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dark onion soup with tender cooked beef short-rib pieces and soft browned onion strands visible around one small baguette toast covered with melted Gruyere in a plain bowl, with no bones or garnish
Melissa Hart

Crockpot French Onion Short Rib Soup

Short ribs turn French onion soup into a full dinner with tender beef below the cheese toast. The onions still need a real browning step before the crockpot takes over. Don't rush them with a hard flame. Soft onions are only the beginning; keep cooking until they turn golden-brown and leave sweet browned bits to scrape into the broth. Let the ribs become tender during the long covered cook.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 9 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 lb bone-in English-cut beef short ribs
  • 2 lb yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 5 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 6 slices baguette about 1/2 inch thick
  • 4 oz Gruyere cheese grated

Method
 

  1. Pat ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown ribs in 2 batches for about 8 minutes each, then transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Drain excess fat from the skillet, add butter and onions and cook over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden-brown.
  3. Add sherry and 1 cup of the measured broth and scrape up the browned bits. Pour into the cooker with remaining broth, thyme and bay leaf.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until ribs reach at least 145°F and are fully fork-tender. Lift out ribs, remove every bone and excess fat and pull the meat into large pieces.
  5. Return meat to the soup, discard the bay leaf and skim surface fat. Keep covered on warm briefly while making the toast.
  6. Heat the broiler and arrange baguette slices on a metal sheet pan. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes per side, add Gruyere and broil for 1 to 2 minutes more until melted and bubbling, watching constantly.
  7. Divide soup among 6 bowls and float 1 cheese toast on each just before serving.