Veal Osso Buco
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour (see Notes)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 4 center cut slices veal shanks (each about 1-1/2 inches thick)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic, divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • Zest from one lemon, divided (~ 2 teaspoons)
  • ¾ cup Beef Stock (may need extra)
  • 28 ounces whole San Marzano tomatoes or plum tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  2. Tie each shank with butcher’s twine around the middle (see Notes).
  3. In a shallow bowl, mix flour with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. In a deep, heavy, straight-sided, ovenproof skillet or braiser (at least 12 inches wide) with a tight-fitting lid, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. When oil is hot, dredge veal shanks in flour on both sides, brush off any excess flour, and place in a single layer in pan. Heat until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
  4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, 2 teaspoons garlic, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. (Make sure that the vegetables don't burn).
  5. Add white wine and half of the lemon zest. With a wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Cook until wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add beef stock and cook until liquid is reduced by half, another 5 minutes.
  7. Add tomatoes and their juices, rosemary, sage, thyme and ½ teaspoon salt to pan.
  8. Put drained plum tomatoes into the skillet along with rosemary, sage, thyme and the remaining Break up tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  9. Return veal shanks to the pan. The sauce should come about two thirds of the way up the shanks. If it does not, add some additional beef stock or water.
  10. Cover with lid and braise in the preheated oven, turning shanks every 30 minutes, for a total of 2 hours. Add extra stock or water if liquid is getting too thick or too low. When shanks are done, they should be extremely tender and the meat should be starting to pull away from the bone.
  11. Carefully place shanks on a large plate and cover with foil until ready to serve.
  12. Carefully skim any fat from the surface. Cook sauce over moderate high heat until it is reduced to the desired consistency, about another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add shanks back into pan and cover with sauce.
  13. Make the gremolata by mixing the remaining lemon zest, ½ teaspoon garlic, and parsley in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir well. (Can be made while shanks are braising.)
  14. Place one shank on a plate, cover generously with sauce and sprinkle with gremolata. Serve warm.
Notes
* Watch this short video to see how to tie butcher’s twine around the veal shanks.
* For gluten-free flour I use Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour.
* The dish can be made one day in advance, cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Reheat over medium-low for about 20 to 30 minutes. Braised meats taste even better the next day.
* You can freeze the leftovers and slowly reheat in a covered pan or use a sous vide (cook at 167˚F for about 90 minutes if refrigerated or 2 hours from frozen).
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/veal-osso-buco/