Are You Making Ossobuco & Risotto Alla Milanese Wrong? The Secret to the Authentic Taste

veal shanks

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork shanks

Chicken is leaner, while pork is more affordable.

white wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: vegetable broth

Non-alcoholic wine maintains flavor without alcohol.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: homemade vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water + bouillon cubes

Homemade broth is healthier and more economical.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is heart-healthy, while margarine is often less expensive.

Ask your butcher to make small shallow cuts into the white connective tissue around the shank.

Pat the shanks completely dry and lightly season the meat.

Dredge the shanks lightly in all-purpose flour, shaking off the excess.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium to high heat.

Sear the shank until deeply golden brown on both sides.

Pour in dry white wine and let it bubble, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Let the wine reduce by half to concentrate the flavor.

Pour in bone broth until the liquid reaches about 2/3 of the way up the meat and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover the pot with a lid and slow cook the osso buco for 1 hour or until the meat is fork tender.

If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid for the last 15 minutes of cooking to allow some liquid to evaporate.

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add lemon zest, garlic, chopped parsley, and an anchovy fillet to the pot.

Remove the pot from the heat and cover the meat while preparing the risotto.

In a separate pot, bring bone marrow broth to a low simmer and keep warm.

In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium heat and add diced onion, cooking until soft and translucent.

Add risotto rice and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until the grains are translucent around the edges.

Begin adding warm broth, starting with a ladle full, and wait until the liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding more.

After half the cooking time, add saffron and stir to distribute the color evenly.

Once the rice is al dente, remove from heat and whisk in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a small knob of butter.

Cover the pot and let the risotto rest for 1-2 minutes.

Serve the golden risotto on a plate with the osso buco on top or alongside.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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