Italian · Main · Medium
Osso Buco
Milan's braised veal shank, the special occasion centerpiece of Lombardy. Meat that surrenders at the touch of a fork, with marrow to scoop.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Osso Buco, in 5 ideas
- Brown hard for deep flavor. The dark crust you build on the shanks and the pot bottom becomes the soul of the sauce. Do not rush this step.
- The marrow is the prize. That soft center in the bone is pure richness. Serve with small spoons and toast points so nobody misses it.
- Gremolata goes on at the end, never cooked. The fresh lemon, garlic, and parsley cut through the richness. It is what keeps the dish from feeling heavy.
- Make it a day ahead. Braised dishes always taste better the next day. Cool, refrigerate, and rewarm gently. The flavors settle and deepen overnight.
- Serve over something that catches the sauce. Saffron risotto is classic Milanese. Creamy polenta or even mashed potatoes work beautifully too.
What you need
Ingredients
- 4 cross-cut veal shanks, about 1 1/2 inches thick (tie with twine to hold together)
- 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- For the gremolata: zest of 1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and black pepper
How to make it
Directions
- Heat the oven to 325F. Pat the shanks very dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Brown the shanks deeply on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Do not crowd. Set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened and just starting to color, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up every browned bit. Let it bubble until reduced by half.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, and bay leaves. Nestle the shanks back in so they are mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning once, until the meat is fork tender and nearly falling off the bone.
- Mix the gremolata ingredients together. Serve the shanks with some of the braising sauce spooned over, scattered with gremolata. Traditionally over risotto alla milanese or polenta.
Tie the shanks with twine. It keeps them holding their shape through the long braise so they arrive at the table looking like the restaurant version, not a pile of shreds.