Crock Pot Onion Soup, Easiest & Best Ever!

Non-traditional Method Yields Easy and Delicious "French" Onion Soup.

The other day I saw a picture as I was flipping through Pinterest where someone had slow cooked onions in the crock pot.  I don't know what it was for or what it was about but I thought it to be a perfect vehicle for caramelizing a large quantity of onions for one of my favorite Onion Soups.  I had just made French Bread so that was here for the topping and I knew there was an unopened chunk of Fontana Cheese that would melt perfectly atop a perch of the bread floated in a deep puddle of the soup!  Actually I also had 2 quarts of frozen homemade beef stock in the deep freeze so things were really falling into place for an effortless meal......

Ingredients for Crock Pot Onion Soup:

4 pounds peeled and sliced fresh onions  (6 or 7 good sized)
1 stick of butter
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. black pepper
2-3 T. olive oil
2 quarts beef stock purchased or homemade
2-3 ounces of Sherry or dry white wine or Vermouth
3-5 beef bouillon cubes or teaspoons of granules
French bread cut into 1/2" slices
Swiss Cheese sliced or shredded

The day prior to planning to serve your onion soup place the butter and oil in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Add the onion slices, salt, sugar, and pepper.  Stir to combine and turn the cooker on low.  Stir occasionally but I had no problem leaving it on all night.  Just check and add a bit more oil or butter should it become dry before bedtime.  Mine did not cook dry but the slow cookers may not all act the same.

Late the next day add the Sherry or wine, beef stock and taste.  Enrich the broth if it needs it with the bouillon, taste and correct the seasoning if needed.

Toast the French bread.

Ladle the soup into ovenproof  bowls or  mugs as desired and float a slice of the bread on top.  Add the cheese atop the toast and slip under the broiler for just a minute until the cheese is bubbling then serve.  Yield 6-8 portions.