Osso Buco – the perfect comfort food for colder days. Full of herbs, a flavorful tomato & white wine sauce and fall-off-the-bone meat that will have you licking the plate.
What makes this recipe exceptionally delicious are the quality shanks we used. I came across these beef shanks at our local farmers market when I was picking up ground beef from Perennial Pastures Ranch. Perennial Pastures is a San Diego-based regenerative cattle ranch that offers a beautiful selection of ground blends, beef tallow cuts.
One of their reps recommended the osso buco, and since I already love everything they offer, I couldn’t resist the purchase. I’ve never cooked before so I was slightly intimidated, but this turned out amazing and my husband was a major fan.
You can truly taste the difference in grass-fed cattle and these cuts had the perfect balance of fat and meat (and lots of juicy marrow!) Along with purchasing quality meat, I opted for a dutch oven instead of the trusty InstaPot. Regardless of what you’re cooking it in, remember cooking it low and slow is what will make it turn out the best.
Whether you’re looking for a hearty weeknight dinner or an impressive dinner party centerpiece, this recipe is sure to impress. Plus, it’s easy to make and can be prepared in advance, making it a great choice for busy home cooks
Ingredients
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 3 dry bay leaves
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen twine
- 2-3 whole beef shanks (about 1 pound per shank)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 stick grass-fed, salted butter
- 1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 small carrot, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 stalk celery, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Place the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf into cheesecloth and secure with twine. This will be your herb bouquet.
- Pat dry your veal shanks with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Use your kitchen twine to tie the shanks, securing the meat to the bone. Season the shanks with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven pot, heat the butter until melted. Add the veal shanks and brown all sides, roughly 3 minutes per side. Remove browned shanks and place aside on a plate.
- In the same pot, add your chopped onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables. Sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft.
- Add in the tomato paste and stir through. Once the tomato paste is incorporated throughout, return the browned shanks to the dutch oven.
- Pour in your white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Add the herb bouquet and 3 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and place the cover on the dutch oven. Simmer on low for about 2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Remember to keep the heat on low so that it doesn’t overcook – low and slow is how to do it!
- Check the shanks every 15 to 20 minutes, making sure the cooking liquid is roughly 3/4 the way up the shank.
- Once the shanks are cooked to your liking, remove from the bot and place on a platter or plate. Discard the twine and scoop vegetables and juices onto the shanks.
- Garnish with some lemon zest and enjoy!
Meet Liz, the founder of The Hive. When she’s not working on the site, you’ll find her either cooking some steak, taking a bike ride or playing with her pup, Ziggy.
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