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Hearty French Onion Soup

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 3 1/2 hours

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef marrow bones or a mixture of marrow and other beef bones
  • About 1 pound boneless chuck steak, cut into chunks
  • 4 carrots, cut into chunks
  • 4 celery stalks, cut into chunks
  • 2 leeks, cut into chunks and rinsed well
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
  • 3 whole cloves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 large onions, halved and sliced
  • 1/2 baguette or other crusty bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons cognac or other brandy
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the bones, beef, carrots, celery, and leeks in a large roasting pan. Put in the oven and roast until everything is well browned, about 1 hour; shake the pan occasionally and add a little water if necessary to prevent the mixture from burning.
  2. Transfer the roasted meat and vegetables to a large stockpot along with 1 bay leaf, about two-thirds of the parsley, and the peppercorns and cloves; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Add 3 quarts of water. Bring nearly to a boil, then partially cover and adjust the heat so the mixture just barely bubbles. Meanwhile put the roasting pan on 2 burners over medium heat. Add the wine and cook until it bubbles, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom. Transfer the liquid to the stockpot. Cook the stock, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, until the meat falls from the bones, 1 to 2 hours. Chop the remaining parsley.
  3. Fish the bones out of the stock. When cool enough to handle, scrape any meat and marrow from inside and out, and reserve. Strain the stock through a mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and skim the fat off the top. (The stock can be made to this point and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 3 months. This makes about 2 quarts and you’ll need 6 cups for the soup.)
  4. Put the butter in a large pot over medium heat. When it melts, add the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until they turn jammy. This can take up to 1 hour total; don’t rush. Add the reserved meat and marrow from making the stock.
  5. Reheat the oven to 400°F. Put the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, turning halfway through, until crisp and lightly golden.
  6. Meanwhile, add 6 cups stock to the onion mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the soup bubbles very gently. Add the thyme, the remaining bay leaf, most of the remaining parsley, and the cognac, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the bay leaf. (At this point, you may refrigerate the soup, covered, for up to 2 days; reheat before proceeding.)
  7. Ladle the soup into 4 ovenproof bowls, and top each with a few croutons, then sprinkle with the cheese. Put the bowls in a roasting pan or on a sturdy baking sheet and bake just long enough to melt the cheese, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve right away, sprinkled with some reserved parsley.

— Dinner for Everyone: 100 Iconic Dishes Made 3 Ways 

Recipe variations

Beef Stock
I see no point in making beef stock unless you include at least some marrow bones in the mix. For the richest stock imaginable—or to make a major component of Hearty French Onion Soup ahead of time—follow the directions through Step 3. In fact, this stock is so good, you may as well double the recipe. Then use what you need for the soup and freeze the rest for up to 3 months.