French Onion Shortrib Pull-Apart Bread

Note: I like to make the ribs and jus the day in advance, then assemble and bake the bread right before serving.

For the beef, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with some olive oil and preheat oven to 350ºF. Sprinkle shortribs with salt and brown them in olive oil on all sides until dark brown, then remove from the pot. Add onions, garlic, and thyme to the pot and stir for 3 minutes to remove any bits from the bottom of the pot.

Return shortribs to the onion mixture and add broth. Cover pot and bake for 2–3 hours until shortribs are very tender. After 2 hours, check the pot and add more water if the ribs need to look longer; there should be 1/2 inch or more of liquid in the pot at all time.

When the ribs are very tender and cooked through, remove them from the pot to cool, then shred the meat and reserve for the bread. Refrigerate the cooking juices and onions until cool, then scrape off the top layer of fat when the juices are chilled.

For the pull-apart bread, preheat oven to 400ºF. Using a sharp bread knife, cut the bread in a criss-cross pattern to make cubes of bread, but do not cut all the way through the bread. The loaf should still be intact. Using your fingers, alternate layers of cheese and beef until the bread is completely full. Place the bread with cheese and beef on a baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes until bubbly and crusty.

Meanwhile, reheat the beef drippings in the microwave or a small pot. When the bread is cooked, drizzle with some of the onion mixture and serve the rest on the side for dipping.

Dive in—you’ll need napkins. Enjoy!