The Best Osso Buco

Name: The Best Osso Buco
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: All-purpose flour; Pancetta 4 oz; Veal shanks 2 ½ to 3 lbs; Salt; Black pepper; Onion 1; Carrots ½ cup; Celery ½ cup; Garlic 2 tbsp; Fresh thyme 3 to 4 sprigs; Dry white wine 1 cup; Chicken stock 1 to 2 cups; Parsley 2 tbsp; Lemon zest 1 tbsp; Garlic 2 cloves

with citrus-herb gremolata

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Like 26
2h
Serves 4
Easy
325 °F
(1)

Ingredients

Adjust Servings:

	For dusting the meat before browning:
	All-purpose flour
	For Osso Buco:
	4 oz Pancetta diced into ¼-inch cubes
	2 ½ to 3 lbs Veal shanks 4 pieces, 2 to 3 inches thick
	Salt to taste
	Black pepper to taste
	1 Onion medium, ¼-inch dice
	½ cup Carrots diced, ¼-inch dice
	½ cup Celery diced, ¼-inch dice
	2 tbsp Garlic chopped, about 4 cloves
	3 to 4 sprigs Fresh thyme leaves, minced, or 1 tsp dried
	1 cup Dry white wine
	1 to 2 cups Chicken stock or veal
	For Gremolata:
	2 tbsp Parsley Italian, fresh, chopped
	1 tbsp Lemon zest finely grated
	2 cloves Garlic crushed and minced

Nutritional information

632

calories

25g

fat

13g

carbohydrates

77g

protein

297mg

cholesterol

453mg

sodium

Cuisine:

Italian Recipes

The Best Osso Buco

This is The Best Osso Buco recipe ever, and it’s my most requested dish from family and friends. Rich and hearty, it reminds me of the osso buco I’ve enjoyed in Italy but made easily in your own kitchen. Meaty veal shanks cooked low and slow with vegetables, dry white wine, savory chicken stock, and a pinch of fresh thyme if you have it. This dish pairs well with risotto, polenta, or pasta.

When purchasing the veal shanks, opt for well-marbled cuts for maximum flavor. If veal isn’t available, beef shanks are a great substitute. You’ll also need onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, dry white wine, and chicken stock. Now, here’s the secret ingredient: pancetta, which adds savory richness to the dish.

This comforting dish is easier to make than you might think. Start by heating a Dutch oven and adding the diced pancetta. Allow the pancetta to render until crisp. Remove it, leaving the fat behind, then brown the veal shanks in the rendered fat. Next, add the diced vegetables and sauté until softened, then stir in minced garlic and thyme. Return the pancetta and shanks to the pot. Add wine and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in a preheated oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours. While it cooks, prepare the gremolata – a mix of minced lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. Now, all you have to do is wait. Once cooked, the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Serve it over creamy risotto, fluffy polenta, or pasta, drizzled with the sauce and topped with gremolata.

To make The Best Osso Buco, you will need the following ingredients:

Steps to make The Best Osso Buco

1

Heat oven

5min

Preheat your oven to 325 °F.
2

Brown pancetta

5min

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 4 ounces diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Once the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered, remove the pancetta and transfer it to a plate covered with paper towels. Set aside. If needed, drain off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
3

Dredge shanks in flour

2min

Place flour on a large, shallow plate. Season the veal shanks well with salt and black pepper and lightly dredge in flour. Shake off any excess flour.
4

Brown shanks

10min

Place the meat in the hot pan with hot fat. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the shanks until well browned, about 5 minutes per side.
5

Remove shanks from pan

2min

Remove the shanks to a plate. Set aside.
6

Sauté onions, carrots and celery

5min

Add 1 diced onion, ½ cup diced carrots, and ½ cup diced celery to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
7

Add garlic and thyme

10min

Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped garlic and the minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme). Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables just start to brown, about 10 minutes.
8

Return shanks and pancetta to pan

5min

Return the shanks and pancetta to the pan. Add in 1 cup dry white wine. Pour in enough stock to come a little more than halfway up the sides of the shanks, 1 to 2 cups. Bring to a simmer.
9

Transfer to oven

1h 30m

Cover the pan with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
10

Prepare gremolata

2min

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest and 2 minced garlic cloves. Transfer the gremolata to a separate small serving dish.
11

Serve

Serve the osso buco on top of risotto or polenta, sprinkled with gremolata.

Get ready to delight your taste buds with The Best Osso Buco recipe! Tender veal shanks braised in a rich, flavorful broth with dry white wine make for an unforgettable meal. Try out this recipe and share your feedback in the comments!

About the author

Jeff O'connor

Jeff is a 38-year-old bachelor who prefers not to waste his time on salads and light meals. He’s a true carnivore who knows how to enjoy food to the max! Jeff will tell you how to cook rich and filling meals from scratch, bringing some real meaty decadence to your kitchen. His recipes are sure to satisfy every meat lover!