I have an old... real old... West Bend oval crock pot. The kind with a separate warming plate it sets on. It goes from 1-5 and I was on 3. For reference, a 1-1/2 lbs chuck roast with veggies takes about 6 hours on the same setting.
Almost instant French onion soup
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I think I would start them out on high and reduce to low when it is visibly cooking, lid has dripping water.
That looks really yummy Pac.
vitauta
Executive Chef
i'm still waiting to hear how you liked the taste of your fo soup made this way, pac. of course, there will be plenty of opportunity for you to try it in a variety of different ways, just as you already observed. these fo pucks could conceivably be used as the base for an entirely new, more complex soup. i could see introducing cubes of meat, such as lamb, or pork. duck fat. duck! duck leftover from thanksgiving!
btw pac, did you add butter or oil when you slow cooked the onions? judging from the deep brown color of your onions, i would guess you did, though....
they might make a tasty pizza topping, or for steak subs....
.
btw pac, did you add butter or oil when you slow cooked the onions? judging from the deep brown color of your onions, i would guess you did, though....
they might make a tasty pizza topping, or for steak subs....
.
Thank you. It was pretty tasty, even for a first effort.
I liked it and would make it this way again, but I am also looking forward to using vermouth to give it a bit more bite.
Yes, I used butter. You can see it in the pic in the mandolin thread.
Steak sandwiches, good idea!
Delicious Pacman 
OK, this would qualify as pretty much almost instant.
I dropped the frozen puck into the crock, splashed a little red wine in, added some bold beef stock, a little water, then nuked it with a lid on the crock for four minutes at 3/4 power. It was thoroughly heated through, the puck thawed, and too hot to handle with bare hands, so I guess it simmered for a bit. Then I dropped a layer of croutons in, two slices of Swiss, and placed it under the broiler of the toaster oven for a few minutes. Voila, French onion soup in about eight minutes.
The hardest part was getting the pucks out of the muffin tray. I had to use a mallet and even then they were a little "moist" from the hot water I set the pan in. Maybe a silicon muffin pan would work better. I won't have to worry about that again for 11 more crocks
Sorry for the blurry pic, it looked in focus when I snapped it, and then POOF, the soup was gone
Whiskadoodle
Executive Chef
Follow up. I did brush the plastic wrap lightly with oil ( cooking spray would work too). Then pushed the plastic wrap in the muffin cups. Added sloppy joes. Freeze. They did pop right off and went into a freezer bag). I expect this would work with an onion mix this method too. No banging on the cup bottoms or dipping in hot water to get the food out.
It does sound like a good method. I'll have to give it a try.
I have a stack of silicon cupcake "papers," makes all this much easier. Speaking of which...I just remembered where my second 1/4 sheet pan was. It's in the freezer holding silicon cupcake papers filled with chicken soup parts...
Did you leave your "sloppy pucks" in the plastic when you put them in the freezer bag? If not, how easy was it take the plastic off? If you did, please let us know, when you use one of your frozen pucks.
Whiskadoodle
Executive Chef
TL-- I did lift them up and off the plastic wrap, just to make sure they would and are loosened off. Then I put them back in sets of two cuz I usually eat 2 sammies at a time. Wrapped in the plastic and then all into a freezer zip lock. For the onion soup, I would do that too, only in batch size that you would use as for soup etc., I think the double wrap will help prevent freezer burn if it were a longer storage, not that that will ever happen. I think this is a good idea so I don't feel compelled to eat Sloppies every meal for 3 days until they are gone.
I think you are right about the freezer burn. There is another advantage. If the get a little bit soft, for any reason, they won't refreeze into one big glob. I have had that happen.
Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
I finally took on this project yesterday and this morning.
It took 10 large white onions thinly sliced on my madolin to fill up my crock pot to the very top. I cut up a stick of butter and used 2 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar over the top of the onions.
After about 4 hrs of cooking on low, I was sick of the onion smell so I took it outside and plugged it into our outdoor outlet. The crock pot cooked on low outside for a total of 20 hrs, yes twenty hours. I stirred it just twice.
After cooling I spooned up portions into ziplock sandwich bags, and froze the little bags in one large freezer ziplock bag. I couldn't see going through the trouble of muffin tins, and this worked very well.
It took 10 large white onions thinly sliced on my madolin to fill up my crock pot to the very top. I cut up a stick of butter and used 2 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar over the top of the onions.
After about 4 hrs of cooking on low, I was sick of the onion smell so I took it outside and plugged it into our outdoor outlet. The crock pot cooked on low outside for a total of 20 hrs, yes twenty hours. I stirred it just twice.
After cooling I spooned up portions into ziplock sandwich bags, and froze the little bags in one large freezer ziplock bag. I couldn't see going through the trouble of muffin tins, and this worked very well.
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Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
Thanks Dawg.
I normally love the smell of onions cooking but when you think about it, you only smell them for a short time. This crock pot thing with nothing but onions cooking for all those hours is nauseating to put it nicely. I lit every scented candle in the house just to survive. At any rate it worked well outside, although I guess it wouldn't work for those who live in a very cold climate.
I can't wait to make nearly instant French Onion Soup, although right this minute onions are the last thing on my mind. I think they'll also be great for cheese steak
sandwiches, and lots more.
I didn't see your post up there Pac...sorry it was too cold to do the same. You could have wrapped it in a big blanket but I'm sure you'd have to throw the blanket away.
lol
I normally love the smell of onions cooking but when you think about it, you only smell them for a short time. This crock pot thing with nothing but onions cooking for all those hours is nauseating to put it nicely. I lit every scented candle in the house just to survive. At any rate it worked well outside, although I guess it wouldn't work for those who live in a very cold climate.
I can't wait to make nearly instant French Onion Soup, although right this minute onions are the last thing on my mind. I think they'll also be great for cheese steak
sandwiches, and lots more.
I didn't see your post up there Pac...sorry it was too cold to do the same. You could have wrapped it in a big blanket but I'm sure you'd have to throw the blanket away.
lol
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Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
Frankly Pac, I think this is summer crock pot idea for many people. I gotta hand it to you. There's just no way I could tolerate smelling those crock pot onions in the house for 20 hours and for three days after they're cooked. What did your dog have to say? 
Is he looking for a new home?
Is he looking for a new home?
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Too funny, and such good info, Pac and Kayelle! Hope the onion smell goes away soon!
Am thinking I have an outdoor outlet. That's where I may put my CP full of onions.
Hope the onion smell goes away soon!Am thinking I have an outdoor outlet. That's where I may put my CP full of onions.
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