French Onion Soup - Best!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 large yellow onions, halved and cut pole to pole in 1/4 inch thick slices
• Table salt
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups beef broth
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Baguette or crusty bread, and Gruyere, Swiss, or other white cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Spray a Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Place the butter in the pot and add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook covered, 1 hour.
2. Remove the pot and stir the onions, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Return the pot with the lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until the onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring and scraping the pot after 1 hour.
3. Carefully remove the pot and place it over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot, until the liquid evaporates and the onions brown, 15-20 minutes, reducing heat to medium if the onions are browning too quickly.
4. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pot bottom is coated with a dark crust, 6-8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary.
5. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping the pot bottom to loosen the crust, and cook until the water evaporates and the pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6-8 minutes.
6. Repeat the process of deglazing 2-3 more times until the onions are very dark brown.
7. Stir in the broths, 2 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on the bottom and sides of the pot. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer.
8. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard the herbs, then season with salt and pepper.
9. Broil Gruyere, Swiss, or other white cheese on bread and add it to the soup to serve - the best way to finish it.