Osso Buco

Osso Buco alla Milanese

A classic Milanese braise of veal shanks slow-cooked in white wine and broth until the meat is fork-tender and the marrow yields like soft butter, finished with a bright lemon-parsley gremolata, traditionally served over saffron risotto.

Prep

25 min

Cook

150 min

Total

175 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 pieces veal shanks, bone-in, about 4 cm thick, about 1.4 kg / 3 lb total; ask the butcher to tie them so the marrow stays in the bone
• •60 g (½ cup) all-purpose flour, for dredging
• •60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• •1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• •1 medium carrot, finely diced
• •1 stalk celery, finely diced
• •2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (plus 1 more for gremolata)
• •250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine, Italian white such as Pinot Grigio or Soave; do not use oaked Chardonnay
• •500 ml (2 cups) beef or veal stock, low-sodium, homemade if possible
• •1 Tbsp tomato paste
• •1 leaf bay leaf
• •1 strip lemon peel, wide strip, removed before serving
• •fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• •1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
• •1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated from 1 unwaxed lemon
• •1 clove garlic, for gremolata, finely minced

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F. Pat the veal shanks very dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge each shank in flour, shaking off the excess.
2. 2 Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, sear the shanks in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate; do not crowd the pan.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the chopped garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
4. 4 Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift all the browned bits. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the wine reduces by about half.
5. 5 Pour in the stock, add the bay leaf and the strip of lemon peel, and bring to a gentle simmer. Nestle the shanks and any juices back into the liquid; the liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the shanks. Season lightly with salt.
6. 6 Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the oven, and braise for 2 to 2½ hours. The shanks are done when a knife slides into the meat with no resistance and the marrow is soft and jiggly when pressed. The internal temperature should read at least 85°C / 185°F, but true doneness is judged by tenderness, not temperature.
7. 7 Carefully transfer the shanks to a warm serving dish. Remove the bay leaf and lemon peel. If the sauce is thin, simmer it on the stovetop for a few minutes to reduce slightly; if it is fatty, skim off the excess with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. 8 Make the gremolata: stir together the parsley, lemon zest and minced garlic on a small plate.
9. 9 Spoon the sauce over the shanks and top each with a generous spoonful of gremolata. Serve immediately, traditionally with risotto alla milanese.