Osso Buco Braised Veal Shanks Recipes

OSSO BUCO

Steps:

• Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheesecloth 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 to 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 discard.
• Remove and discard bouquet garni from the pot.
• Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.

TRADITIONAL OSSO BUCO

Steps:

• Dust the veal shanks lightly with flour. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the veal, and cook until browned on the outside. Remove to a bowl, and keep warm. Add two cloves of crushed garlic and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until onion is tender. Return the veal to the pan and mix in the carrot and wine. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, basting the veal every 15 minutes or so. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone.
• In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, 1 clove of garlic and lemon zest. Sprinkle the gremolata over the veal just before serving.

BRAISED OSSO BUCO RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3.
• Thaw the shanks for at least an hour before you plan to cook. Place them on clean paper hand towels and pat them dry. Pro tip - The shanks must be dry. Otherwise, they will stew instead of sear. I like to leave to thaw them uncovered in the fridge overnight so that excess moisture can dry out.
• Generously season the shanks with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. Then, coat each one in flour and dust off excess flour. And set aside.Pro tip - You can tie each shank with kitchen twine to hold them together so they do not fall apart during cooking. I did not do this today as you can see in the video.
• Use a large oven-safe pan such as a Dutch oven, that will accommodate all the shanks. Add one tbsp oil and one tablespoon butter. Pro tip - Alternatively you can sear the meat in batches as I have done in the video. I prefer to use a large pot with a wide circumference so each piece of shank sits comfortably in a single layer.
• Sear the shanks on each side for at least 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. There is no need to add more oil or unsalted butter for the next batch.Pro tip - Keep the heat on medium to high and do not turn the shanks for the first two minutes. This will ensure good caramelization.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil and butter along with the garlic. Followed by brown sugar and honey. Saute for just about 30 seconds. Then, add the tomato paste, Sriracha, and balsamic vinegar. Pro tip - Keep the heat to medium as these are delicate ingredients and we do not want them to burn, especially the garlic.
• Next, add the red wine and season with salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and let boil for two mintues. Pro tip - We want to boil the red wine for just two minutes to cook out some of the alcohol.
• Add the bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and chicken broth. Return the shanks to the pan and bring to a gentle boil. Pro tip - Use tongs to transfer the meat and gently tuck them in the liquid. They must be almost submerged under the cooking liquid so they cook evenly.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven on the middle rack. Cook covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Pro tip - I am using aluminum foil. But, if using a dutch oven you can also cover with its own lid.
• Remove from the thyme and rosemary sprigs and discard. Garnish with chopped parsley.