Braised Italian Veal Shanks (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
4 ounces diced pancetta or chopped bacon (or 2-3 tablespoons olive oil instead)
02 -
2½ to 3 pounds veal shanks (4 to 6 pieces, about 2 to 3 inches thick)
03 -
¼ cup plain flour for coating
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
04 -
2 carrots, cleaned and chopped into small cubes
05 -
2 celery stalks, cut into small pieces
06 -
1 medium onion, skinned and finely chopped
07 -
4 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed or roughly diced
08 -
3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
09 -
1-2 rosemary twigs (or ¼-½ teaspoon dried rosemary)
→ Liquids
10 -
1 cup white or red dry wine
11 -
1 to 2 cups beef, veal, or chicken broth
12 -
1 (14 oz) tin of crushed or finely diced tomatoes
→ Seasonings
13 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed
14 -
Freshly minced parsley for topping
# Instructions:
01 -
Get your oven hot at 325°F (165°C).
02 -
Rub veal shanks with plenty of salt and black pepper, then lightly dust with flour and shake off extra. Put them aside.
03 -
Warm a thick-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for roughly 5 minutes. Toss in pancetta and stir now and then until it turns golden, gets crispy, and releases fat. Take out pancetta with a holed spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels. If needed, pour off all but 2-3 tablespoons of fat from the pot.
04 -
Turn up heat to medium-high and brown the shanks on each side until they're nicely colored, taking about 5 minutes per side. Move shanks to a plate and set them aside.
05 -
Throw onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and rosemary into the Dutch oven. Stir often while cooking until veggies soften and start browning, taking 5-7 minutes.
06 -
Put the shanks and pancetta back in the pot. Add wine and tomatoes, then pour in enough stock to reach just over halfway up the sides of the meat.
07 -
Let it bubble gently. Mix well, making sure to scrape up any stuck brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
08 -
Put the lid on and stick the pot in the hot oven to cook until meat gets really soft, around 1 to 1½ hours. Check if it's done by poking with a fork—the meat should fall apart easily. Veal needs to reach 145°F (63°C) inside. Don't cook it too long.
09 -
Put the pot back on the stove over medium-high heat. Take out the veal shanks and keep them on a plate. Let the sauce bubble for 5-10 minutes until it gets thicker how you like it.
10 -
Drizzle the sauce over the veal shanks. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top and eat right away.
# Notes:
01 -
People usually serve Osso Buco with gremolata (mixed lemon peel, garlic, and parsley) and saffron risotto.
02 -
The tasty bone marrow inside the veal shanks is a real treat you can scoop out with a tiny spoon or knife.