Osso Buco Recipe

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
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Updated on 12/2/21
Osso Buco Recipe

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
584 Calories
23g Fat
7g Carbs
75g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 584
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 281mg 94%
Sodium 628mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 75g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 116mg 9%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 1141mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Osso buco is a classic Italian recipe made by slow cooking veal shanks until the meat is tender and succulent.

Veal shanks are tough cuts of meat with a lot of connective tissue in them. Braising them slowly in liquid breaks down those chewy bits. 

Braising doesn't produce the flavorful, brown outer crust that dry-heat cooking methods like roasting do, so we sear it on the stovetop first. You can read more here about how to braise meat.

Osso buco can be served with risotto, polenta or even mashed potatoes. Traditionally, osso buco is garnished with a zesty condiment called gremolata.

Ingredients

  • 3 cross-cut veal shanks, about 1 pound each

  • 1/4 cup canola oil, or vegetable oil

  • 1/2 large onion, chopped

  • 1 medium stalk celery, chopped

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly crushed

  • 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes, including liquid

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 4 cups beef stock, or veal stock

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

    Osso Buco Recipe ingredients

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  2. Pat any excess moisture off the veal shanks with clean paper towels. This will enhance the browning of the meat.

    Pat any excess moisture off the veal shanks with clean paper towels

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  3. Make a few vertical (i.e., parallel to the bone) cuts in the outer membrane of the shanks so that the meat won't twist out of shape while it braises.

    Make a few vertical cuts in the outer membrane of the shanks

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  4. Season the shanks well with kosher salt.

    salt the veal shanks

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  5. In a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven or brazier, heat the oil over high heat, then add the meat and sear it thoroughly, using a pair of tongs to turn it.

    sear the veal shanks in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  6. When a nice brown crust has developed on all sides of the meat, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

    seared veal shanks on a plate

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  7. Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic to pot and cook for 5 minutes or so, or until the onion is slightly translucent.

    add carrots, celery, onions and garlic to the pot

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  8. Add the wine and reduce by about half.

    wine, carrots, celery, onions and garlic in a pot

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  9. Return the meat to the pot and add the tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. The liquid should cover the veal shanks about one-third of the way up. Heat on the stovetop until the liquid comes to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer the whole thing to the oven.

    tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns added to the veal shanks and vegetables in the pot

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  10. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

    cook meat with vegetables and spices in the pot

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  11. Remove pot from the oven. Strain the cooking liquid by pouring it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Season the liquid to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Strain the veal cooking liquid by pouring it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  12. Serve the osso buco atop a bed of risotto, polenta or mashed potatoes, with the cooking liquid, poured over them, and garnish with gremolata if desired.

    Osso Buco Recipe, in a pot

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond