French onion soup

[Barb L.]

Do have to saute the onions first ? Iam going to simmer mine all day - just wondering if it was really necessary ? Also, would it hurt it if I put in some of my leftover mushrooms w/burgundy? Thanks for any help! Oh ! Iam also putting my prime rib bones in it and extra meat.

 

[Half Baked]

I caramelize my onions and always put a shot of burgundy in each bowl, so I think the mushrooms/burgundy would be good.

I don't simmer mine all day. If you are using a canned broth, I might simmer that with some carrots/celery/whatever (then strain it) before I mixed it with the onions.

 

[Alix]

You want to carmelize your onions a bit so that they have that sweetness and some colour to them. That is really key to a good onion soup. And I think the mushrooms in burgundy would be a very tasty addition.

Does that help a bit?

 

[Barb L.]

Thank you so much, both of you,- will do !

 

[Candocook]

Do have to saute the onions first ? Iam going to simmer mine all day - just wondering if it was really necessary ? Also, would it hurt it if I put in some of my leftover mushrooms w/burgundy? Thanks for any help! Oh ! Iam also putting my prime rib bones in it and extra meat.

It is bar none THE most important step in making French onion soup and you really can't shortcut it. I have done my onions up to an hour. Put the other things in if you want--it will be good.
The onions should cook very low and slow--not get burnt. They just sort of "melt".

 

[kadesma]

I do my onions in a little evoo and butter on low heat and let them saute for about 10 min. I then sprinkle them with a tablespoon or two of sugar and keeping the heat low, let them carmalize about two hours, stirring every now and then to make sure they don't burn, I then add the stock, and a little vermouth and let them go til I'm happy with the taste and color...It's the one soup I do that I really am pleased with the results..
kadesma

 

[mish]

Do have to saute the onions first ? Iam going to simmer mine all day - just wondering if it was really necessary ? Also, would it hurt it if I put in some of my leftover mushrooms w/burgundy? Thanks for any help! Oh ! Iam also putting my prime rib bones in it and extra meat.

Barb, I saute the onions first in olive oil - but not too limp - not all day. You could add fresh mushrooms at the end of cooking time, a splash of burgandy, if you wish, but the stock/broth is important to giving the soup flavor. I would not add prime rib bones and meat. My secret (and I shouldn't give up my secret stash recipes), I serve the soup in the onions -- hollow out the onions (but leave a few skins), and serve the soup in the onions with grated melted parmesan or gruyere and croutons or puff pastry.

 

[Half Baked]

Like Kadesma, I put sugar over my onions too, while sauteeing. Sorry I missed that step.

I do cook the onions for an hour or two. I like them a wonderful brown and almost candied.

 

[JDP]

Carmelizing not suteeing is the most important step to true French Onion soup. Sauteeing is a method for cooking over a higher heat. Onions are high in sugar and the only way to bring that out is a slow and low heat... just a touch over sweating temp. You will need to regularly stir them especailly at the end to stop any burning but. They should have a deep carmel color when done. This is what will give you your true French Onion flavor. There are many short cuts that will yeild a decent flavor but none will give you the flavor you get from taking the time and properly cooking the onions. As for other additions burgundy won't hurt, I like white wine, a little cognac is good as well as a little Dijon mustard. Some people like their's a little thicker so they will add some flour to onions at the end and make a little roux before adding the broth.

JDP

 

[auntdot]

Yep, it is the onions. But it is also the beef stock. And I make that very carefully.

Done properly the merging of the two ingredients into the soup is unsurpassed.

Of course the thyme, the cheese and the bread play their roles, but it is the onions and the broth.

One of the few dishes about which I have very strong opinions, and on which I will spend many hours of preparation.

 

[Half Baked]

JDP, thanks. I had no idea that carmelizing was not a term to be used with sauteeing.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

You can easily caramelize onions by starting with sweating. Once sufficient water has been removed from the onions, the temp will begin to rise and the sugars will start turning. The trick is not trying to rush it which will leave the outer surface of the onion caramelized, but the interior still "raw". Nice n' slow...

You can slice the onions really thin to speed up the process.

 

[JDP]

From what I understand when sauteeing you would refer to the coloring of your item as browning or searing it while using high heat, mainly with protiens such as chicken, beef, seafood. Camelizing veggies especially onions is normally a slower and much lower heat then sauteeing. Just as sweating veggies as in a mire poix is done at a lower heat. The term "carmelize" refers to the cooking and browning of the available sugars in the item your cooking and depending on which item it is that it determines your cooking technique and temp. used. Although the term sautee has become somewhat basterdized to mean anything cooked in a fry pan with a small amount of fat regardless of temp.

JDP

 

[Half Baked]

I 'bastardize' alot of things.

 

[JDP]

Me too!

JDP

 

[BreezyCooking]

While I use chicken stock rather than beef, I do use an adapted version of Julia Child's French Onion Soup.

I slice my onions paper-thin on a mandoline & slowly saute (or caramelize if you wish - lol) them in lots of butter over low heat until they're done to whatever turn I feel like at that time. Sometimes I like them deeply sugared; other times I prefer them paler. Either way, once the soup is simmered & the wine, cognac, bread, & cheese have been added - it's sheer poetry regardless of the semantics regarding the broth & onion - lol!!!!

Frankly, I feel it's extremely difficult NOT to make a good onion soup, regardless of your method.

 

[Candocook]

Yep, it is the onions. But it is also the beef stock. And I make that very carefully.

Done properly the merging of the two ingredients into the soup is unsurpassed.

Of course the thyme, the cheese and the bread play their roles, but it is the onions and the broth.

One of the few dishes about which I have very strong opinions, and on which I will spend many hours of preparation.

Actually chicken stock also makes an elegantly flavored onion soup too. It just has to be good stock, no matter which you use. But I don't think it takes hours of "prep". It takes some goodly amount of time start to finish, no doubt, however.

 

[Half Baked]

It just has to be good stock, no matter which you use.

Oh, I agree. I've loved it with chicken broth also and I'm more likely to have homemade chicken stock in my freezer than beef stock.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

I use brown chicken stock in mine.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

By the way, here is a whole 'nother thread on FOS - one of many.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f56/onion-soup-help-30017.html