Homemade Beef Stock For French Onion Soup Recipes

HOMEMADE BEEF STOCK FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange beef bones and oxtail in a single layer in a heavy roasting pan (not glass). Coat with oil. Roast, turning once, until deep brown, about 45 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, onions, leeks, celery, carrots, and garlic, stirring well. Roast until vegetables are browned and tender, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a bouquet garni by wrapping parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth. Tie bundle with kitchen twine; set aside.
• Transfer bones and vegetables to a large stockpot; set aside. Pour off fat from roasting pan. Set pan on stove across two burners. Add wine, and bring to a boil, deglazing pan by scraping up any brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon; boil until wine is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add to stockpot.
• Add 6 quarts (24 cups) water to stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; bring to a gentle simmer. Add bouquet garni. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, 3 hours.
• Carefully pass stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl or pot; discard solids. Let stock cool completely.
• Transfer stock to airtight containers. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 3 days before using (fat will solidify; discard it before using). The stock can be frozen up to 4 months.

BEEF SHORT RIB FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Mix flour, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl. Dredge beef short ribs in the seasoned flour mixture. Reserve 3 tablespoons of leftover seasoned flour.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and pan-fry the beef ribs until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat down to medium and melt butter in the pot; cook and stir sweet onions in the butter until soft and slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Stir constantly and reduce heat if onions begin to burn.
• Stir 3 tablespoons of reserved seasoned flour mixture into the onions and cook and stir for 10 minutes; pour in beef broth and sherry. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until soup is slightly thickened; season with more salt and black pepper, if desired.
• Strip leaves from thyme sprigs and add leaves to the soup. Gently return short ribs to the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer soup until ribs are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Stir soup every hour or so.
• Preheat the oven's broiler.
• Ladle soup into oven-safe soup crocks, placing a short rib into each bowl. Top soup with 2 slices of French bread per bowl and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of Gruyere cheese over each crock.
• Place crocks under broiler until cheese is browned and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

RICH AND SIMPLE FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in an 8 quart stock pot on medium heat. Add onions and continually stir until tender and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
• Add beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven broiler.
• Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and place one slice of bread on top of each (bread may be broken into pieces if you prefer). Layer each slice of bread with a slice of provolone, 1/2 slice diced Swiss and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place bowls on cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.