Hillman Wonders Hillman Wonders of the World

Osso Buco

Osso Buco Osso Buco ingredients
Servings: XXXX
Osso Buco cooking steps
  1. Bring the veal shanks to room temperature. Preheat oven to 150°C or 300°F.
  2. Dredge the veal shanks lightly in the flour.
  3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a wide-bottomed 5 to 6 liter (5 to 6 quart) casserole over moderate heat.
  4. Brown the veal shanks on all sides in the casserole. Transfer the shanks to a warm plate and partially cover them with aluminum foil.
  5. Reduce the heat to low and sauté the onions for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the carrots and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the celery and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
  6. Stir in the wine, stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat and bring the preparation to a simmer. Continue simmering it for 10 minutes.
  7. Return the veal shanks to the casserole. Arrange them upright (ideally, the surface of the bone that contains the largest cross section of marrow should face upward). Spoon the sauce over the shanks. Cover the pot, place it in the middle of the oven, and cook the preparation for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the thickness of the veal flesh.
  8. Mix the lemon rind, garlic, and parsley. This mixture is called gremolata.
  9. Transfer the cooked veal shanks to a warm serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the shanks. Sprinkle the preparation with the gremolata. Serve promptly.
Osso Buco pointers
Shank length
For best results, the shank bones should be at least 5 centimeters (2 inches) but preferably 6 centimeters (2 1/2 inches) in length.

Veal
For the sake of tenderness, be sure to buy veal not baby beef shanks. The color of veal shanks is pale white rather than rosy red.

Stock
If you don't have veal stock, substitute chicken stock.

Tomatoes
Unless they are vine ripened, use a good brand of canned imported Italian tomatoes. Drain and discard the liquid.

Lemon rind
When grating the lemon rind, do not cut too deeply into the bitter white pith that underlies the yellow skin.

Osso Buco serving suggestions
Accompaniments
The traditional starch accompaniment to Osso Buco is rice, especially risotto alla milanese. Pasta tossed with butter and freshly grated black pepper is a popular alternative.

Marrow
If you don't have marrow spoons, substitute lobster forks for removing and eating the cooked bone marrow.

Beverage
Serve a dry, medium- bodied Italian red wine.

Osso Buco facts and tidbits
Why is Osso Buco special?
Osso Buco is veal shank braised with onions, wine, and tomatoes and garnished with a piquant mixture of lemon rind, garlic, and parsley. The jewel of this preparation is the bone marrow, which is traditionally extracted with a tiny silver spoon made especially for this gastronomic task. I've heard Italians fancifully call this implement the agente Belle fasse, "tax collector."

When did you come upon this recipe?
It was the season in the Lombardy region of Italy when brief, bright days and long, lazy nights disrupt the normal flow of daily farm activities. The extra evening hours allowed my host, his wife, and me to linger peacefully at the massive farmhouse table, savoring each bite of Osso Buco.

What is the dish's proper name?
Osso Buco ("hollowed bone") is also known in the plural form, Ossi Buchi. By either name, just the thought of this dish is sufficient to set my gastric juices in motion.

What are some of the other famous Lombardian specialties?
They include vitello tonnato (simmered boneless leg of veal served cold with a tuna-mayonnaise sauce), costoletta alla milanese (Milan's version of Wiener schnitzel), risotto alla Milanese (saffron-flavored rice), and minestrone soup.
go to top