Pan Braised Osso Buco

 Pan-braising osso buco (veal or beef shanks) is a classic stovetop method that yields incredibly tender meat and a rich, savory marrow. It involves searing the meat to build flavor, cooking a fragrant vegetable base (soffritto), and simmering the shanks low and slow. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Key Ingredients & Prep
  • The Meat: 3-4 cross-cut veal or beef shanks (about 1.5 to 2 inches thick). Use kitchen twine to tie the shanks around the sides to keep them from curling during cooking.
  • The Dredge: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • The Soffritto: 1 diced onion, 1 diced carrot, 1 diced celery stalk, and 2-3 minced garlic cloves.
  • The Liquids: 1 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) or tomato sauce and 1.5 to 2 cups of rich beef or chicken stock. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Step-by-Step Cooking Guide
  1. Dredge & Sear: Lightly coat the seasoned shanks in flour and shake off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks for 4-5 minutes per side until a deep, golden crust forms. Remove and set aside.
  2. Build the Sauce: In the same pan (leaving the flavorful drippings), add your onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
  3. Deglaze: Pour in the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned, caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer and reduce by half.
  4. Braise: Place the shanks back into the pan, nestling them into the vegetables. Pour in the broth so that the liquid comes about 3/4 of the way up the sides of the meat (do not submerge them completely). Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme and a bay leaf.
  5. Simmer: Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the osso buco simmer gently for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone. Check periodically to ensure the liquid hasn’t completely evaporated.
  6. Serve: Carefully transfer the shanks to a plate. Spoon the rich braising liquid and vegetables over the top. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
For tips on how to prepare the classic Milanese gremolata garnish to top off your finished osso buco:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sweet Dijon Mustard Salad Dressing

  SWEET DIJON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup ½ tsp (2.5 mL) garlic powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt ¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper Really good with any salad. Found here:  Spinach apple quinoa salad - Diabetes Canada
Read more

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

METHOD Prep : Cook 1 cup of dry quinoa in 2 cups of vegetable broth according to package directions. Make the dressing: SWEET DIJON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup ½ tsp (2.5 mL) garlic powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt ¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper Assemble all ingedients in a bowl: 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion  1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper  1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro (or spinach, or parsley...) Cooked quinoa  Dressing Toss with a big spoon.
Read more

Beef Vegetable Soup

Image
Ingredients 3 lbs of bone-in beef shank, cut into one inch pieces 6 cups of water 2 cups of tomato juice 1/3 cup of onion, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon of salt (or a tablespoon...to taste) 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes 2 bay leaves 1 cup chopped potatoes  1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup of chopped cabbage (optional) Method Remove meat from bone; cut in one inch bite-size pieces, sear in hot fat. In a large 6-8 quart stock pot, add seared meat, bones, water, tomato juice and seasonings. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Add vegetables, cover and simmer 1 hour longer. Remove bones and bay leaves. Here is a picture of the page from my Mum's 75 year old cookbook, unopened for over 40 years. Has one of my Mum's hairs on it and a dried up piece of onion.  0
Read more