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Osso Buco (Braised Veal Shanks)

  • 20m Prep Time
  • 2h Cook Time
  • 2h Ready In

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  • Cuisine : Italian
  • Course : Dinner

6 servings Literally translated, osso buco means “bone with a hole,” and in veal shanks, that hole contains marrow. If possible, choose crosscut slices of veal hind shank, which are meatier than those from the foreshank. Or, you may substitute crosscut beef foreshank, lamb hindshank, or pork foreshank.

Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 6 slices veal shank, 1 ½ inches thick (about 3 pounds)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ½ celery rib, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 sprigs parsley
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup veal or chicken stock or broth, or as needed
  • (1 to 2 cups veal or chicken stock or broth)
  • 1
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Mix together well in a small bowl: 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
    2. Sprinkle this mixture on during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1
    • 8 cups chicken broth
    • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, minced
    • (1 teaspoon salt, if using unsalted chicken broth)
    • 2 cups Arborio or other risotto rice
    • (½ cup dry white wine)
    • 1 to 1½ cups grated Parmesan, to taste (4 to 6 ounces)
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • Salt and black pepper
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Pour into a saucepan, heat, and maintain at a bare simmer: 8 cups chicken broth
    2. Heat in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat: 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
    3. Add and cook, stirring, until soft but not browned: 1 medium onion, minced; (1 teaspoon salt, if using unsalted chicken broth)
    4. Stir in: 2 cups Arborio or other risotto rice
    5. Continue to stir the rice until it is thoroughly coated in fat and almost entirely opaque, 3 to 5 minutes. Add, if desired: (½ cup dry white wine)
    6. Stir until the wine is absorbed. Stir in the broth 1 cup at a time, waiting for each cup to be absorbed before adding the next. Stir the risotto continuously and maintain a simmer. When 6 cups broth have been absorbed, add the remaining broth ½ cup at a time and start tasting the rice. Take the risotto off the heat when the rice is tender but still has some “bite”; it should be creamy, not stiff. Fold in: 1 to 1½ cups grated Parmesan, to taste (4 to 6 ounces); 2 tablespoons butter
    7. Season to taste with: Salt and black pepper
  • Toast

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 6 slices veal shank, 1 ½ inches thick (about 3 pounds)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ½ celery rib, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 sprigs parsley
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup veal or chicken stock or broth, or as needed
  • (1 to 2 cups veal or chicken stock or broth)
  • 1 Gremolata
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 Risotto or Creamy Polenta
  • Toast

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat dry: 6 slices veal shank, 1 ½ inches thick (about 3 pounds)

  2. Step 2.

    Season with: 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper

  3. Step 3.

    Heat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  4. Step 4.

    Add the shanks in batches and brown well on all sides, adding more oil as needed. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add to the pot: 1 carrot, chopped; 1 onion, chopped; ½ celery rib, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 sprigs parsley; 4 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf

  5. Step 5.

    Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Return the shanks to the pot, arranging in a single layer. Add: 1 cup dry white wine; 1 cup veal or chicken stock or broth, or as needed

  6. Step 6.

    The liquid should reach about halfway up the shanks. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and braise for 1 hour. Turn the slices over and add if needed to keep the level of the liquid halfway up the shanks: (1 to 2 cups veal or chicken stock or broth)

  7. Step 7.

    Braise until the meat is tender, about 1 hour more. Turn off the oven, remove the shanks to an ovenproof serving platter and place in the turned-off oven to keep warm. Spoon off any fat from the braising juices, strain the juices into a saucepan, and boil over high heat until slightly thickened. Before serving, stir in: Gremolata; Salt and black pepper to taste

  8. Step 8.

    Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve with: Risotto or Creamy Polenta

  9. Step 9.

    Scoop the marrow from the bones with a small spoon to eat or spread on: Toast

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