Ah, Ossobuco—a classic Italian dish of braised veal shanks cooked slowly until tender, usually served with a rich sauce and gremolata. 🍖🇮🇹 It’s elegant, hearty, and perfect for a special dinner. Here’s a traditional recipe:
Ossobuco Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4)
For the braise:
- 4 veal shanks, about 1 1/2–2 inches thick
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Zest of 1 lemon (for gremolata)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for gremolata)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (for gremolata)
Instructions
- Prep the veal:
- Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
- Sear the meat:
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy 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 vegetables:
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until softened, about 5–6 minutes.
- Deglaze & braise:
- Pour in wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Stir in broth, diced tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the veal shanks to the pot.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low.
- Cook 2–2.5 hours, until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
- Prepare the gremolata:
- Mix lemon zest, minced garlic, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Serve:
- Spoon shanks and sauce onto plates, sprinkle gremolata on top.
- Traditionally served with risotto alla Milanese or mashed potatoes.
💡 Tips:
- For richer flavor, brown the shanks in butter and olive oil mix.
- Let the ossobuco rest a few minutes before serving so the sauce thickens slightly.
- You can also add a splash of Marsala wine or a bit of tomato paste for extra depth.
If you want, I can also give a simpler “weeknight-friendly” ossobuco version using beef shanks and the slow cooker—it still comes out tender and flavorful without hours of hands-on cooking.
Do you want me to share that version?
