My Ossobuco

What is Ossobuco?

Ossobuco (pronounced [ˌɔssoˈbuːko]) is a Milanese speciality of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. It is often garnished with gremolata and traditionally served with risotto alla milanese.

There are two types of ossobuco: a modern version that has tomatoes and the original version which does not. The older version, ossobuco in bianco, is flavoured with cinnamon, bay leaf and gremolata. The modern and more popular recipe includes tomatoes, carrots, celery and onions; gremolata is optional. While veal is the traditional meat used for Ossobuco other meats such as pork may be used.  Ossobuco or osso buco is Italian for "bone with a hole" (osso bone, buco hole), a reference to the marrow hole at the centre of the cross-cut veal shank. In the local Western Lombard Milanese dialect, this dish's name is oss bus. 

I've been making this recipe for 36 years.  The Veal shanks are getting harder to find, so when I spotted a 3 lb. package at Costco, I grabbed it.  The Fresh Market here in Florida where I live can also get me some, but it would be frozen.  Which is fine also.

I don't know where I got this recipe, it's the one I've always used.

You will make a "bouquet garni" (see recipe)

You are going to secure the meat to the bone with kitchen twine.  Season with salt & pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Brown the shank on all sides for 3 minutes per side

Osso Buco

1 Sprig fresh rosemary

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 dry bay leaf

2 whole cloves

Cheesecloth

Kitchen twine, for bouquet garni and tying veal shanks

3 whole veal shanks (about 1 pound per shank), trimmed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

All purpose flour, for dredging

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1 small carrot, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1 stalk celery, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup dry white whine

3 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheese cloth and secure with twine.  This will be your bouquet garni.

For the veal shanks, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.  Veal shanks will brown better when they are dry.  Secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine.  Season each shank with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess.

In a large Dutch oven pot, heat vegetable oil until smoking.  Add tied veal shanks to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Remove browned shanks and reserve.

In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery.  Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables.  Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and mix well.  Return browned shanks kto the pan and add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes.  Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.  Check every 15 minutes, turning shanks and adding more chicken stock as necessary.  The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank.

Carefully remove the cooked shanks from the pot and place in decorative serving platter.  Cut off the kitchen twine and remove the bouquet garni from the pot.  Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks.  Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.