French Onion Soup..Slow Cooker
Ingredients:
3 pounds onions, which is around 6 large onions …I weigh
1/2 cup (4 oz) butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry sherry wine …I didn’t have any the first time I made this…I do now
8 cups beef stock/broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dry thyme (or 3 sprigs fresh)…I don’t especially like thyme, so I omitted
salt and pepper to taste …my broth is salted, so I add no salt
Baguette, sliced …I did use baguette …but might the next time, use French bread. (I find a baguette too holey)
8 oz of Gruyere cheese, shredded, divided (check recipes if you wish to use Gruyere and combine with another cheese or two …I used just Gruyere
Instructions:
Step 1:
Cut onions in half, and slice thinly.
Place them in the slow cooker.
Add your melted butter and stir well so all onions are coated.
Put this on low overnight, 10 – 12 hours.
Step 2:
Add the garlic.
Stir sherry into onion mixture; scrape the bottom to dissolve the small bits of browned food.
Step 3:
Throw in the thyme, bay leaf, salt/pepper and broth.
Stir well.
Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours or on High for 4 – 6 hours.
I did a combo of that …when I needed it to be ready, I went with it. After all the onions are cooked …the rest is just melding.
Step 4:
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Slice bread to 1/2″ thick slices.
Brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
Arrange on a baking sheet and bake 6 – 8 minutes until golden brown at the edges.
I did about 8 minutes …flipped the bread and did another 2 minutes.
Step 5:
Once soup is out, set oven to ‘broil’.
Step 6:
Pour soup into bowls..3/4 full or so.
Sprinkle the top with a bit of your cheese.
Lay the bread on top …and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
Broil for 2-3 minutes …until cheese topping is lightly browned and bubbling.
NOTE: This made 6 bowls for me.
Notes:
Slow Cooking Simplicity: This French Onion Soup recipe takes advantage of the slow cooker’s convenience, allowing you to set it and forget it while the flavors meld and develop.
Richness of Onions: The foundation of this soup is caramelized onions, cooked slowly until they’re sweet and tender, creating a deeply flavorful base.
Customizable Ingredients: While the recipe includes specific ingredients like sherry wine, thyme, and Gruyere cheese, it’s adaptable to personal preferences. For example, omitting or substituting ingredients like thyme or using different cheeses can tailor the soup to your taste.