5 from 54 votes
Osso Buco Recipe
Osso Buco is a slow-braised veal shank dish featuring a deeply caramelized sear and a fragrant tomato, wine, and herb sauce. The veal is dredged in seasoned flour and seared to develop a golden crust, building flavor for the rich braise. Aromatics like onion, carrot, celery, and garlic are sautéed before tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, red wine, and beef stock create a savory cooking liquid infused with bay leaf, parsley, and thyme as the shanks cook low and slow until tender. A fresh gremolata brightens the rich dish at serving.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 20 mins
Servings:
4
Calories:
435 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
For the Osso Bucco:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 8- ounce veal shanks
- 2 olive oil
- 1 onion yellow, peeled and large diced
- 1 carrot peeled, large diced
- 2 celery peeled, large diced stalks
- 6-8 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups tomato roughly chopped fresh
- 2 cups dry red wine Sangiovese or Barolo
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 Italian parsley bunch
- 20 to 25 fresh thyme sprigs
- salt coarse and freshly cracked, to taste
- black pepper coarse and freshly cracked, to taste
- 1 gremolata recipe
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°.
- Add the flour to a bowl or a plate and season it very well with salt and pepper, about 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
- Dredge the veal shanks on all sides in the flour and set them aside.
- Next, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Add the veal shanks, turn the heat down to medium, and sear them until they are golden brown on all sides, about 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Remove the veal shanks and add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Mix in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and deglaze with the wine. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Place in the beef stock, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Be sure to try the liquid to make sure it's well seasoned.
- Add the veal shanks back into the pot, submerge them, place a cover over the pot, and cook in the oven for 2 to 2 ½ hours in the oven at 325°. or until they are very tender and easily remove from the bone.
- Serve the Osso Buco and some of the sauce over top, and add the gremolata to the top of the veal shanks. We used to serve all the vegetables in the braising liquid underneath the osso buco at a restaurant I worked at.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Properly sear veal shanks to develop a golden crust before braising.
- Braise for 2 to 2½ hours low and slow until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Season each step—flour dredge and braising liquid—to build deep flavor.
- Choose full-bodied dry red wines like Sangiovese or Barolo for sauce richness.
- Use gremolata of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest to balance richness at serving.
- Strain and freeze leftover braising liquid for homemade beef stock.
- The dish can be made up to 1 hour ahead and kept warm over low heat.
- Store covered in fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months; thaw before reheating.
- Reheat slowly with some braising liquid and stir occasionally for best texture.
Nutrition Information
Calories
435kcal
(22%)
Carbohydrates
43g
(14%)
Protein
27g
(54%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
64mg
(21%)
Sodium
637mg
(27%)
Potassium
1391mg
(30%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
4028IU
(81%)
Vitamin C
32mg
(36%)
Calcium
107mg
(11%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 435
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 435kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 64mg | 21% |
| Sodium | 637mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 1391mg | 30% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 4028IU | 81% |
| Vitamin C | 32mg | 36% |
| Calcium | 107mg | 11% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.