Ingredients:

  • 6 large yellow onions (approx. 3 lbs), thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
  • 1 lb beef chuck roast, pre-braised and shredded
  • 2 cups beef bone broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 large sourdough loaf, sliced into 1-inch cubes
  • 2.5 cups Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in your heavy pan over medium heat. Add the 6 large yellow onions and 1/2 tsp sugar, which helps kickstart the caramelization.
  2. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until they are a deep, mahogany brown.
  3. Stir in 2 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves. Cook for only 1 minute until the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't turned brown.
  4. Sprinkle 2 tbsp all purpose flour over the onions. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. The mixture will look a bit pasty; that’s exactly what you want.
  5. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pan. This is where the flavor lives.
  6. Slowly pour in 2 cups beef bone broth while stirring. Add the 1 lb shredded beef chuck roast. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
  7. Fold in the sourdough cubes. You want them partially submerged so the bottoms get juicy while the tops stay dry enough to get crispy in the oven.
  8. Top the entire mixture with 2.5 cups freshly grated Gruyère cheese. Season with freshly cracked black pepper.
  9. Place in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C). Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and has golden brown spots. If you want it even crispier, pop the broiler on for the last 60 seconds.