# Onion soup **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878 "2009-01-05T01:05:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/1 "2009-01-05T01:05:39Z")
There was a thread earlier this year wherein one of our More Intelligent 'Dopers posted an onion soup recipe. There was some discussion at length about caramelizing the onions and cooking them several times. I suck up about this because I can’t find the darn thread, and having made the perfect potato soup wish to find new worlds to conquor. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/2 "2009-01-05T01:11:06Z")
I remember that thread, but I can’t find it because I’m probably misspelling the name of the Doper who started it; it was Qadgop the Mercotan. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/3 "2009-01-05T01:38:48Z")
I’m not sure if [this](http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=11811) is the recipe they were referring to, but it may have entered the discussion at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/4 "2009-01-05T01:48:22Z")
I made French Onion Soup about 10 days ago, and I had looked at that “Cook’s Illustrated” piece and figured “What crap! No way am I gonna carmelize onions three times over a period of several hours.” I carmelized 'em once and simmered in beef stock for an hour or two, and the soup was delightful. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/5 "2009-01-05T01:52:27Z")
Thanks, Hawk. Now I just gotta figure out how to do it without butter or without beef broth. Do they let Mods say “crap” on the board? :eek: It appears they are only deglazing them three times. It’s probably much quicker making a small amount of soup. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/6 "2009-01-05T02:00:23Z")
Maybe this thread of mine? [Homemade French Onion soup of the Gods - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=457189) My recipe looks pretty similar to the one linked to above, tho I go mine from “The Week” magazine (which gets its articles from other mags.) If I were to try to make it without the beef, I’d use a vegemite/water or marmite/water solution in place of beef broth. But margarine instead of butter? I dunno… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/7 "2009-01-05T02:01:26Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I carmelized 'em once and simmered in beef stock for an hour or two, and the soup was delightful. Too bad. You could have had orgasmic soup! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/8 "2009-01-05T02:05:08Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I made French Onion Soup about 10 days ago, and I had looked at that “Cook’s Illustrated” piece and figured “What crap! No way am I gonna carmelize onions three times over a period of several hours.” > > I carmelized 'em once and simmered in beef stock for an hour or two, and the soup was delightful. This is how I make soup (caramelise once, add beef stock, simmer for an hour or so, serve, enjoy) and I’m always very happy with it. If I’m feeling a bit adventurous, I might even throw in a wee bit of Red Wine to go with it. Tastes marvellous! ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/9 "2009-01-05T02:05:40Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I made French Onion Soup about 10 days ago, and I had looked at that “Cook’s Illustrated” piece and figured “What crap! No way am I gonna carmelize onions three times over a period of several hours.” In fairness, the Cook’s Illustrated folks did state that the multi-caramelization process would be unrealistic for most people, and provided a faster alternative recipe. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/10 "2009-01-05T02:11:10Z")
Qadgop’s thread was the one I was thinking of…I think for some reason I omitted the spaces in his name the first time I searched. And of course by the time I realized that and searched again, he came in here and posted it himself. On the bright side, my second search also unearthed a much earlier thread where he posted a recipe for Hot & Sour soup, which I copied for future reference. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/11 "2009-01-05T02:30:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Maybe this thread of mine? > … > But margarine instead of butter? I dunno… Yes, that was it. Thanks! I was thinking olive oil. Mrs. Plant won’t let me seethe a kid in it’s mother’s milk. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/12 "2009-01-05T02:35:06Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Maybe this thread of mine? [Homemade French Onion soup of the Gods - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=457189) > My recipe looks pretty similar to the one linked to above, tho I go mine from “The Week” magazine (which gets its articles from other mags.) > > If I were to try to make it without the beef, I’d use a vegemite/water or marmite/water solution in place of beef broth. > > But margarine instead of butter? I dunno… I am so making this soup! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/13 "2009-01-05T14:34:19Z")
I thought it was me we were talking about and that I was the More Intelligent Doper. ☹ If it WAS the thread, it was [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=487331) one - it’s actually a “I Screwed Up Dumbly, Make Me Feel Better” thread, but I posted the recipe on the second page. ETA - it’s the Cooks Illustrated one, and I don’t care how good you think your version was without all the carmelization, I assure you it is that much better with it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/14 "2009-01-05T15:01:23Z")
Thanks, Zofia. You are certainly one of the More Intelligent 'Dopers. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/15 "2009-01-05T15:44:10Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > it’s the Cooks Illustrated one, and I don’t care how good you think your version was without all the carmelization, I assure you it is that much better with it. QFT 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onion-soup/479878/16 "2009-01-05T15:59:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Thanks, Zofia. You are certainly one of the More Intelligent 'Dopers. 🙂 Daww, you’re so sweet when you lie. 🙂