How Chefs Make French Onion Soup
About this recipe
French onion soup is a classic dish that many love for its rich flavors and comforting warmth. This recipe takes a unique approach by emphasizing the importance of the stock rather than just the caramelized onions, which is often the focus in other versions.
The secret to this soup's depth lies in using roasted beef bones and chicken stock, creating a complex flavor profile that elevates this humble dish to something truly special. With a few simple techniques, you can achieve a restaurant-level French onion soup right at home.
Ingredient notes
- Beef bones are optional; you can use chicken wings instead.
- For the beef trim, you can substitute with stewing steak if needed.
- Spanish onions can be replaced with Roskoff onions for a sweeter flavor.
Tips from Fallow’s video
- Roasting the beef bones for about 35 minutes at 180°C (356°F) helps develop a nice flavor before adding them to the stock.
- When caramelizing onions, salt them to help extract moisture and cover the pan to cook them on low heat for about 25 minutes before stirring.
- To achieve the perfect caramelization, allow the onions to cook for about 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Good to know
- How long does it take to make this French onion soup?
- The total time to make this French onion soup is about 2 hours.
- What can I use instead of beef bones?
- You can use chicken wings instead of beef bones.
- How do I properly caramelize the onions?
- Slice the onions following their natural lines, salt them, cover the pan, and cook on low heat for about 25 minutes before stirring and continuing to cook for 1 to 1.5 hours.
- What is a burmanet and how is it used in this recipe?
- A burmanet is a mixture of equal parts butter and flour used to thicken the soup, adding richness while doing so.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Fallow: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- 2
Season the beef bones with salt and roast them in the oven for about 35 minutes until they are nice and blonde.
- 3
In a large pot, add the beef trim and any additional beef for flavor. Cook until browned.
- 4
Add the beef stock as a base and increase the flavor with the roasted bones.
- 5
Simmer the stock for about 1.5 hours, skimming off impurities as needed.
- 6
In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, add the beef fat from the stock and heat it.
- 7
Slice the onions following their natural lines and add them to the pan.
- 8
Salt the onions to help extract moisture and cover the pan with a lid, cooking on low heat for about 25 minutes.
- 9
Stir the onions occasionally to prevent burning, and continue cooking until they are caramelized, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes total.
- 10
Once the onions are caramelized, remove the bones from the stock and add the rendered bone marrow to the stock.
- 11
Combine the clear stock with the caramelized onions and add chopped carrots and celery for sweetness.
- 12
Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom, and reduce the wine down.
- 13
Add the stock mixture back to the pot and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
- 14
Prepare a burmanet by mixing equal parts butter and flour, then add it to the soup to thicken.
- 15
Serve the soup topped with toasted baguette and melted Comté cheese.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity of beef trim is inferred based on typical usage in stock-making.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Fallow’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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