Description
French Onion Short Ribs is a rich and comforting dish combining tender, slow-cooked beef short ribs with caramelized onions, aromatic herbs, and a savory broth, finished with toasted French bread topped with melted Gruyère cheese. This hearty recipe is perfect for cozy dinners and delivers deep, satisfying flavors with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- Chili flakes to taste
- 6-8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 2 cups baby carrots
Bread and Cheese Topping
- 6 slices French bread
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325° F to prepare for braising the short ribs.
- Caramelize Onions and Aromatics: Melt butter in a large oven-safe Dutch oven over high heat. Add thinly sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Pour in white wine, season with black pepper, and cook an additional 8 minutes until the wine evaporates and onions turn lightly golden. Stir in shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, and chili flakes.
- Add Short Ribs and Broth: Place the short ribs into the Dutch oven. Pour over 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth, then add tamari, bay leaves, and star anise if using. Cover the pot securely.
- Braise Short Ribs: Transfer the covered Dutch oven to the preheated oven. Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until short ribs are very tender and falling off the bone. Add baby carrots during the last 1-2 hours of cooking.
- Shred Meat and Season: Remove the pot from the oven. Discard bay leaves, star anise, bones, and excess fat. Lightly shred the meat with forks and taste broth; add salt if needed. Keep the mixture warm on low heat over the stovetop.
- Toast the Bread: Increase oven temperature to 425° F. Arrange French bread slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until very dry and crisp.
- Add Cheese and Broil: Switch oven to broil. Top toasted bread slices with shredded Gruyère cheese and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
- Serve: Ladle the braised short rib and onion broth into bowls. Top each serving with a cheesy toast slice, a sprinkle of black pepper, and some fresh thyme. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- For a slower cooking option, the recipe can be adapted to a crockpot with cooking times of 7-8 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.
- Star anise is optional but adds a subtle aromatic depth; omit if unavailable or you prefer less spice.
- Use low sodium broth and tamari to control the saltiness of the dish.
- Gruyère cheese can be substituted with Emmental or Swiss cheese if preferred.
- Ensure onions are cooked slowly to develop a rich caramelized flavor essential to the dish.
- To enhance flavor, prepare the caramelized onions the day before and refrigerate overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
