Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 2 onion, minced
- 150 g carrot, minced
- 2 leeks, minced
- 2 celery, minced
Veal and Braising Base
- 80 ml olive oil
- 8 veal shank
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 240 ml dry white wine
- 450 g tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
- 475 ml veal stock
- 6 fresh basil
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 fresh thyme
- 2 fresh parsley
- 3 garlic, peeled, crushed
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
Serving
- 450 g wheat noodles
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1319 kcal
- Protein
- 99 g
- Carbohydrates
- 112 g
- Fat
- 49 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1245 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 25 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 366 mg
- Potassium
- 1834 mg
- Calcium
- 191 mg
- Iron
- 12.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 248 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1190 mg
- Zinc
- 15.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 543 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 36 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 97 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 7.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.54 mg
- Riboflavin
- 2.38 mg
- Niacin
- 29.1 mg
- Folate
- 351 mcg
- Water
- 786 g
- Alcohol
- 6 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium-low heat.
Sauté the minced onions, carrots, leeks, and celery for 10 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove from heat.
Heat the olive oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat.
Dredge the veal shanks in flour and shake off any excess.
Brown the veal shanks on all sides in the hot oil.
Transfer the browned shanks into the skillet containing the sautéed vegetables.
Deglaze the skillet used for browning with white wine and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
Pour the wine reduction over the veal and vegetables.
Add the tomatoes, veal stock, basil, lemon zest, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper to the skillet.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the meat is tender.
Boil a deep pot of salted water and cook the noodles for 5 to 10 minutes until tender.
Drain the cooked noodles.
Remove the veal shanks from the sauce and keep them warm.
Increase the heat and boil the cooking liquid until it thickens into a sauce consistency.
Remove and discard the bay leaf, parsley sprigs, lemon zest, and thyme sprigs.
Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend for 10 seconds until smooth.
Serve the veal shanks over the noodles and cover with the blended sauce.
Chef's Notes
- For the best flavor, ensure your veal shanks are cut about 1.5-2 inches thick and have a good amount of marrow in the bone.
- Don't skip the dredging in flour; it helps to create a better sear and also thickens the sauce as it cooks.
- When browning the veal shanks, work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, which will steam the meat instead of searing it.
- The long, slow braise is crucial for tenderizing the tough cuts of veal shank. Resist the urge to rush this process; the meat should be fork-tender and easily pull away from the bone.
- For an extra layer of flavor and a smoother sauce, consider straining the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve after blending, removing any remaining fibrous bits.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sauce and veal together to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze veal and sauce; cook fresh noodles upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a covered pan over medium-low heat until the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Troubleshooting
Veal is tough or rubbery
Cause: Insufficient simmering time
Fix: Continue simmering in 15-minute increments until meat is fork-tender.
Prevention: Ensure the liquid is at a constant slow simmer and the pan is tightly covered.
Sauce is too thin
Cause: Inadequate reduction time after removing the meat
Fix: Continue to reduce the liquid or whisk in a small butter and flour paste (beurre manié).
Prevention: Boil the liquid vigorously after removing the shanks to evaporate excess water.
Cultural Context
Osso Buco, meaning "bone with a hole," is a classic dish from Lombardy, Italy, traditionally made with veal shanks braised in white wine and broth. It's often garnished with Gremolata, a zesty mixture of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. This dish is a testament to the Italian philosophy of slow cooking to achieve incredibly tender meat and rich, flavorful sauces.
