Osso Buco: How to Make Italian Osso Buco

The “ossobuco alla milanese” or Osso Buco is a bone-in veal shank, cooked low and slow until meltingly tender in a broth of meat stock, veggies, and white wine. Traditionally, gremolata accompanies the dish (lemon zest, garlic, and parsley).

The classic braised veal from Northern Italy is the world’s best make-ahead dish—it tastes fantastic on the second day. Although the Milanese claim this meaty masterpiece, there are many versions of it.

Here, we bring you our special recipe for Italian Osso Buco, complete with information regarding the history of the recipe, as well as all the ingredients you will need.

OSSO BUCO

Author: Romae Chanice B. Marquez
Recipe Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian

Osso Buco is a classic Milanese dish of braised veal shanks in a hearty wine- and vegetable-based sauce. The whole preparation and cooking time is 2 hours, and this recipe is good for six servings.

Ossobuco or osso buco is a specialty of Italian cuisine of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables. Photo credits to: @refugeecanteen / Instagram

Osso Buco Ingredients

  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 dry bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • All-purpose flour
  • 6 entire veal shanks
  • 4 teaspoons salt and pepper
  • ¾ cup vegetable Oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups white wine
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • ½ cup butter

Osso Buco Instructions

Step 1: Sprinkle the flour onto the veal shanks, then melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the veal, and cook until browned.

Step 2: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet cook and stir until the onion is tender. Mix the carrot and wine. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Pour the tomatoes and beef stock, then season it with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone.

Step 4: In a small bowl, mix the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Then serve it.

Osso Buco Additional Information

  • Per serving has 420 calories, 19.9 g total fat, 201 mg cholesterol, and 17.7g total carbohydrates.
  • The marrow in the bone is considered to be a prized delicacy.
  • The dish is best paired with Risotto alla Milanese.
  • The dish is sometimes served with pasta.
  • The dish serves 6, with a 2-hour prep/cook time.

About Osso Buco Recipe

The primary dish ingredient is veal shank because it is universal, relatively cheap, and it is very flavorful. Although it’s tough to make the veal shank tender, it’s worth it by browning the veal shanks into the pan with butter after dredging them in flour. The braising liquid is usually a combination of white wine and meat broth flavored with vegetables.

This dish is famous for Italian cuisine. The most challenging thing about eating in Italy is that you want to try everything. Every day you have an infinite number of recipes just like Osso Buco. The older version of Osso Buco is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf, and gremolata. While the veal is traditional meat used for Osso Buco dishes, it is sometimes made with other meats, such as pork.

The two ossobuco types are a modern version with tomatoes and the original version that doesn’t use tomatoes. The older version is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf, and gremolata, ossobuco in bianco. Tomatoes, carrots, celery, and onions are the contemporary and most common recipe; gremolata is optional.

Conclusion

Italian cuisine has had significant changes that have occurred with the discovery of the New World and the introduction of potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums, maize, and sugar beet, all of which were last introduced in quantity in the 18th century.

In general, Italian cuisine is described by its simplicity, with many dishes having between two and four primary ingredients. Italian cooks depend primarily on ingredient quality rather than elaborate preparation. Ingredients and dishes are different from region to region. Many once-regional dishes have proliferated across the nation with differences.

However, through the years, the cuisine has been open to recent changes and adaptations. Today, Osso Buco shows the combination of modern and ancient Italian dishes.

For more International recipes, click here.

Feature Image: @lasalsasingapore / Instagram, @refugeecanteen / Instagram