ody's Notes:
Expand2-3 pounds Bone-in beef ribs Ask a question about this ingredient
1-2 large onions, sliced in 1/4 inch discs Ask a question about this ingredient
10 cloves garlic, peeled Ask a question about this ingredient
5 bay leaves Ask a question about this ingredient
1-2 tablespoon dried thyme, OR 5 springs fresh Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
4 whole peppercorns (optional---if using ground pepper, wait until end of cooking to add) Ask a question about this ingredient
~4 quarts water Ask a question about this ingredient
1-2 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Aminos, or more to taste Ask a question about this ingredient
Line bottom of slow cooker crock with one layer of solid onion slices (i.e. slice the onions into 1/4 inch discs but don't separate the layers).
Ask a question about this stepSprinkle garlic, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves over onions.
Ask a question about this stepLay beef ribs on top of everything else (leave some space between each rib) and generously sprinkle with salt.
Ask a question about this stepPut the lid on the slow cooker and set it to "high"; cook for 3-4 hours.
Ask a question about this stepAdd water to within 1 inch of top of crock (adding water that's already hot will speed cooking time); cook another 4-8 hours (the longer it cooks, the tastier the broth will be).
Ask a question about this stepSkim fat (or use for croutons gratinés: see below) and add the ground pepper, if using, and Braggs to taste. (I highly recommend the richness of Braggs, but you can also substitute 1 tsp soy sauce or 2 tsps kosher salt, or more to taste.)
Ask a question about this stepFor hearty, chunky soup: fish out rib bones and as many bay leaves as you can find. For more refined soup: strain broth, recovering as much of the meat and garlic as you can pick out.
Ask a question about this step5-6 cups chopped onions Ask a question about this ingredient
1.5 tablespoons butter Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon dried thyme Ask a question about this ingredient
1 loaf french bread Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 pound Swiss cheese (Gruyère, Comté, Emmental) Ask a question about this ingredient
Put butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until just melted.
Ask a question about this stepStir in onions and thyme.
Ask a question about this stepSet kitchen timer to 8 minutes. Leave the kitchen, returning every 8 minutes to stir the onions, until they've started to caramelize. This should take 45 minutes to an hour: if you get brown patches in your skillet in the first 30 minutes of cooking, turn the heat down. After the onions start caramelizing (at or beyond the 45-minute mark), you may wish to cook them an extra 10-15 minutes, stirring more frequently (every 1-2 minutes), for a sweeter caramel flavor.
Ask a question about this stepOnce onions are cooked to your taste, turn off the heat and deglaze the pan with a ladleful of broth.
Ask a question about this stepMake the croutons: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Ask a question about this stepSlice bread and cheese. (I like 1/2 inch slices of bread and 1/8 inch slices of cheese, but it's really up to you.)
Ask a question about this step(Optional) paint bread with extra fat from broth. I dip my brush into the fat that's floating in the crock, and then stir any remaining fat right back into the soup.
Ask a question about this stepArrange fat-brushed bread cut side down on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes, until bread is nicely browned. (The browner it gets, the crispier it'll stay once it gets into the soup.)
Ask a question about this stepPull sheet out of oven, flip pieces of bread, and lay a slice of cheese on each piece.
Ask a question about this stepBake for another 5-10 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and just beginning to brown. Remove from oven.
Ask a question about this stepPut it all together: Add onions to crock or broth to skillet, whichever makes the most sense in your kitchen. Put 1 or 2 croutons in each bowl and ladle in the soup. Serve with a big green salad.
Ask a question about this stepYay, I'm so glad you liked it---brushing the fat on the bread also makes it stay crunchier in the soup. Thanks for the detailed review!
For some reason, I can't reply directly to your question . . . the soup was terrific!! I used "English short ribs" and sweet Maui onions, and fresh thyme. Actually I used lemon thyme, because my bush is in a growth period now, and my regular thyme has been heavily used. I also added a couple tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, because I love its taste with any beef/onion combination. The basic recipe is excellent, and could be used for a nice vegetable beef soup, a hearty minestrone, or a tasty beef and barley soup. Very well done, Ody!
Nice recipe! I plan to make this tomorrow. I especially appreciate all the tips, both in the introduction and throughout the recipe. Very nicely done. Thank you! ;o)
Eugenia is the author of the book Well-Preserved and writes about homemade food preservation for the Denver Post's Well-Preserved blog.
P.S. The idea of brushing the bread with the beef fat is brilliant. I can't think of a better way to add a rich, gorgeous flavor in this context. Bravo!!