Veal Ossobuco – Mastering Italy’s Iconic Braised Dish

white wine

💰Cheaper: chicken broth

Chicken broth can provide a similar depth of flavor without alcohol.

veal shanks

💰Cheaper: pork shanks

Pork shanks are more affordable and can still yield tender results.

Lightly dust veal shanks with flour, focusing on the flesh and avoiding the marrow.

Melt a generous amount of butter in a pan and allow the water content to evaporate.

Lightly sear the veal shanks in the butter until they achieve a pale golden color, flipping only once to preserve the marrow.

Skim off excess butter from the pan after searing the shanks.

Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pan to build the aromatic base, cooking without color to concentrate flavors.

Season the vegetables generously with salt to draw out moisture and lift the fond from the pan.

Add a bay leaf to the vegetables for flavor enhancement.

Deglaze the pan with white wine, cooking until the alcohol smell dissipates.

Carefully return the shanks to the pan in a single layer.

Add beef stock until it comes halfway up the sides of the shanks, ensuring gentle cooking.

Add thyme and lightly crushed garlic to the pan, avoiding pungency by adding garlic later in the process.

Cover the pan and transfer it to a preheated oven at 150°C (without fan) for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Prepare the garnish by zesting a lemon, mincing garlic, and slicing parsley leaves just before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens