Cross-cut veal shanks braised low and slow with white wine, broth, and vegetables until the meat is meltingly tender and the marrow has enriched the sauce. Finished with gremolata, a bright condiment of lemon zest, parsley, and garlic.
Ingredients
4 veal shanks (osso buco cut), about 1.5 inches thick
1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
2 cups beef or veal broth
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For gremolata: lemon zest, parsley, garlic
Instructions
1Pat the veal shanks dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
2Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks for 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3In the same pot, saute the onion, carrots, and celery (soffritto) for 8 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized.
4Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and scrape up all browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until wine reduces by half.
5Add crushed tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, and rosemary. Return the veal shanks to the pot. The liquid should come halfway up the shanks.
6Cover and braise in a 325F (160C) oven for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone.
7While braising, prepare the gremolata by mixing finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, and lemon zest.
8Serve each shank with the braising sauce, topped with gremolata, alongside risotto alla milanese or creamy polenta.
Did You Know?
Osso Buco means "bone with a hole" in Italian, referring to the marrow hole in the center of the cross-cut veal shank. The marrow is considered the most prized part of the dish.