Italian Osso Buco Recipe

Osso buco is a traditional Italian dish of braised meat shanks in a rich sauce made from stock, wine, butter, vegetables and spices. The meat is braised for several hours then served as a main meal accompanied by a starch, such as polenta or risotto.

‘Osso’ means bone and ‘buco’ means hole. It refers to the cut of meat used. Osso buco is made with veal or beef shanks which are cross cut, exposing a hole in the center of the bone.  This allows the marrow to seep out, lending both flavor and texture to the sauce. The sauce may contain additional meats such as pancetta for extra flavor.

There are two main types of osso buco. The modern variation is made with tomatoes. The traditional method is made without tomatoes and is called osso buco a bianco. Osso buco alla Milanese is a style from Milan.

It is made with veal shanks and cooked with tomatoes and white wine. The meat is then topped with gremolata, a sauce made from parsley, garlic and lemon.

Origin & Cultural Significance

Osso buco is believed to have originated in the Lombardy region of Italy. It’s a fairly recent creation, dating back to the 19^th century. Like rabo de toro, it’s thought that this was a way to make the best of what was an undesirable cut of meat at that time.

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Italian Osso Buco Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Osso buco is a traditional Italian dish of braised meat shanks in a rich sauce made from stock, wine, butter, vegetables and spices.

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Ingredients

• Beef or veal shanks (1/2 lb each) - 4
• Flour (for dredging) - ½ cup
• Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Pancetta (diced) - ¼ lb
• Onion (finely diced) - 1
• Carrot (diced) - 1
• Celery (diced) - 1 stalk
• Garlic (minced) - 2 cloves
• Dry white wine (e.g. pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc) - 1 cup
• Chicken broth - 2 cups
• Tomato paste - 1 ½ tbsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Thyme leaves (dried) - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black pepper (freshly ground) - ½ tsp

Gremolata (optional)

• Lemon - 1
• Parsley - 3 tbsp
• Garlic (minced) - 4

Instructions

1. Pat the shanks dry with a paper towel and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. 
2. Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven or medium pot and brown the shanks on both sides and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
3. If making the gremolata, combine the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use
4. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook until browned, then add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.
5. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes until softened. 
6. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half.
7. Add the broth, seasonings, and tomato paste.
8. Return the browned shanks to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a very low simmer, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender. 
9. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
10. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
11. Serve with creamy polenta or saffron risotto and, if using, sprinkle with gremolata.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 501Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 1159mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 27g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.