This hearty dish combines the richness of beef short ribs with caramelized onions and deep French onion soup flavors. Served with grilled Gruyère sandwiches for dipping, it’s comfort food at its finest.
Beef Short Rib French Onion Stew
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef short ribs
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2–3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- ½ bottle dry red wine
- 32 oz (1 box) beef broth
- 1 heaping Tbsp beef base
- 10 dashes Jugo seasoning
- Fresh or dried thyme, to taste
- Umami mushroom seasoning, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Gruyère cheese slices (for sandwiches)
- Sliced bread (for sandwiches)
Instructions
- Sear the Beef
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Sear beef short ribs for 2–3 minutes per side until browned.
- Remove ribs from the pot and set aside.
- Caramelize the Onions
- Add butter to the same Dutch oven.
- Add sliced onions, season with salt and pepper.
- Cook on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply caramelized (about 40 minutes).
- Deglaze and Build Flavor
- Add garlic, thyme, and umami mushroom seasoning to the onions.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot.
- Stir in tomato paste, Jugo seasoning, and beef base.
- Pour in the beef broth and mix well.
- Simmer the Stew
- Return the seared beef short ribs to the Dutch oven.
- Ensure the liquid just covers the beef; add water if necessary.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for at least 3 hours or until the beef is falling apart.
- Shred the Beef
- Remove the beef and bones from the pot.
- Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding fatty pieces as desired.
- Return shredded beef to the pot and stir to combine.
- Prepare the Grilled Cheese Dippers
- While the stew finishes, make grilled cheese sandwiches with Gruyère and sliced bread.
- Cut each sandwich into three strips to use as dippers for the stew.
- Serve
- Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with the Gruyère grilled cheese dippers on the side.
