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### **What Goes In**
#### **For the Soup**:
– **Beef short ribs** – bone-in or boneless, slow-cooked until tender
– **Yellow onions** – slowly caramelized for sweetness and depth
– **Garlic** – for aromatic base notes
– **Beef stock** – the richer, the better
– **Dry red wine or sherry** – classic French flavor builder
– **Fresh thyme and bay leaves** – earthy, herbal background
– **Salt and pepper** – to taste
#### **For the Gruyère Toast**:
– **Crusty baguette or sourdough slices**
– **Gruyère cheese** – grated, for that signature melt and nutty flavor
– **Olive oil or butter** – to toast your bread to golden perfection
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### **How It Comes Together**
1. **Brown the Short Ribs**
Sear until caramelized on all sides, then set aside. This step builds essential flavor.
2. **Caramelize the Onions**
Take your time—30–45 minutes to slowly draw out the onions’ natural sugars. They should be golden brown and jammy.
3. **Deglaze & Simmer**
Add wine to the pot, scraping up all the flavorful bits. Return the short ribs, add beef stock, herbs, and simmer low and slow until the meat is fork-tender.
4. **Shred the Meat**
Once the short ribs are done, shred the meat and discard the bones. Return the meat to the pot for even more richness.
5. **Top with Gruyère Toast**
Toast the bread, pile it with cheese, and broil until bubbly and golden. Float a slice atop each bowl just before serving—or serve on the side for dipping bliss.
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### **Tips for Success**
– **Don’t rush the onions**: Low and slow is the secret to that iconic sweet-savory flavor.
– **Use high-quality stock**: It’s the backbone of the soup—homemade or store-bought bone broth is ideal.
– **Choose Gruyère**: Its nutty, smooth melt is unmatched, but you can sub with Swiss or Comté in a pinch.
– **Make it ahead**: Like many braised dishes, this soup only improves after a night in the fridge.
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### **Perfect Pairings**
Serve your soup with:
– A crisp green salad with Dijon vinaigrette
– A glass of bold red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Pinot Noir)
– Roasted root vegetables or simple buttered potatoes
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### **Final Thoughts**
**French Onion Short Rib Soup with Gruyère Toast** is everything you love about comfort food—deep flavor, melt-in-your-mouth meat, gooey cheese—elevated to something truly special. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you slow down, savor every bite, and maybe even go back for seconds.
So light a candle, pour a glass of wine, and cozy up with a bowl of this unforgettable soup. Once you try it, you’ll never look at French onion soup the same way again.
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