Dr. Easter, I made this last weekend using your Beef stock recipe. Needless to say it turned out ridiculously good. Kids and wife loved it. My 6 year old thinks daddy is a better cook than mommy. This is my first victory in about 8 years :)
I just made this for my dad today and it was AMAZING. My dad loved it so much, he had 2 servings and skipped the main course! You wont believe how sweet the onions get with the braising method. THANK YOU! -Martin
+CookinginRussia i have tried your other recipes however it took me a while to do this particular as it takes a lot of time and effort. Plus, the last time i tried making french onion soup, i burned the onions trying to caramelize them (homecook blunders ) so i figured your method was worth a try
ANNOTATIONS 0:01.000 (The Full Monty) 0:10.400 Also, this video will show you how to cut the onion so that you will not add any sugar. In fact, you will add some vinegar instead. The beef stock used for this is the finest quality, as it must be for authentic French Onion Soup, as served in the best restaurants. 0:10.400 CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE BEEF STOCK RECIPE IN ANOTHER WINDOW. 0:10.400 This is a professional restaurant recipe. The methods will seem unorthodox, but the results are far superior. When we have to make 20 gallons of French Onion soup in a restaurant, we can't have 10 cooks are standing over 20 pots of onions stirring for hours. There are more efficient ways. 0:26.800 INGREDIENTS 750g (26 oz) Beef Stock 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) Yellow Onions 2 Bay Leaves 1 Garlic clove Sherry Wine, dry -- not sweet Balsamic Vinegar, good quality Thyme (ideally fresh, but dried is okay) Gruyere Cheese and Bread for croutons Butter, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper 0:35.900 Use the best quality of onions you can find. 10:14.700 Additional note: I suggest adding some Gruyere (and ONLY Gruyere) cheese to the top of the soup OVER the crouton. Let the cheese melt into the soup as well as more being on the crouton. It won't look as good, but the flavor will be divine! 10:20.200 Photo courtesy of Chef Robert Span 2:12.597 By ONLY cutting the onion like this, and using your fingers (not a knife) to remove the core, then braising, the onions will be naturally very sweet without adding any sugar. 3:01.588 Melt 30 grams (1 oz) butter + 1 T olive oil, as shown. 4:11.088 Return to the oven (same temperature) for 30 minutes more, then stir again, and cook a final 30 minutes, for a total cooking time of 4 hours. 4:43.921 NOW you can cut them up without causing them to become harsh tasting. 4:55.555 You will use a total of 750g (1.6 lb) of the beef stock made in the other video. I'm adding only a little of that now to help the onions cut evenly. 5:30.222 You will also add one clove of garlic, finely cut. Don't use a garlic press to crush it. Cut it by hand for this recipe. You want it very finely cut. 6:19.100 Then spread butter - ideally garlic butter you made yourself - onto one side of the croutons (day old bread slices). You will cook these slowly. 7:23.349 That is, the side you buttered is the one that you will put down on the pan, and you will melt the Gruyere cheese on the other side now. 9:49.632 Here's a general rule of thumb to keep in mind - whenever a savory dish has a lot of natural sweetness to it, adding salt must be undertaken with the utmost care. This is when the salt balance is the most critical of all.
Thank you for taking time to leave feedback. I appreciate it! Be sure to check out some of my other videos, if you haven't already - now approaching nearly 300 of them!
Great. I apprentice as a sauciere with French Chefs 35 yrs ago. Now retired but do volunteer work at rest. The new Gen of chefs I beliee must have forgot their culinary classes etc. I bring your video and my old classic info verifying what I try to explain. The Rest. Owners believe the young gen. and constantly I watch their frustration on consistency and quality. The chefs don't share info, hide their recipie specials, I hope to bring your quality to their table. Tres Bien mon ami.
Somewhere around 15-20 years ago, the culinary arts made a sudden abrupt turn in which looks became more important than taste in haute cuisine. Most younger chefs now are either fry cooks or frustrated artists who know much more about painting and design than they do about cooking, unfortunately.
Chef, this soup is amazing. Your approach makes so much sense once you understand the nature of the food and cooking. I tried to make this soup before using the methods everyone else uses, the "chop and stir, stir, stir" method, and the final product never matched the effort that went into it. Your technique is something only a professional knows, so I am grateful to you for sharing this "trade secret"! Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. I appreciate it! Be sure to look through some of my other recipe videos if you haven't already. I include little-known professional methods in all of them.
Him giggling while commenting that he thought everyone knew the center of the onion can taste bitter and should be removed, that is the definition of pretentious.
I enjoyed the fact that you were clearly frustrated with other methods of making french onion soup while you were discussing the recipe, it shows you are truly passionate about the quality of your food. You earned yourself a subscriber.
Thank you. That is often the case with recipes, especially in this age of the Internet when every housewife thinks they are qualified to teach on UA-cam and the general public can't tell the difference between a trained Michelin star chef and a rank amateur.
I finally made this recipe step by step this weekend, and not only was I pleased, but my friends (who came to visit from Europe) said it was the best French onion soup they ever had. Thanks.
Made this with your Classic French "Best Quality" Brown Beef Stock, as recommended. Wow. Your technique of braising the onions produced magical results. The aroma in my apartment went from harsh onions after an hour braising to sweet and mellow wonder after three hours. The final result was outstanding. After returning to the US after 4 years in Paris, expectations for my French Onion Soup were quite high. This definitely delivered!! Thanks!
+Michelle Anthony Thank you. I appreciate you taking time to leave feedback! Please take a look at some of my other videos if you haven't already. Cheers!
I just wanted to finally leave a comment . I come here every time I go to prepare this soup . Here are a few things I have done at my home. Once we had French onion that had ox tail meat and it was delicious. Since I use the beef stock I strain off a roast I make In my pressure cooker for this recipie I keep the smallest amount of actual meat in the stock before I freeze it. It's the only thing I have ever done different than the exact way he makes this. It is a huge hit here and the absolute best recipie I have found . Honestly it's nice no to have to babysit onions either.
I made this following your clear and somewhat entertaining tutorial and it turned out ro be the most delicous onion soup I have ever tasted! The braised onions are absolutley divine. I couldn't stop "ooh!"ing and "ahh"ing after every gulp. I found your channel about a month ago and subscribed. You are my favorite and clearly the best chef teacher on UA-cam as well as on the planet. I bought all 3 of your books last week and cannot wait to read these treasures. Meanwhile, I have tried out several of your recipes with great success. I made notes as I watched and rewatched each video (no computer for annotations) but I think I can improve on it after I learn more from your books. Your videos also have the most positive and informative viewer feedback which is enjoyable to read. Wishing you a great success at the new restaurant you now are at and I hope you now and then may find time to continue your invaluable tutorials. Meanwhile I have over 200 videos that I am looking forward to watching. Aloha and mahalo nui loa!
I made your French Onion Soup for dinner this evening and it was wonderful! Never will I cut onions the way I use to. Your tips make all the difference in making a meal go from being good to being fantastic! Thank you so much!
you know chef, when I make this soup, I am going to try not to be paranoid. When I mess up on the garlic dipping sauce or the cabbage dumplings, there is not a large amount of time invested, but the stock alone for this awesome French onion soup takes 3 days. I will add about 1/8 teaspoon of salt at a time to ensure i do not ruin this. It is so amazing how the Chefs of yesterday took so much pride in the final product. I sure hope we find our way back to what culinary used to be and should be as well.....
+shair00 They still take pride in the finished product, but the difference is that today about 90% of the attention is on the look of a dish rather than the flavor.
It doesn't seem to have any real scientific support, but to each their own! I personally don't like to waste so much of the onions so I'll use more of it.
The reason for "deep peeling" would be to eliminate the more fibrous part of the onion, thus enhancing texture and mouthfeel. The reason for making fewer cuts in the onions would be to reduce the amount of oxidation of sulfurous components thereby decreasing acridity or bitterness that would detract from the onions' natural sweetness. Thus, no need for extra sugar. Sound 'bout right, Chef?
I made this yesterday and was amazing! It was even better the second day, ( removed the fat from the top) I made the stock with beef ribs and was wonderful as well. Thank you for sharing the knowledge, I never knew onions could be so good!
BEST ONION SOUP YOU WILL EVER MAKE!!! Thats my review of this soup. Good sir, I found this recipe about 5 years ago and haven't looked back since. I love it, my loves it and my kids live it. Its an absolute favorite all around. I had no idea about how to cut the onions and now I know. Ive watched a few other videos on Frensh Onion soup and they all cut the onions wrong! lmao. Not that Im a trained chef and KNOW, but this recipe is si damn good I dont even want to bother with, what i precive to be, sub par advice. Im SO happy to have found this recipe that I also bought one of your cook books.
I have made this Soup many times, I have researched this Soup many times. Only to find out I was doing it wrong all of the time. Chef, this is a beauty well done and thank you.
army guy Thank you. Unfortunately I have no idea about the shipping, so I can't tell you. I can say that it won't be very long, but I realize that doesn't help you much. You should contact Amazon and ask them.
I made this yesterday, it was superb.. I had made this dish only once before using the standard short-cut recipes commonly seen on youtube --- harsh and too rich..your advice on the correct way to cut onions for this dish made ALL the difference
Made it today. But first, I drove to the city to buy sherry. I wanted no exceptions from your recipe. The result was extremely satisfying. I can't wait my husband goes back from work and tries this soup. Thank you Chef for this recipe!
I also have to add that after going on a binge of your videos, you have REIGNITED my love for cooking. I haven’t cooked in 3 years, but I’m back and forth between your videos and looking on amazon for a certain tool I’ve seen you use (like the Jaccard tenderizer) and just even getting myself a scale to measure the correct grams so I could fully follow your recipe! I’m even looking into getting your cookbooks!! Thank you for these jewels of videos and for your inspiration.
Thank you for the feedback. You will find that my cookbooks contain a wealth of information that I could never pack into videos, especially Volumes 2 and 3.
CookinginRussia yes, I have read the glowing reviews on all the books on amazon and even from different scattered comments on UA-cam. I feel like once I have all these books, these are the only cooking books I’ll really ever need. I completely trust that you’ve got us covered! If you’re this thorough in these videos, I can imagine the books would be bursting at the seams with nuggets of education. Thanks again, Chef! Cheers to you
@@lexiegrl09 - I actually have a Volume 4 that is about 85% complete, but no time to finish it now. I hope to in the future, but in the meantime I am happy to have gotten this much published thus far!
it's 11:30 at night and I've already watched 3 videos. my new favorite channel. subscribed. I'm trying to become a better cook for family and friends. thanks for the great videos!
No offence but when I saw your cutting board and your knife I thought ok heres a kitchen Cook. but after watching 3 videos from you (this being my third) you have taught me things I never knew. Cutting onions this way for french onion soup is such an overlooked process thank you!!!
That's good to hear. Hopefully you were able to locate Gruyere cheese in your area. This whole recipe is designed to compliment that particular cheese.
Well, I dont have enough words to tell you how much I learned from this video, not just about this soup, but about cooking in general. I will never look at a french onion soup video the same ever again. I will have to try this when I can make a beef stock like the one in your previous video. This looks amazing, it really really does.
unfortunately didn't have time to do stock as instructed, had to make do with some pre-made stuff but the soup was still superb, absolutely loved it, the way you do onions is just so easy and croutons were great. I have got to say, there's a lot of people on the internet giving you their best take on how things should be done, it's refreshing to be instructed by an expert and it makes ALL the difference. Practice makes perfect..as they say.
+pach No - a crock pot is not the same thing. I get asked this question a lot. I explain this in detail in the second volume of my cookbook which will be out next month.
Just a thank you note for revealing the wisdom and knowledge you have gained through your lifetime for free (I know you sell books, but these videos are very valuable too). I am a beginner cook but have the same ardor that I find in you - strive for perfectionism!
Thank you for writing. I appreciate it! If you have any questions or problems, feel free to ask. I answer specific questions as a top priority 365 days a year.
I wish you showed the broiler step at the end. I'm a bit lost on your additional note. It says add Gruyere to the top of the soup OVER the crouton. Is this after the boiler step, and is the Gruyere added over top of the already cheesed crouton?
The topping is up to you. There are several approaches. The one you most often see in restaurants is just to pile cheese on the top and broil it until it melts and turns golden. You can add croutons in with the cheese, or you can make cheese bread separately and float it in top. It is up to you, and there is no wrong way of doing it.
Chef, I hope I did not screw the pooch! I have the stock simmered to 42 ounces, its as clear of a stock as I ever made (I used a fine strainer). I have it in the fridge and I just realized, the onions will be done in the oven but I wont be cooking this for another 16 hours! In your video, the onions went right into the food processor. Will the onions be ok if I do not use them until tomorrow?
Chef, I bought yellow onions but I think they were something else because they turned out to be sweet sweet onions. The lady who joined me that day did not believe I did not add any sugar and her child LOVED that soup, how many 7 year old love french onion soup? The vinegar was a great balance, I used imported from Italy, but I think the onions were not what the store claimed, I think these were sweet onions.
I can't say without having tasted it. The onions come out quite sweet this way from the cut and the braise, so it is entirely possible they were regular onions and you just aren't used to them coming out like this. Make it again and check the onions first (always a good idea to inspect every ingredient before using it anyway). Cheers!
chef, I don't have access to the Shelly wine. Would you think using some red dry wine instead is going to be just fine or what else would you recommend? Thank you very much
Sherry wine, which is obviously what you meant to say, is a fortified sweet white wine. It is pretty much the exact opposite of a dry red wine. I'm wondering where you could be that you can't find sherry? Even Russia makes their own sherry, and I've never been anywhere that it isn't in a store - even in New Guinea.
As I type, the onions are braising in the oven. Two questions: all I have is a big stainless-lined copper pan with lid. Do I have to modify the oven temp or worry more about the onions burning than if I had a glass pan? Also, what about other cheeses misses the mark compared to Gruyere? I've had some disasters that way, but Comte seems to be pretty good taste-wise. OTOH, I haven't trying really browning the cheese on top (can't wait that long).
The metal pan may cause excessive browning or even burning at the bottom. This will depend on the onions themselves (there is a lot of variation) and the convection of your oven. Glass or ceramic is much safer. You could lower the temperature and increase the time to try and help, but too late now. As for the cheese, Gruyere is traditional, but you can use whatever you like. Definitely wait another minute for the cheese to brown. I mean, you put all of this time into it, so what's another few seconds?
The smart way of salting a soup is to divide it into two portions. Add salt to one of them, keeping track of how much you are adding. Taste it. If you have accidentally added too much, then you have the other half of the soup with no salt in it to use to cut the salt back with. If you get it just right, then add the same amount of salt to the other half and combine.
Great video! I have one question: how many (grams of) onions would you use for let's say 1 litre of stock? When I try this I want to get the proportions right.
Several. years ago UA-cam deleted all annotations from everyone's videos. The information is in my cookbook series if you have that. Alternatively, members of my channel receive links to all of the videos on another site where the annotations have been laboriously restored. Sorry, I hope you understand, but I have been getting requests like this for years now and I can't take the time to research each thing for free. If you do decide to become a member, be sure to follow the directions on the "Member Benefits" video so you get the links.
@@CookinginRussia Completely understandable! I will guesstimate the onion soup and if it's a success you have yourself a new member. Thank you for the swift reply.
Nazia Khan Do you eat ripe fruit? There is more alcohol in a piece of ripe fruit than there is in a bowl of this soup with the sherry in it. You can leave it out, but there is no rational reason to.
Please Chef can you list the ingredients in the notes , the annotations are gone. from youtube: Update: We will stop showing existing annotations to viewers starting on 15 January 2019. All existing annotations will be removed.
Some fans have posted links to the text of annotations to all of my videos if you look in the comments section of my last video... ua-cam.com/video/qoVp7L5Wdqc/v-deo.html
Pretty easy for any cook. Used about 7 or 8 large knarley onions, lost a lot of the root/heart parts. Got a quart of stock from the butcher( real) shop, very close in look and weight. Made it for my son who likes the french onion soup at Paneras. Makes a little over a quart, maybe a table spoon. I can't say what the finished soup taste like, vegan, but my son liked it cold, congealed, with very light salt, I did taste it before cooling to add salt, very sweet.
+Hollis Inman (Jack) The sweetness is countered with a touch of sherry vinegar. Also, there's no telling what was in the stock you used. If you make the stock I'm suggesting here some time, you'll see what I mean. Thanks for leaving feedback!
You are such a show-off with that garlic! LOL. So jealous! Just teasing. I am going to try your method the next time I make this soup. So far I haven't had any trouble with it being too sweet, but have had to add some sugar at the end because it became a bit 'tangy' at the end. Thank for your videos. I really enjoy learning from them.
Look so good. I'm going to make it this Saturday for my family gathering. I've never made beef stock before, do you have a preference with a premade one? And also what kind of cheese was used again? Thanks!! I really liked how you took your time explaining everything :)
+Lisa Martin Thank you. I have the recipe for the beef stock for this as a video on UA-cam, you know? The commercial product will never come close to what you will make yourself here. The traditional cheese for this is Emmentaler or Gruyere (both from Switzerland).
Chef, I have a question, if you could get vidialia onions, which are considered sweet onions by nature, would you use those in this recipe, or would it matter because of the braising? I have a date next saturday night and I want to impress her with this recipe. Im starting the beef stock on Sunday night. Thanks Chef...
I would stick with ordinary onions. Otherwise you could end up with something sugary sweet, which would be disgusting. The recipe is balanced for regular yellow onions. When you make a substitution in a recipe, you should have a reason. Was this soup sour last time? Then maybe use a sweeter onion - but we know that wasn't an issue!
I've just recently become interested in cooking and I have to say it's very intimidating for someone like me who has no experience. Even terminology and getting ingredients together can seem overwhelming. It's hard to coordinate the timing when making multiple dishes as well because I don't know how long anything really takes to cook to perfection. Maybe it's really as easy as you make it look. I know it takes practice, but you should see me chop up an onion. Still a bit brutal. Thanks for the video.
Just pay attention to what you are doing and try to get a little better every time. You eat at least a couple of times a day, so you have plenty of reason to practice. The timing of multiple dishes and having them all be hot at the same instant will take a lot of time. If you think that's difficult, imagine how much practice it takes for a chef in a restaurant who has to coordinate several different orders for different tables all at the same time on a perpetual basis, hour after hour. After a few years of that, cooking a meal at home and having everything finish at the same instant is as easy as breathing, but obviously you can't start out that way.
do as me make saturday a bit special ..make the plan.. go shoping ..prep the the stuff ...when its time to make the food have nice glass of wine and just enjoy the time ..it is an addicting and a real fun hobbie "saturday is my day free from any duty ":)
Chef could you please elaborate on why I don't see the ingredient list? I mean I've already checked my annotations & they are turned on. It's not just this video I tried 3 others as well just to check what's going on here. I may not be the most experienced tech person but still. It's really strange
On January 15, UA-cam erased all annotations from everyone's videos. The directions were preserved on alternate websites by loyal fans, and you can find links to those pages in the comments of almost every video if you look.
@@CookinginRussia I see. Well thank you for the insight regarding this topic Still I don't understand why UA-cam would do that but okay I'll check out those alternative websites then Have a great day !
I want to serve this as a first course. What pairs well with it for a main course? I'd appreciate a meat option as well as a vegetarian option. Preferably French but not obligatory.
For a meat option, Tournedos Rossini. For a vegetarian option, Eggplant Parmesan. Not that the latter is necessarily perfect, but French vegetarian dishes are not really my thing.
So I'd never had French Onion Soup in my life but I'd heard a few of my overseas friends going on about it. Found this recipe and made it. WHAT A REVELATION At the very end I was trying the soup in between each addition and holy crap! I kept thinking it couldn't possibly get better - and then it did! I need to quadruple this recipe next time - that might just be enough for me. My flatmate will be shit out of luck!
I use the Marco pierre knorr stock pod things and it turned out great . Ok but not as good as this. Question chef. Given natural stock has lovely gelatinous nature would it be entirely pointless to add gelatin to stock made via knorr pods etc? My thinking being does this aid thickening and could you cheat in this way to avoid cornflour/ other thickening? Great to see you back btw. This channel is a gem.
Thank you. I get this question surprisingly often. Adding gelatine is not at all the same. If you have read my cookbook series (particularly Volume 3), you should know why. Cheers!
@@CookinginRussia yeah you’ve got a smart business model anyway. Leave out that vital 10% of magic. Note : I’m leaving thyme out of this next time because I got horrible musty flavour and odd background note. Probably just old but i was never a fan anyway.
deep pal No. Those are completely unrelated cooking methods. Braising refers to long, slow cooking at a low temperature with a small amount of liquid in a closed vessel. Grilling is pretty much the exact opposite - high heat, open air, short cooking time.
deep pal The time and temperature is shown in the recipe. This uses a standard oven - not a broiler or microwave. You could use convection if you have no regular setting, I suppose. Make sure the temperature is set according to the directions in the video.
Dang, that is great. Best cooking channel on UA-cam, by far. Shared this with my buddies. Love the comparative simplicity of your recipes. They all look great and tasty.
Wow, this looks so good. I love French Onion soup. I made Tyler Florence's version a month or so ago and was not impressed. The onions turned into a gummy mush, I'm guessing because his version calls for a dusting of a healthy amount of flour. I'm so looking forward to this. Thank you
+Josh.A Mendelsohn Beware television "chefs", they are primarily actors reading scripts from amateur cook writers. This recipe will not disappoint. Cheers!
Question, Chef. I made this yesterday but I did not have that many hours to allocate to baking the onions. Instead I french chopped them as you demonstrated and cooked slowly on the stove. It came out great, but I was wondering if you think it is actually possible to over-carmelize the onions? I mean they were not just sweet, they tasted like candy! My wife could not believe that I didn't add any sugar (tasted before adding wine). Is this the intent, or is this actually a mistake on my part?
Hi, great video, thanks very much. Just wondering, would using vegetable stock make a big difference to the overall outcome of the soup? I'm only asking as sometimes I cook for friends who are vegan. Cheers.
Has anyone tried using this method of cutting the onions on the stovetop? Would the onions break apart naturally the same as shown here in the oven? Seems a good compromise between using the onion sugars and not needing 4hrs prep time.
Pretty sure you can only get away with the large chunks of onions due to the braising. If you tried this in a stock pot on the stove, you'd have uneven cooking.
Would like to start making the soup. I understand the directions but I would like to know the exact amounts in the recipe. Any chance you can send it to me ?
The specific amounts and other necessary printed directions are already there in annotations. The problem is that you are trying to view this on a cell phone or tablet, which UA-cam is not fully compatible with. Try using a regular computer or laptop and you will get the complete picture. Cheers!
I can't seem to cook my onions right they come out too dark to mushy because I have to keep stirring every 5 minutes keeping my stove on the lowest setting, I tried 3 hours but they were too dark after an hour 30 minutes
Chad Trahan If you are using the method in my video here (which is unclear from what you wrote), then your oven is probably not calibrated correctly. Check the temperature with an oven thermometer, and call for service, if needed.
Hi there chef... not only did I make this recipe last weekend, I also made your beef stock as well. This is not the first time I've made "french"onion soup. I've tried the Julia child's version, Martha stewart and I've also winged it and created my own.. etc. It's not exactly brain science for most of us who have that natural desire to cook.. and it's also a wonderful economical meal that came along around the time of the great depression. I do however agree that there are some techniques that will definitely make for a better tasting soup and you explained those techniques quite well. For one (1) I just have to say that your version of this awesome soup was a hit with my dinner quests and family, the best recipe by far without question. (2) I will never stand over a pan to fry onions again, the oven method was so much more conveniant and it seems to draw out the onion flavor much better. (3) In the future I will ALWAYS prepare a double batch of this french onion soup! Did I mention that there was a request from my family for a repeat performance? LoL Yes, sooo very true.. I made this soup twice in one week because my family was absolutely craving it! In the past if I did not have homemade beef stock on hand I would buy the best boxed version I could find and then I'd add a half cup of homemade chicken stock just for richness. Just a small tip for ppl who don't have the time nor desire to prepare their own beef stock. My opinion, beef stock is more of a hassle to make verses chicken stock but well worth it to try the chef's recipe at least once. You may never buy the boxed version of beef stock again! I had enough stock left over after making those two batches of soup that I also added some to a couple rice and cous cous dishes. Thank you chef for sharing this recipe, I truly can not praise it enough! ~Shine~ WA, State :-)
Thank you very much for your feedback. I have over a hundred recipe videos up on this channel now, in case you haven't already subscribed or looked through the catalog here: ua-cam.com/users/CookinginRussiavideos As for Julia Child, what is interesting to consider is that she never worked in a restaurant. She turned one course that she took into a lifetime career, because she was at the right place at the right time. Americans at that point in history were doing well economically, but still quite clueless about food. Very much a parallel to Russia today. The same sort of transformation is going on here that was going on in 1950's America.
Thank you Chef for this amazing recipe. I have three questions before I make this since it will be a time consuming process: 1) is the weight of onion indicated in your ingredient list after or before they get deeply peeled? 2) can I braise the onions in a crock pot as I don't have a "braising dish" ? If not, what would be my alternative ? And 3) for the sherry wine vinegar (dry not sweet), I have on hand Sherry Vinegar (Maille brand) -- it doesn't say sweet or dry but states "aged in oak barrel and acid it is 7%" -- would this be appropriate to use in this recipe? Thank you so much again , looking forward to making this
1. The weight is after peeling. 2. No. A crock pot can not be used as I have explained in great detail in my cookbook series. If you are serious at all about cooking, get a ceramic braising dish. They are not expensive. You don't need a ridiculously overpriced Le Creuset. 3. Yes, that vinegar will be just fine. Thanks for writing!
finally someone who does the proper recipe.
+Sky Vins great to see this from a top-chef....I'm learning to cook, thanks to internet/ UA-cam.
Kin news live
Dr. Easter, I made this last weekend using your Beef stock recipe. Needless to say it turned out ridiculously good. Kids and wife loved it. My 6 year old thinks daddy is a better cook than mommy. This is my first victory in about 8 years :)
I just made this for my dad today and it was AMAZING. My dad loved it so much, he had 2 servings and skipped the main course! You wont believe how sweet the onions get with the braising method.
THANK YOU!
-Martin
+martikol Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback! Be sure to try some of my other recipes here, if you haven't already.
+CookinginRussia i have tried your other recipes however it took me a while to do this particular as it takes a lot of time and effort. Plus, the last time i tried making french onion soup, i burned the onions trying to caramelize them (homecook blunders ) so i figured your method was worth a try
ANNOTATIONS
0:01.000
(The Full Monty)
0:10.400
Also, this video will show you how to cut the onion so that you will not add any sugar. In fact, you will add some vinegar instead. The beef stock used for this is the finest quality, as it must be for authentic French Onion Soup, as served in the best restaurants.
0:10.400
CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE BEEF STOCK RECIPE IN ANOTHER WINDOW.
0:10.400
This is a professional restaurant recipe. The methods will seem unorthodox, but the results are far superior. When we have to make 20 gallons of French Onion soup in a restaurant, we can't have 10 cooks are standing over 20 pots of onions stirring for hours. There are more efficient ways.
0:26.800
INGREDIENTS
750g (26 oz) Beef Stock
1.2kg (2.6 lbs) Yellow Onions
2 Bay Leaves
1 Garlic clove
Sherry Wine, dry -- not sweet
Balsamic Vinegar, good quality
Thyme (ideally fresh, but dried is okay)
Gruyere Cheese and Bread for croutons
Butter, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper
0:35.900
Use the best quality of onions you can find.
10:14.700
Additional note: I suggest adding some Gruyere (and ONLY Gruyere) cheese to the top of the soup OVER the crouton. Let the cheese melt into the soup as well as more being on the crouton. It won't look as good, but the flavor will be divine!
10:20.200
Photo courtesy of Chef Robert Span
2:12.597
By ONLY cutting the onion like this, and using your fingers (not a knife) to remove the core, then braising, the onions will be naturally very sweet without adding any sugar.
3:01.588
Melt 30 grams (1 oz) butter + 1 T olive oil, as shown.
4:11.088
Return to the oven (same temperature) for 30 minutes more, then stir again, and cook a final 30 minutes, for a total cooking time of 4 hours.
4:43.921
NOW you can cut them up without causing them to become harsh tasting.
4:55.555
You will use a total of 750g (1.6 lb) of the beef stock made in the other video. I'm adding only a little of that now to help the onions cut evenly.
5:30.222
You will also add one clove of garlic, finely cut. Don't use a garlic press to crush it. Cut it by hand for this recipe. You want it very finely cut.
6:19.100
Then spread butter - ideally garlic butter you made yourself - onto one side of the croutons (day old bread slices). You will cook these slowly.
7:23.349
That is, the side you buttered is the one that you will put down on the pan, and you will melt the Gruyere cheese on the other side now.
9:49.632
Here's a general rule of thumb to keep in mind - whenever a savory dish has a lot of natural sweetness to it, adding salt must be undertaken with the utmost care. This is when the salt balance is the most critical of all.
I want to thank you again for adding the annotations. I lost the link I had to them when my windows updated recently and wiped out my favorites bar.
I followed your advice and made the soup, absolutely perfect. My husband was seriously impressed. Thank you.
Thank you for taking time to leave feedback. I appreciate it! Be sure to check out some of my other videos, if you haven't already - now approaching nearly 300 of them!
Great. I apprentice as a sauciere with French Chefs 35 yrs ago. Now retired but do
volunteer work at rest. The new Gen of chefs I beliee must have forgot their culinary classes etc. I bring your video and my old classic info verifying what I try to explain.
The Rest. Owners believe the young gen. and constantly I watch their frustration on
consistency and quality. The chefs don't share info, hide their recipie specials, I hope
to bring your quality to their table.
Tres Bien mon ami.
Somewhere around 15-20 years ago, the culinary arts made a sudden abrupt turn in which looks became more important than taste in haute cuisine. Most younger chefs now are either fry cooks or frustrated artists who know much more about painting and design than they do about cooking, unfortunately.
Robert Cook
Just out of curiosity, honest question, why does it matter which way ya cut the onion if you ya end up pureeing them in the end?
It doesn't at all. The particular lengthways cut referenced in recipes is only important if you leave actual caramelised onions in tact.
Chef, this soup is amazing. Your approach makes so much sense once you understand the nature of the food and cooking. I tried to make this soup before using the methods everyone else uses, the "chop and stir, stir, stir" method, and the final product never matched the effort that went into it. Your technique is something only a professional knows, so I am grateful to you for sharing this "trade secret"! Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. I appreciate it! Be sure to look through some of my other recipe videos if you haven't already. I include little-known professional methods in all of them.
I just want to tell you that I find your videos very informative, educational, and unpretentious. Thank you very much!
Him giggling while commenting that he thought everyone knew the center of the onion can taste bitter and should be removed, that is the definition of pretentious.
I enjoyed the fact that you were clearly frustrated with other methods of making french onion soup while you were discussing the recipe, it shows you are truly passionate about the quality of your food. You earned yourself a subscriber.
Thank you. That is often the case with recipes, especially in this age of the Internet when every housewife thinks they are qualified to teach on UA-cam and the general public can't tell the difference between a trained Michelin star chef and a rank amateur.
I finally made this recipe step by step this weekend, and not only was I pleased, but my friends (who came to visit from Europe) said it was the best French onion soup they ever had. Thanks.
Mark Burgh thank you for leaving feedback. I appreciate it!
Made this with your Classic French "Best Quality" Brown Beef Stock, as recommended. Wow. Your technique of braising the onions produced magical results. The aroma in my apartment went from harsh onions after an hour braising to sweet and mellow wonder after three hours. The final result was outstanding. After returning to the US after 4 years in Paris, expectations for my French Onion Soup were quite high. This definitely delivered!! Thanks!
+Michelle Anthony Thank you. I appreciate you taking time to leave feedback! Please take a look at some of my other videos if you haven't already. Cheers!
Thanks! did not know about the onion cutting driections impact on the sweetness.
Yum - I wish I had a nice bowl of this right now! That is nice to know about the method for cutting the onions.
I just wanted to finally leave a comment . I come here every time I go to prepare this soup . Here are a few things I have done at my home. Once we had French onion that had ox tail meat and it was delicious. Since I use the beef stock I strain off a roast I make In my pressure cooker for this recipie I keep the smallest amount of actual meat in the stock before I freeze it. It's the only thing I have ever done different than the exact way he makes this. It is a huge hit here and the absolute best recipie I have found . Honestly it's nice no to have to babysit onions either.
Thank you for leaving feedback. I appreciate it! Be sure to check out some of my other 300+ video recipes (if you haven't already).
I made this following your clear and somewhat entertaining tutorial and it turned out ro be the most delicous onion soup I have ever tasted! The braised onions are absolutley divine. I couldn't stop "ooh!"ing and "ahh"ing after every gulp. I found your channel about a month ago and subscribed. You are my favorite and clearly the best chef teacher on UA-cam as well as on the planet. I bought all 3 of your books last week and cannot wait to read these treasures. Meanwhile, I have tried out several of your recipes with great success. I made notes as I watched and rewatched each video (no computer for annotations) but I think I can improve on it after I learn more from your books. Your videos also have the most positive and informative viewer feedback which is enjoyable to read. Wishing you a great success at the new restaurant you now are at and I hope you now and then may find time to continue your invaluable tutorials. Meanwhile I have over 200 videos that I am looking forward to watching. Aloha and mahalo nui loa!
Thank you. That is very nice to hear!
I made your French Onion Soup for dinner this evening and it was wonderful! Never will I cut onions the way I use to. Your tips make all the difference in making a meal go from being good to being fantastic! Thank you so much!
Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback, too!
Just did today! Delicious! Thank you for recipe!
+Jana Pravdova Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. I appreciate it!
Thank you! I sincerely hope you enjoy it.
awesome,thank you for sharing this beautiful soup recipe
Strela Natalia be sure to check out some of my other 300+ video recipes, too. Thank you!
Surely will do
you know chef, when I make this soup, I am going to try not to be paranoid. When I mess up on the garlic dipping sauce or the cabbage dumplings, there is not a large amount of time invested, but the stock alone for this awesome French onion soup takes 3 days. I will add about 1/8 teaspoon of salt at a time to ensure i do not ruin this. It is so amazing how the Chefs of yesterday took so much pride in the final product. I sure hope we find our way back to what culinary used to be and should be as well.....
+shair00 They still take pride in the finished product, but the difference is that today about 90% of the attention is on the look of a dish rather than the flavor.
+CookinginRussia I heartily agree with you - way too much effort is being paid on presentation
Very nice video. I'm going to make this for sure.
I have been looking for this video forever. I used it back in the day. Glad to find it again!
I've taken cooking classes and never heard this about onions. Definitely something to look into. Thanks for the wonderful video
It doesn't seem to have any real scientific support, but to each their own! I personally don't like to waste so much of the onions so I'll use more of it.
The reason for "deep peeling" would be to eliminate the more fibrous part of the onion, thus enhancing texture and mouthfeel. The reason for making fewer cuts in the onions would be to reduce the amount of oxidation of sulfurous components thereby decreasing acridity or bitterness that would detract from the onions' natural sweetness. Thus, no need for extra sugar.
Sound 'bout right, Chef?
Anywho, you don't have to throw those extraneous onion parts out. Use them in stock or another recipe.
I appreciate your attention to detail and how every step was thought through.
Thank you. Be sure to check out some of my other 170 recipe videos, if you haven't already!
Did youtube remove the annotations? I'm trying to find ingredients and amounts but it doesn't seem to be working
I made this yesterday and was amazing! It was even better the second day, ( removed the fat from the top) I made the stock with beef ribs and was wonderful as well. Thank you for sharing the knowledge, I never knew onions could be so good!
Thank you for leaving feedback. I appreciate it! Be sure to check out some of my other videos if you haven't already.
Chef, is the 2.6 lbs. of yellow onions the weight before you deep peel or after? I'm trying to adjust the recipe for more people.
Thank you.
+atleiker Weights of vegetables are always after peeling in professional recipes. Thank you for checking, too!
BEST ONION SOUP YOU WILL EVER MAKE!!! Thats my review of this soup.
Good sir, I found this recipe about 5 years ago and haven't looked back since. I love it, my loves it and my kids live it. Its an absolute favorite all around.
I had no idea about how to cut the onions and now I know. Ive watched a few other videos on Frensh Onion soup and they all cut the onions wrong! lmao. Not that Im a trained chef and KNOW, but this recipe is si damn good I dont even want to bother with, what i precive to be, sub par advice. Im SO happy to have found this recipe that I also bought one of your cook books.
Chef, I am trying this recipe today. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks for all your UA-cam content, it's great!
Great method . I will have to do that . Thanks for the information.
I have made this Soup many times, I have researched this Soup many times. Only to find out I was doing it wrong all of the time. Chef, this is a beauty well done and thank you.
+Lumpy Q Thank you. I appreciate that!
+CookinginRussia I bought your book vol.2 but it's out of stock at amazon. When is your book up and running? I love those books
army guy Thank you. Unfortunately I have no idea about the shipping, so I can't tell you. I can say that it won't be very long, but I realize that doesn't help you much. You should contact Amazon and ask them.
+army guy Could you please tell me the name of the book?
Chester Puffington "Cooking in Russia" - here's a link for more information...
ua-cam.com/video/Cg4uwKGVSi0/v-deo.html
I made this yesterday, it was superb.. I had made this dish only once before using the standard short-cut recipes commonly seen on youtube --- harsh and too rich..your advice on the correct way to cut onions for this dish made ALL the difference
Thank you! Please have a look through my other videos, if you haven't already. ua-cam.com/users/CookinginRussia
Another awesome recipe & video, thank you for sharing that.
+shramj Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. I appreciate it! More videos are coming soon.
Thanks so much, very professional and so clearly explained.
Thank you. Please take a look at my other videos, if you haven't already!
Made it today. But first, I drove to the city to buy sherry. I wanted no exceptions from your recipe. The result was extremely satisfying. I can't wait my husband goes back from work and tries this soup. Thank you Chef for this recipe!
nice to learn something new,, I didn't know about the root of the onion. GREAT VIDEO
Thank you!
I have learned SO much from this video! Great tips and pointers! Found your channel from searching for borscht. Amazing channel!
Thank you.. I have about 300 videos on UA-cam, in case you haven't noticed. Cheers!
I also have to add that after going on a binge of your videos, you have REIGNITED my love for cooking. I haven’t cooked in 3 years, but I’m back and forth between your videos and looking on amazon for a certain tool I’ve seen you use (like the Jaccard tenderizer) and just even getting myself a scale to measure the correct grams so I could fully follow your recipe! I’m even looking into getting your cookbooks!! Thank you for these jewels of videos and for your inspiration.
Thank you for the feedback. You will find that my cookbooks contain a wealth of information that I could never pack into videos, especially Volumes 2 and 3.
CookinginRussia yes, I have read the glowing reviews on all the books on amazon and even from different scattered comments on UA-cam. I feel like once I have all these books, these are the only cooking books I’ll really ever need. I completely trust that you’ve got us covered! If you’re this thorough in these videos, I can imagine the books would be bursting at the seams with nuggets of education. Thanks again, Chef! Cheers to you
@@lexiegrl09 - I actually have a Volume 4 that is about 85% complete, but no time to finish it now. I hope to in the future, but in the meantime I am happy to have gotten this much published thus far!
This was absolutely delicious. Thank you.
Thank you for leaving feedback!
This is a must try recipe .... Looks super delicious ....
it's 11:30 at night and I've already watched 3 videos. my new favorite channel. subscribed. I'm trying to become a better cook for family and friends. thanks for the great videos!
Thank you very much. I appreciate your enthusiasm. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Excellent going to the kitchen now. Just cold enough for my favorite soup. But I will order it out any time ☺
No offence but when I saw your cutting board and your knife I thought ok heres a kitchen Cook. but after watching 3 videos from you (this being my third) you have taught me things I never knew. Cutting onions this way for french onion soup is such an overlooked process thank you!!!
That's good to hear. Hopefully you were able to locate Gruyere cheese in your area. This whole recipe is designed to compliment that particular cheese.
Can I do this soup 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge?
Well, I dont have enough words to tell you how much I learned from this video, not just about this soup, but about cooking in general. I will never look at a french onion soup video the same ever again. I will have to try this when I can make a beef stock like the one in your previous video. This looks amazing, it really really does.
people mercilessly knock accordion music but in the right hands it's sublime.
love the passion chef. long cooks on these onions is key. congrats and thank you again
Thank you. Very informative and professional. Thank you for the great work!
Thank you. Be sure to check out some of my other recipe videos if you haven't already!
unfortunately didn't have time to do stock as instructed, had to make do with some pre-made stuff but the soup was still superb, absolutely loved it, the way you do onions is just so easy and croutons were great. I have got to say, there's a lot of people on the internet giving you their best take on how things should be done, it's refreshing to be instructed by an expert and it makes ALL the difference. Practice makes perfect..as they say.
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. Be sure to check out some of my other recipes, if you haven't already!
You are truly a proper cook. Nice.
I can't wait to make this Chef. Much thanks, French onion soup has always been my favorite, and i can't wait to taste it the way it's meant to be.
Is it possible the first part in oven
Could it go in slow cooker
Overnight?
Does anyone know how much beef stock was used??
Love the tips. I was wondering since it is a form of braising could I use a slow cooker?
+pach No - a crock pot is not the same thing. I get asked this question a lot. I explain this in detail in the second volume of my cookbook which will be out next month.
+CookinginRussia thanks for the quick reply. Looking forward to vol. 2
I'm out os sheri , what can substitute for it , making tomorrow
What knife did you use to fine dice your garlic? It looked like a Damascus steel, which make was it? Thank you.
Shun. I use them for finer work, but I tend to use Henckels for routine chores.
Thank you very much. I sincerely appreciate it, and I hope you will continue to find my new videos interesting.
Just a thank you note for revealing the wisdom and knowledge you have gained through your lifetime for free (I know you sell books, but these videos are very valuable too). I am a beginner cook but have the same ardor that I find in you - strive for perfectionism!
Thank you for writing. I appreciate it! If you have any questions or problems, feel free to ask. I answer specific questions as a top priority 365 days a year.
I wish you showed the broiler step at the end. I'm a bit lost on your additional note. It says add Gruyere to the top of the soup OVER the crouton. Is this after the boiler step, and is the Gruyere added over top of the already cheesed crouton?
The topping is up to you. There are several approaches. The one you most often see in restaurants is just to pile cheese on the top and broil it until it melts and turns golden. You can add croutons in with the cheese, or you can make cheese bread separately and float it in top. It is up to you, and there is no wrong way of doing it.
Chef, I hope I did not screw the pooch! I have the stock simmered to 42 ounces, its as clear of a stock as I ever made (I used a fine strainer). I have it in the fridge and I just realized, the onions will be done in the oven but I wont be cooking this for another 16 hours! In your video, the onions went right into the food processor. Will the onions be ok if I do not use them until tomorrow?
Sure - not a problem. That's actually a normal occurrence in a restaurant.
CookinginRussia Thanks bud.
Chef, I bought yellow onions but I think they were something else because they turned out to be sweet sweet onions. The lady who joined me that day did not believe I did not add any sugar and her child LOVED that soup, how many 7 year old love french onion soup? The vinegar was a great balance, I used imported from Italy, but I think the onions were not what the store claimed, I think these were sweet onions.
I can't say without having tasted it. The onions come out quite sweet this way from the cut and the braise, so it is entirely possible they were regular onions and you just aren't used to them coming out like this. Make it again and check the onions first (always a good idea to inspect every ingredient before using it anyway). Cheers!
i've made this soup a dozen times by now. it's the best recipe.
chef, I don't have access to the Shelly wine. Would you think using some red dry wine instead is going to be just fine or what else would you recommend? Thank you very much
Sherry wine, which is obviously what you meant to say, is a fortified sweet white wine. It is pretty much the exact opposite of a dry red wine. I'm wondering where you could be that you can't find sherry? Even Russia makes their own sherry, and I've never been anywhere that it isn't in a store - even in New Guinea.
CookinginRussia I live in a small town in Italy, I'll buy it from Amazon then. Thank you very much chef
You could use Vin Santo, which should be very easy for you to fine. Especially, Bianco della Valdinievole, which would be quite close.
Thank you once again. I look forward to hearing back what you thought of it.
As I type, the onions are braising in the oven. Two questions: all I have is a big stainless-lined copper pan with lid. Do I have to modify the oven temp or worry more about the onions burning than if I had a glass pan? Also, what about other cheeses misses the mark compared to Gruyere? I've had some disasters that way, but Comte seems to be pretty good taste-wise. OTOH, I haven't trying really browning the cheese on top (can't wait that long).
The metal pan may cause excessive browning or even burning at the bottom. This will depend on the onions themselves (there is a lot of variation) and the convection of your oven. Glass or ceramic is much safer. You could lower the temperature and increase the time to try and help, but too late now.
As for the cheese, Gruyere is traditional, but you can use whatever you like. Definitely wait another minute for the cheese to brown. I mean, you put all of this time into it, so what's another few seconds?
does it matter what type of salt you use? if its too salty can you add a little more water or stock?
The smart way of salting a soup is to divide it into two portions. Add salt to one of them, keeping track of how much you are adding. Taste it. If you have accidentally added too much, then you have the other half of the soup with no salt in it to use to cut the salt back with. If you get it just right, then add the same amount of salt to the other half and combine.
Great video! I have one question: how many (grams of) onions would you use for let's say 1 litre of stock? When I try this I want to get the proportions right.
Several. years ago UA-cam deleted all annotations from everyone's videos. The information is in my cookbook series if you have that. Alternatively, members of my channel receive links to all of the videos on another site where the annotations have been laboriously restored. Sorry, I hope you understand, but I have been getting requests like this for years now and I can't take the time to research each thing for free. If you do decide to become a member, be sure to follow the directions on the "Member Benefits" video so you get the links.
@@CookinginRussia Completely understandable! I will guesstimate the onion soup and if it's a success you have yourself a new member. Thank you for the swift reply.
How to make beef stock and is it fine.... if I don't add sherry or any other liquor?
Nazia Khan Do you eat ripe fruit? There is more alcohol in a piece of ripe fruit than there is in a bowl of this soup with the sherry in it. You can leave it out, but there is no rational reason to.
I made this step by step....it was wonderful!
Please Chef can you list the ingredients in the notes , the annotations are gone.
from youtube: Update: We will stop showing existing annotations to viewers starting on 15 January 2019. All existing annotations will be removed.
Some fans have posted links to the text of annotations to all of my videos if you look in the comments section of my last video...
ua-cam.com/video/qoVp7L5Wdqc/v-deo.html
This looks so good! Do you think it is possible to make a big batch and freeze some or will it ruin the flavour?
+skinnylolly Yes, you can. Soups are good candidates for freezing. Especially this one.
+CookinginRussia Thank you :)
Pretty easy for any cook. Used about 7 or 8 large knarley onions, lost a lot of the root/heart parts. Got a quart of stock from the butcher( real) shop, very close in look and weight. Made it for my son who likes the french onion soup at Paneras. Makes a little over a quart, maybe a table spoon. I can't say what the finished soup taste like, vegan, but my son liked it cold, congealed, with very light salt, I did taste it before cooling to add salt, very sweet.
+Hollis Inman (Jack) The sweetness is countered with a touch of sherry vinegar. Also, there's no telling what was in the stock you used. If you make the stock I'm suggesting here some time, you'll see what I mean. Thanks for leaving feedback!
You are such a show-off with that garlic! LOL. So jealous! Just teasing. I am going to try your method the next time I make this soup. So far I haven't had any trouble with it being too sweet, but have had to add some sugar at the end because it became a bit 'tangy' at the end. Thank for your videos. I really enjoy learning from them.
Thank you for your comment! You won't need any sugar if you do it this way.
Made this a few days ago... awesome!
This is great. French onion soup is my favorite soup.
Look so good. I'm going to make it this Saturday for my family gathering. I've never made beef stock before, do you have a preference with a premade one? And also what kind of cheese was used again? Thanks!! I really liked how you took your time explaining everything :)
+Lisa Martin Thank you. I have the recipe for the beef stock for this as a video on UA-cam, you know? The commercial product will never come close to what you will make yourself here. The traditional cheese for this is Emmentaler or Gruyere (both from Switzerland).
Chef, I have a question, if you could get vidialia onions, which are considered sweet onions by nature, would you use those in this recipe, or would it matter because of the braising? I have a date next saturday night and I want to impress her with this recipe. Im starting the beef stock on Sunday night. Thanks Chef...
I would stick with ordinary onions. Otherwise you could end up with something sugary sweet, which would be disgusting. The recipe is balanced for regular yellow onions. When you make a substitution in a recipe, you should have a reason. Was this soup sour last time? Then maybe use a sweeter onion - but we know that wasn't an issue!
I've just recently become interested in cooking and I have to say it's very intimidating for someone like me who has no experience. Even terminology and getting ingredients together can seem overwhelming. It's hard to coordinate the timing when making multiple dishes as well because I don't know how long anything really takes to cook to perfection. Maybe it's really as easy as you make it look. I know it takes practice, but you should see me chop up an onion. Still a bit brutal. Thanks for the video.
Just pay attention to what you are doing and try to get a little better every time. You eat at least a couple of times a day, so you have plenty of reason to practice. The timing of multiple dishes and having them all be hot at the same instant will take a lot of time. If you think that's difficult, imagine how much practice it takes for a chef in a restaurant who has to coordinate several different orders for different tables all at the same time on a perpetual basis, hour after hour. After a few years of that, cooking a meal at home and having everything finish at the same instant is as easy as breathing, but obviously you can't start out that way.
do as me make saturday a bit special ..make the plan.. go shoping ..prep the the stuff ...when its time to make the food have nice glass of wine and just enjoy the time ..it is an addicting and a real fun hobbie "saturday is my day free from any duty ":)
one question would i be able to put the onions in a crock pot???
You can, but the results will not be as good. I explain the reasons for this in detail in Volume 2 of my cookbook series.
Chef could you please elaborate on why I don't see the ingredient list?
I mean I've already checked my annotations & they are turned on.
It's not just this video I tried 3 others as well just to check what's going on here.
I may not be the most experienced tech person but still.
It's really strange
On January 15, UA-cam erased all annotations from everyone's videos. The directions were preserved on alternate websites by loyal fans, and you can find links to those pages in the comments of almost every video if you look.
@@CookinginRussia
I see. Well thank you for the insight regarding this topic
Still I don't understand why UA-cam would do that but okay
I'll check out those alternative websites then
Have a great day !
Thank you, chef. I got a few pointers here. I'm disabled and My time at the stove is limited. Good stock is key. You have serious knife skills.
You're very welcome. Indeed, good stock is the key to this soup.
CookinginRussia and
Jeannette Lockwood and what?
I want to serve this as a first course. What pairs well with it for a main course?
I'd appreciate a meat option as well as a vegetarian option. Preferably French but not obligatory.
For a meat option, Tournedos Rossini. For a vegetarian option, Eggplant Parmesan. Not that the latter is necessarily perfect, but French vegetarian dishes are not really my thing.
Genius. Thank you for the onion tips.
Thank you! I have some other videos coming, as time allows - so please do check back.
So I'd never had French Onion Soup in my life but I'd heard a few of my overseas friends going on about it. Found this recipe and made it.
WHAT
A
REVELATION
At the very end I was trying the soup in between each addition and holy crap! I kept thinking it couldn't possibly get better - and then it did!
I need to quadruple this recipe next time - that might just be enough for me. My flatmate will be shit out of luck!
Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. Be sure to check out some of my other recipes here, if you haven't already. Cheers!
I use the Marco pierre knorr stock pod things and it turned out great . Ok but not as good as this. Question chef. Given natural stock has lovely gelatinous nature would it be entirely pointless to add gelatin to stock made via knorr pods etc? My thinking being does this aid thickening and could you cheat in this way to avoid cornflour/ other thickening? Great to see you back btw. This channel is a gem.
Thank you. I get this question surprisingly often. Adding gelatine is not at all the same. If you have read my cookbook series (particularly Volume 3), you should know why. Cheers!
@@CookinginRussia yeah you’ve got a smart business model anyway. Leave out that vital 10% of magic. Note : I’m leaving thyme out of this next time because I got horrible musty flavour and odd background note. Probably just old but i was never a fan anyway.
@@cannibalholocaust3015 - Thyme only has a "musty flavor" if it is rotted or you have some odd allergy.
by braising are you referring to grilling ?
deep pal No. Those are completely unrelated cooking methods. Braising refers to long, slow cooking at a low temperature with a small amount of liquid in a closed vessel. Grilling is pretty much the exact opposite - high heat, open air, short cooking time.
You had put the onions in the oven - which option do I choose - convection , grill or simply microwave - sorry for being so naive .
deep pal The time and temperature is shown in the recipe. This uses a standard oven - not a broiler or microwave. You could use convection if you have no regular setting, I suppose. Make sure the temperature is set according to the directions in the video.
Dang, that is great. Best cooking channel on UA-cam, by far. Shared this with my buddies. Love the comparative simplicity of your recipes. They all look great and tasty.
Wow, this looks so good. I love French Onion soup. I made Tyler Florence's version a month or so ago and was not impressed. The onions turned into a gummy mush, I'm guessing because his version calls for a dusting of a healthy amount of flour. I'm so looking forward to this. Thank you
+Josh.A Mendelsohn Beware television "chefs", they are primarily actors reading scripts from amateur cook writers. This recipe will not disappoint. Cheers!
Question, Chef. I made this yesterday but I did not have that many hours to allocate to baking the onions. Instead I french chopped them as you demonstrated and cooked slowly on the stove. It came out great, but I was wondering if you think it is actually possible to over-carmelize the onions? I mean they were not just sweet, they tasted like candy! My wife could not believe that I didn't add any sugar (tasted before adding wine). Is this the intent, or is this actually a mistake on my part?
Hi, great video, thanks very much. Just wondering, would using vegetable stock make a big difference to the overall outcome of the soup? I'm only asking as sometimes I cook for friends who are vegan. Cheers.
Yes - a huge difference. It will be edible, of course, but it is like making pizza without cheese. It is a pale shadow of what it should be.
which volume of your cookbook is this in?
Volume 1, page 179.
Has anyone tried using this method of cutting the onions on the stovetop? Would the onions break apart naturally the same as shown here in the oven? Seems a good compromise between using the onion sugars and not needing 4hrs prep time.
Pretty sure you can only get away with the large chunks of onions due to the braising. If you tried this in a stock pot on the stove, you'd have uneven cooking.
Would like to start making the soup. I understand the directions but I would like to know the exact amounts in the recipe. Any chance you can send it to me ?
The specific amounts and other necessary printed directions are already there in annotations. The problem is that you are trying to view this on a cell phone or tablet, which UA-cam is not fully compatible with. Try using a regular computer or laptop and you will get the complete picture. Cheers!
Thanks for such a speedy response. I’ll let you know how we make out 👨🍳
I answer posts 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
Should the croutes be made from dry bread?
Yes.
@@CookinginRussia T y.
How would this go with duck stock? I cant see having the time to make beef stock until I’m retired lol
I can't seem to cook my onions right they come out too dark to mushy because I have to keep stirring every 5 minutes keeping my stove on the lowest setting, I tried 3 hours but they were too dark after an hour 30 minutes
Is there a way to cook it differently and get the same results?
Chad Trahan If you are using the method in my video here (which is unclear from what you wrote), then your oven is probably not calibrated correctly. Check the temperature with an oven thermometer, and call for service, if needed.
Hi there chef... not only did I make this recipe last weekend, I also made your beef stock as well. This is not the first time I've made "french"onion soup. I've tried the Julia child's version, Martha stewart and I've also winged it and created my own.. etc. It's not exactly brain science for most of us who have that natural desire to cook.. and it's also a wonderful economical meal that came along around the time of the great depression. I do however agree that there are some techniques that will definitely make for a better tasting soup and you explained those techniques quite well. For one (1) I just have to say that your version of this awesome soup was a hit with my dinner quests and family, the best recipe by far without question. (2) I will never stand over a pan to fry onions again, the oven method was so much more conveniant and it seems to draw out the onion flavor much better. (3) In the future I will ALWAYS prepare a double batch of this french onion soup! Did I mention that there was a request from my family for a repeat performance? LoL Yes, sooo very true.. I made this soup twice in one week because my family was absolutely craving it! In the past if I did not have homemade beef stock on hand I would buy the best boxed version I could find and then I'd add a half cup of homemade chicken stock just for richness. Just a small tip for ppl who don't have the time nor desire to prepare their own beef stock. My opinion, beef stock is more of a hassle to make verses chicken stock but well worth it to try the chef's recipe at least once. You may never buy the boxed version of beef stock again! I had enough stock left over after making those two batches of soup that I also added some to a couple rice and cous cous dishes. Thank you chef for sharing this recipe, I truly can not praise it enough!
~Shine~ WA, State :-)
Thank you very much for your feedback. I have over a hundred recipe videos up on this channel now, in case you haven't already subscribed or looked through the catalog here:
ua-cam.com/users/CookinginRussiavideos
As for Julia Child, what is interesting to consider is that she never worked in a restaurant. She turned one course that she took into a lifetime career, because she was at the right place at the right time. Americans at that point in history were doing well economically, but still quite clueless about food. Very much a parallel to Russia today. The same sort of transformation is going on here that was going on in 1950's America.
whats the point of toasting the bread with butter if just gets soggy? i get browning at a little but the butter seemed excesive
Thank you Chef for this amazing recipe. I have three questions before I make this since it will be a time consuming process: 1) is the weight of onion indicated in your ingredient list after or before they get deeply peeled? 2) can I braise the onions in a crock pot as I don't have a "braising dish" ? If not, what would be my alternative ? And 3) for the sherry wine vinegar (dry not sweet), I have on hand Sherry Vinegar (Maille brand) -- it doesn't say sweet or dry but states "aged in oak barrel and acid it is 7%" -- would this be appropriate to use in this recipe?
Thank you so much again , looking forward to making this
1. The weight is after peeling.
2. No. A crock pot can not be used as I have explained in great detail in my cookbook series. If you are serious at all about cooking, get a ceramic braising dish. They are not expensive. You don't need a ridiculously overpriced Le Creuset.
3. Yes, that vinegar will be just fine.
Thanks for writing!
CookinginRussia thank you for your prompt and very clear response !!
Will it be good with vegetable stock?
Not really. French Onion Soup needs a great beef stock as the base.
Ok, thanks.