Osso Buco
Italian dinners are the epitome of elegance, especially when you go beyond pasta and prepare something truly remarkable, like Osso Buco. The name “Osso Buco,” which translates to “off the bone,” refers to a classic northern Italian stew that showcases the incredible tenderness of crosscut veal shank. While this dish does require some time to prepare, the effort is absolutely worthwhile. The best part? It’s a fantastic make-ahead meal—its flavors deepen and improve the next day! Simply allow it to cool, store it in the pot in the fridge for up to three days, and reheat when you're ready to serve. With the extra time you save, you can focus on setting the mood with candles, making this an ideal and impressive dish for easy entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Osso Buco:
- 6 (1 ¼”-thick) crosscut bone-in veal shanks, tied with kitchen twine (about 2 3/4 lb.)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red or white wine
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
For the Gremolata:
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp. lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Adjust a rack to the lower third of your oven and preheat to 325°. On a large plate, pat veal shanks dry with paper towels and season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place flour or cornstarch on a large plate and dredge the shanks all over, shaking off any excess. Return to the plate and repeat until all shanks have been coated.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, sear the shanks on all sides until golden, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer shanks to the plate. Using a paper towel, wipe any dark bits and excess oil out of pot.
- Return pot to medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to turn tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf, and return the shanks to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake until the shanks are very tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the gremolata: Combine parsley, zest, and garlic in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Remove the pot from the oven and use a spoon to remove excess fat from the top of sauce. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary and remove and discard the butchers’ twine from the shanks.
- Top with the gremolata and spoon juices over top to serve.
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