Ah! Osso Buco is a classic Italian dish—braised veal shanks cooked slowly until tender, often served with a rich sauce and gremolata. Here’s a detailed guide so you can make it at home:
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 4 veal shanks (about 1½–2 inches thick)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups beef or veal stock
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
For Gremolata (optional, classic garnish)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Veal Shanks
- Pat the veal shanks dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
- Brown the Shanks
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown shanks on all sides (about 3–4 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
- Cook the Aromatics
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrot, and celery until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
- Deglaze & Build Sauce
- Pour in the wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits.
- Let wine reduce by half (2–3 minutes).
- Add Stock & Herbs
- Add stock, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.
- Return veal shanks to the pot, making sure they’re mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Braise Slowly
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 1½–2 hours (or bake in a 325°F / 160°C oven).
- Shanks are done when meat is tender and nearly falling off the bone.
- Prepare Gremolata
- Mix lemon zest, minced garlic, and parsley. Sprinkle over the cooked osso buco before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over risotto alla Milanese, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes.
- Spoon some braising sauce over the top for extra flavor.
💡 Chef’s Tip:
- For richer flavor, braise slowly in the oven rather than on the stovetop—this allows the meat to absorb all the herbs and aromatics.
If you want, I can also give a simpler 1-hour “quick osso buco” recipe that tastes almost as good as the traditional slow-braised version.
Do you want me to do that?
