This tender Italian braised veal shank recipe (AKA Osso Buco or Ossobuco) is cooked with vegetables, white wine, and broth. The osso buco sauce is then pureed and garnished with fresh basil.
Osso Buco is generally served over risotto or polenta. Having said that, braised veal shank can be served over any carb: mashed potatoes, regular rice, quinoa, etc...
What is Osso Buco?
Osso Buco is an Italian braised beef veal shank recipe. It is also known as Ossobuco.
The dish Osso buco uses cross cut veal (young cow) shanks (the calf or shin) that has the bone with the marrow.
Beef shank is easier to come across than calf (veal) shank, so it is also widely used in this recipe. Also, some folks have a harder time eating young cows (less than one year old), so prefer the older cows.
You can get veal shanks at most grocery stores. These shanks came from a local Charleston farmer - Wishbone Heritage Farms.
Osso Buco Cooking Tips
Tie the veal shank together to keep them together during the cooking process because it's so tender after cooking that it could fall apart.
I like to salt veal shanks with both regular salt and kosher salt. The finer salt gives more even coverage while the kosher salt promotes better searing.
Liquid does not need to cover the veal shanks in the pot because they will need to be flipped half way through the cooking process. Liquid should come ½ way - ¾ way up the meat in braising dishes.
After searing the veal shanks but before baking, transfer the osso buco to a large baking dish so they lay flat if you are having a dinner party and want the meat to stay together. Then add the pureed liquid before baking. This will make serving easier.
Oven in use with something else? You can also simmer this Osso buco recipe on the stovetop for the same amount of time.
Osso Buco (Veal Shanks) in Vegetable Puree
EatSimpleFood.com
This tender Italian braised veal shank recipe (Osso Buco or Ossobuco) is braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth, pureed, and garnished with fresh basil.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 180 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop / Oven
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 4 veal shanks (osso buco)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch saffron (substitute ground turmeric if you don't have saffron)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup basil, sliced - optional as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Tie the osso buco together with kitchen string. The goal is to keep it from falling apart while braising, but a lot of time it will fall apart, especially if stacked on top of each other to braise in a large pot.
- Pat the beef dry and liberally salt and pepper.
- Bring oven safe pot to medium high heat and add oil.
- Sear the veal shanks ~ 4 minutes per side. Remove and place on a plate.
- Add onions, celery, and carrot to the pan and cook ~ 4-6 minutes or until veggies are soft.
- Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste, stir, and cook ~ 1 minute.
- Stir in flour and cook ~ 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in wine, broth, bay leaf, saffron, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Stir and nestle the shanks and any juices back into the pot.
- Place pot into oven and cook ~ 2 - 2 ½ hours total (or until very tender), turning veal shanks once at the 1 hour mark.
- You can eat this as is but if you want a creamy sauce (like in the picture), remove the osso bucco and place liquid contents of pot (careful it's hot!), into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Spoon sauce in a bowl or over your starch/grain and top with osso buco.
- Add salt to taste and garnish with basil. Happy Eating! Beckie
Notes
- Transfer the osso buco to a large baking dish so they lay flat if you are having a dinner party and want the meat to stay together.
- I like to salt beef with both regular sea salt and kosher salt. The finer salt gives more even coverage while the kosher salt promotes searing better.
- Oven in use with something else? You can also simmer this on the stovetop for the same amount of time.
- Liquid does not need to cover this dish because you are going to flip it half way through the cooking process. Liquid should come ½ way - ¾ way up the meat in braising dishes.
Things In My Kitchen:
- 6 quart cast iron pot for searing & braising (slow cooking) the osso buco.
- Instant Pot - For quick cooking. Sear or don't sear depending on your mood & day.
- Crockpot - Throw it in, set it on low for 8 hours. Walk away.
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Serving Suggestion
Serve this Italian Osso Buco veal shank recipe with these complementary dishes:
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