like a full dinner.
Equipment
- Heavy Dutch oven with lid - At least 6 quarts, for searing and braising
- Oven-safe soup crocks or bowls - Must be broiler-safe
- Chef's knife - For slicing onions thin and evenly
- Large wooden spoon - For stirring and scraping up browned bits
- Box grater - For shredding Gruyère fresh
- Soup Ladle - For portioning into bowls
- Rimmed baking sheet - To catch drips when bowls go under the broiler
- Two forks - For shredding the cooked meat
Ingredients
For the Short Ribs and Broth
- 3 lb bone-in beef short ribs - 1.4 kg, about 4 to 5 ribs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - 30 ml
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry red wine - 240 ml, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
- 6 cups beef broth - 1.4 L
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce - 30 ml
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar - 15 ml
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
For the Caramelized Onions
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - 57 g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - 15 ml
- 4 large yellow onions - about 2½ lb / 1.1 kg, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 16 g
For the Cheesy Topping
- 1 baguette baguette - cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) slices, about 12 slices
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese - 200 g, freshly shredded
Instructions
- Pat the short ribs dry, season all sides with salt and pepper, and sear in olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pour red wine into the hot pot and scrape up browned bits. Let reduce for 2 to 3 minutes, then add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Return ribs and any juices to the pot.
- Bring liquid to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to a 325°F (165°C) oven. Braise for 2½ to 3 hours until meat pulls away from the bone with almost no resistance. Remove ribs to a plate to cool.
- Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions, sugar, and salt. Cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often, until soft, jammy, and deep golden brown. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Remove bones and large fat pieces from cooled ribs, then shred meat with two forks. Skim excess fat from braising liquid and discard thyme stems and bay leaves. Stir in caramelized onions and shredded beef, then simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or balsamic.
- Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes per side until crisp and lightly golden. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Ladle hot soup into oven-safe crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each with 2 toasted baguette slices and about ⅓ cup (33 g) shredded Gruyère. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and browned in spots. Cool 1 minute and serve.
Notes
- Give the onions real time. Rushed onions turn pale and bitter; keep the heat at medium-low and stir often for jammy, deep amber results.
- Sear hard for color. A deep brown crust on the ribs is where much of the broth's flavor comes from, so resist flipping them too early.
- Skim the fat. Short ribs are fatty, and skimming the surface before adding onions keeps the finished soup rich instead of greasy.
- Shred Gruyère fresh. Freshly grated Gruyère melts into a classic stretchy blanket, while pre-shredded bags stay clumpy due to anti-caking starch.
- Chill overnight for easy defatting. Refrigerate the braise overnight so the fat hardens on top and lifts off in one clean layer.
- Watch the broiler like a hawk. The cheese goes from golden to burnt in under a minute, so stay at the oven door.
- Season at the end. Because the broth reduces as it cooks, wait until the soup is finished to make your final salt call.
- Make ahead: Both the caramelized onions and the braised beef can be made a day early, which turns assembly into a quick job.
- Storage: Refrigerate soup up to 4 days; freeze the base (without bread and cheese) up to 3 months. Store soup and cheese toast separately so bread stays crisp.
- Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef broth if thickened. Crisp fresh baguette and melt new cheese just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 625kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 39gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7g
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