# French Onion Soup



## sqwib (Jan 6, 2017)

_*January 2nd, 2017*_
 *French Onion Soup*
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French onion soup has got to be my favorite soup, well it's actually a tie between French Onion Soup and Beef Barley Soup but I don't think it's fair to compare apples to oranges.

I always buy a 10 pound bag of onions from Sams club and whatever don't get used in a few weeks, I'll recycle into French Onion Soup.

I usually wing this recipe but this time I loosely followed this recipe by Tyler Florence

*Ingredients*
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. (took me several hours). Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes (half an hour). Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.


_Here's where I went off on my own, see pics._

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence



 

Lets get started
 

I planned on provolone for the cheese but would have liked the Gruyere, anyhow I had neither and ended up with Mozzarella which is fine.


 


Onions and 3/4 stick of butter







 


Fresh Thyme from the garden, Garlic and Bay leaves






Salt and pepper, I was careful of the salt due to me using salted butter, beef base and beef bouillon, but wanted to salt the onions to draw out the moisture. 





 


Red wine






 

Removed Bay and Thyme sprig




 





 





 






I had no beef broth so I decided to use chicken broth and doctor it up with beef base an beef bouillon.




 





 





 






I like cheese so I put some on the bread in addition to the top.




 








 

I add a bit of fresh cracked pepper on top of the cheese, it really makes the cheese pop.







 

Bake at 400° until I couldn't stand it anymore!





♪♫ Heaven ♫♪
 






So not to disappoint you guys...next time I'll smoke the onions before cooking them!

I usually don't use Thyme but I don't think I would ever make this again without the thyme.

I got a lot of complaints when making this due to smell. My oldest daughter told me she went to work and everyone was noticing this odd smell, turns out it was my French Onion Soup following her to work!

However, the soup was fantastic!


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## SmokinAl (Jan 6, 2017)

My Gosh Man!

I have to say that French onion is my favorite soup too & we make it here all the time.

Next time I'm going to try your recipe, it looks fantastic!

Well done!

Point!

Al


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## tropics (Jan 6, 2017)

Great step by step,Points for sure. I haven't made this in a long time,was thinking of it last week,I can't find Gruyere when I do it will be made.

I found the same thing cooking the onions they take for ever LOL

Richie


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 6, 2017)

Looks great. I just got the stuff together to make a batch. I use 9 pounds of onions to 1 gallon equal parts of beef and chicken broth. Each 2 cup crock gets 4 oz of Mozzarella, a 1lb ball sliced in 4 slices. It's a meal all by itself!...JJ


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## browneyesvictim (Jan 6, 2017)

OH GWAD! This is making me so hungry! and jealous! Absolutely my favorite as well and SOOOOO underrated!

I make a batch about once a month and end up eating it all for myself. I have never added thyme to before it but otherwise that's about exactly how I have been making it for years. Including the beef base! I take exception to the choice of cheese though...Its GOT to be Swiss!

I had to laugh about the smell of caramelizing onions! I think the process and aromas that develop when caramelizing onions pervade every part of your body and being. Almost like is like its a "Holy" experience! You are anointed! The transformation of the onions through the carmalization process has its own religious parallels.

Hallelujah POINTS!


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## smokin jay (Jan 6, 2017)

Looks like heaven! Nice job! Thanks for the recipe, will try this!


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## timstalltaletav (Jan 6, 2017)

Well...  my mind is made up of what I'm going to be cooking tomorrow for dinner!  This will go perfectly with the cold weather we're getting here now.  Excellent recipe, nice pics, points!


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## cmayna (Jan 6, 2017)

OMG,  What a perfect winter meal to make.  I've never had it home made and this thread might just change that.  It's suppose to rain this weekend and most of next week.   Been considering what would be good to make.  Wonder if smoking the onions might over power the taste?   I guess ya never know until you try it. Thanks and points.


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## xray (Jan 6, 2017)

What a great meal, this is one of my favorites.


cmayna said:


> OMG,  What a perfect winter meal to make.  I've never had it home made and this thread might just change that.  It's suppose to rain this weekend and most of next week.   Been considering what would be good to make.  Wonder if smoking the onions might over power the taste?   I guess ya never know until you try it. Thanks and points.



Smoked cheese goes great with this, instead of smoking the onions.


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## daveomak (Jan 6, 2017)

FO soup is sooooo good.....  Nice doo on the soup SQWIB....    
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






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## dward51 (Jan 6, 2017)

Drat!!!! I'm missing a few ingredients and we just started the sleet/ice/snow mix so I can't get to the store.  That would be perfect food for this winter storm!!!  Thanks for sharing the recipe, I'm going to save this one for sure.


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## eat more beef (Jan 8, 2017)

That made me so hungry I put it on the stove for a side to the short ribs on the pit now!! Thanks for the recipe!!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 8, 2017)

Looks excellent! One of my favorite soups! 

Point!


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## disco (Jan 8, 2017)

Definitely one of my favourites! Great soup, nice recipe, terrific thread!

Point!

Disco


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## redheelerdog (Jan 8, 2017)

Looks like a tasty soup indeed. Nice job Squib.


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## b-one (Jan 8, 2017)

Tasty looking soup, you need a French dip with that!


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## BigRig26 (Mar 30, 2018)

New to the forum and just stumbled upon this, looks amazing!
My fiance and I are big french onion fans, in fact I eat it more than I probably should, but we've found the secret to our flavor is a healthy dose of good old fashioned lemon - my mouth is watering just thinking about it now!


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## schlotz (Mar 30, 2018)

Only caveat for us is to make sure to NOT use sweet onions. The residual sugar profile remaining in the soup isn't to our liking.


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## Steve H (Mar 30, 2018)

I also like french onion soup and have made it often. But, yours, looks like onion paradise. I like how yours have less broth and more onions.This is a must try!


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