Description
Hearty french onion beef short rib soup combines classic French techniques with rich, complex flavors. Caramelized onions and tender beef create an irresistible comfort dish perfect for winter gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) bone-in beef short ribs
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cups (0.95 liters) beef broth
- 1 cup (100 g) Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (237 ml) red wine
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 baguette, sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high flame, creating an ideal searing environment for short ribs.
- Seasoning: Coat short ribs thoroughly with salt, pepper, and paprika, ensuring comprehensive flavor absorption.
- Searing: Brown ribs on all sides, developing a rich caramelized exterior that locks in deep, complex flavors (3-4 minutes per side).
- Onion Transformation: Sauté sliced onions in the same pot, coaxing them into a luxurious golden-brown caramelization that builds foundational depth.
- Flavor Layering: Deglaze with red wine, scraping pot’s bottom to incorporate concentrated flavor remnants, then add garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Braising: Return short ribs to pot, submerge in beef broth, and reduce heat to a gentle simmer, allowing meat to tenderize slowly over 2-3 hours.
- Meat Processing: Extract ribs, shred meat meticulously, and strain broth to create a silky, intense liquid base.
- Final Assembly: Reunite shredded meat with strained broth, then transfer to oven-safe bowls topped with crusty bread and gruyère cheese.
- Finishing Touch: Broil until cheese melts into a bubbling, golden crust, creating a dramatic and appetizing presentation.
Notes
- Choose the Right Ribs: Select well-marbled short ribs with good fat content for maximum flavor and tender texture.
- Sear with Precision: Develop a deep golden-brown crust by ensuring the pot is hot and ribs are completely dry before searing to create rich caramelization.
- Control Cooking Temperature: Maintain a low, gentle simmer to break down tough connective tissues, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat that falls apart easily.
- Enhance Flavor Layers: Deglaze the pot thoroughly to capture all the concentrated flavor bits stuck to the bottom, which creates a deeply complex and rich base for the soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg