Ossobuco Milanese, Braised Veal Shanks

Traditional Ossobuco alla Milanese (Milan style veal shanks) braised in an good tomato and white wine sauce until the meat is extra tender and falling off the bone. Served with Risotto alla Milanese and topped with zesty gremolata it's the ultimate comforting meal.

Ossobuco is a traditional Italian dish from the Lombardy region made with bone-in veal shanks (ossobuco translates as 'bone with a hole').

The bone marrow makes this recipe special and luxurious suited to Sunday dinner or special occasions. Spoon it out and enjoy with the rich sauce or spread on crusty bread.

The veal is traditionally served with saffron risotto (Risotto alla Milanese) and is topped with zesty gremolata (parsley, garlic and lemon zest). Trust us, you don't want to skip it it adds SO much flavour!

Ingredients – what you need

See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need (minus salt, pepper and olive oil) plus some important tips!

• Veal shanks – make sure your veal shanks are quite thick (1 inch/2.5cm) so they don't fall apart as easily.
• Carrot, celery and onion – known as il soffritto in Italian this adds SO much flavour to stews and soups.
• Bay leaf and rosemary – use fresh herbs (although dried bay is ok) don't use dried rosemary. You could also use fresh thyme.
• White wine – use a dry white wine for best results. If you're avoiding alcohol you can skip it but it will affect the overall flavour and we don't recommend skipping it.
• Stock – use low sodium chicken stock so you can control the amount of salt that's added. Don't use beef stock it's too strong for the delicate flavour of veal.
• Tomato paste – known as tomato puree in the UK this is a rich and concentrated tomato paste that will add a lot of flavour without adding too much liquid.
• Gremolata (important!) don't forget to top your ossobuco with gremolata (finely chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest) it makes a huge difference and takes 2 minutes to make!

Sprinkle the veal shanks with salt and press it into it so it sticks. Put the flour on a plate and dust all sides of the veal shanks in flour, shaking off any excess (photos 1 & 2).

Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Once hot, brown the veal on both sides. Remove and set aside on a plate (photos 3 & 4).

To stop the ossobuco from falling apart while it cooks you can tie each piece with kitchen string. This is only necessary for presentation purposes and doesn't affect the flavour (photo 5 optional step).

Heat more olive oil in the same pan you browned the veal if necessary then add the finely chopped carrot, celery and onion. Saute the vegetables on a medium heat until softened but not browned (photo 6).

Next, add the white wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add the chicken stock and tomato paste and stir to combine (photos 7 & 8).

Add the herbs and place the veal back into the pan with the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours (photo 9).

After 2 hours, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly (photo 10).

Serve topped with gremolata.

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Serving suggestions – serve your Ossobuco with Risotto alla Milanese (saffron risotto) or any risotto you like creamy polenta or mashed potatoes would also work well – don't forget the crusty bread!
• Gremolata – it sounds fancy but it takes 2 minutes to make. Finely chop up fresh parsley, garlic and lemon zest and sprinkle it over the veal shanks right before serving. Trust us, you don't want to skip it!
• Dust the veal in flour – this is an important step for thickening your sauce!

How do we stop the veal from falling apart?

Your veal shanks may get so tender that the meat starts to fall off the bone towards the end of cooking. We personally don't mind this it's hearty, rustic and good but if you want to keep them whole you can tie each shank with a piece of kitchen string after browning to keep them together whilst cooking.

Can we use beef instead?

Absolutely, if veal is hard to find you can use beef instead which will have a stronger flavour.

Can we prepare it in advance?

Yes, you can prepare the whole dish in advance and reheat it before serving. The stew will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

What can we do with leftovers?

Leftovers can be reheated until piping hot and served with your side of choice or shred the leftover meat into the sauce and serve with pasta.

Can we freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze leftover or prepared ossobuco in containers or freezer bags. Thaw completely before reheating and serving.

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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 4 bone in veal shanks (about 1 inch/2.5cm thick)
• 1-2 tbsp flour (for dredging)
• 1 carrot (finely chopped)
• 1 celery stalk (finely chopped)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 3 tbsp tomato paste (tomato puree UK)
• 2 cups chicken stock ((500ml))
• 1 cup white wine ((125ml))
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• gremolata ((finely chopped parsley, lemon and garlic for serving))

Equipment

• kitchen string (optional)

Method

1. Sprinkle the veal shanks with salt and press it into it so it sticks. Put the flour on a plate and dust all sides of the veal shanks in flour, shaking off any excess.

2. Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Once hot, brown the veal on both sides. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Optional step - presentation only

1. To stop the ossobuco from falling apart while it cooks you can tie each piece with kitchen string. This is only necessary for presentation purposes and doesn't affect the flavour.

Make the sauce

1. Heat more olive oil in the same pan you browned the veal if necessary then add the finely chopped carrot, celery and onion. Saute the vegetables on a medium heat until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.

2. Next, add the white wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add the chicken stock and tomato paste and stir to combine.

3. Add the herbs and place the veal back into the pan with the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours.

4. After 2 hours, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

5. Serve topped with gremolata.

Kitchen notes

• Serving suggestions serve your Ossobuco with Risotto alla Milanese (saffron risotto) or any risotto you like creamy polenta or mashed potatoes would also work well - don't forget the crusty bread!
• Gremolata it sounds fancy but it takes 2 minutes to make. Finely chop up fresh parsley, garlic and lemon zest and sprinkle it over the veal shanks right before serving. Trust us, you don't want to skip it!
• Dust the veal in flour this is an important step for thickening your sauce!
• To stop your veal from falling apart your veal shanks may get so tender that the meat starts to fall off the bone towards the end of cooking. We personally don't mind this it's hearty, rustic and good but if you want to keep them whole you can tie each shank with a piece of kitchen string after browning to keep them together whilst cooking.
• Leftovers & freezing leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be reheated. You can also freeze the Ossobuco in suitable containers/bags then defrost it completely before reheating.