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Osso Buco (Veal Shanks) in Vegetable Puree

Top view of shallow bowl of beef shanks with marrow in an orange vegetable puree. Garnished with basil.
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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.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 veal shanks (osso buco)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 Tbsp 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)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 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 beef ~ 4 minutes per side.  Remove and place on a plate.  Add onions, celery, and carrot to 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 1/4 tsp salt.  Stir and nestle the shanks and any juices back into the pot.
  • Place oven safe pot into oven and cook ~ 2 - 2 1/2 hours total (or until very tender), turning 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 1/2 way - 3/4 way up the meat in braising dishes.
  • Whole 30 or paleo diet?  Skip the flour or use almond flour.