Cold weather provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy slow cooked dishes that are rich and hearty. Veal shanks become tender and flavorful when braised in an tomato sauce seasoned with fresh herbs.
Accompaniments
The traditional accompaniment to osso buco is risotto alla milanese. However, the braised meat and sauce are also delicious served over polenta, pasta or even mashed potatoes. Don’t skip the gremolata garnish that is added at the end – the lemon and parsley brighten the sauce and add a unique flavor dimension to finish the dish.
There are many versions of 'traditional' osso buco and some contain tomatoes while others do not. This interpretation includes tomatoes, wine and gremolata.
Osso Buco with Tomato Sauce
Makes 4 servings
To season the shanks:
- 4 veal shanks
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
- 1/8 cup all purpose flour
- Fresh ground pepper
Braising sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 can (796 ml / 28 fl. oz) whole Italian tomatoes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with a tight fitting lid
Gremolata:
- 1 Tablespoon lemon rind, finely chopped (approximately ¾ lemon)
- ½ cup finely chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
- In a large bowl combine flour, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 2 teaspoons sage and pepper. Add veal shanks and toss to coat with flour/herb mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove shanks from the fridge and bring to room temperature while preparing other ingredients (approximately 30 minutes)
- On the stove, heat the olive oil a large ovenproof pan on medium high heat until hot. Make sure there will be adequate room for all four shanks to sit in the pan without crowding.
- Add veal shanks and sauté on medium-high until browned on one side, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and brown other side.
- Once browned, remove shanks from pan and set aside. Add carrots, celery and onion to pan and sauté until softened, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add herbs and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, reducing heat to medium.
- Add chicken broth, wine and canned tomatoes in their juice. Use a spoon or spatula to break up the tomatoes.
- Simmer on medium high until liquid begins to reduce, approximately 10 minutes.
- Return shanks to pot with sauce, cover and place in the oven.
- Cook for 1 hour in the oven. After one hour, remove from oven, uncover and spoon sauce over the shanks so they don’t dry out. Put the cover back on and return to oven for another 45 to 50 minutes.
- After 45 to 50 minutes, remove from oven and check for tenderness. The shanks should still be largely in one piece but fork tender and starting to fall apart. If not, return to the oven for additional periods of 15 minutes, checking frequently until the shanks reach desired tenderness.
- Once tender, remove from oven. Prepare the gremolata by mixing the chopped lemon rind with the Italian parsley. To serve, stir gremolata into sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve shanks and sauce over risotto alla milanese.
Trish Coleman - Trish grew up in a small town in New Brunswick, Canada and her family ate fresh home cooked meals every night. Her family grew most of ...
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