Osso Buco Milanese Classic (Print View)

Slow-braised veal shanks in rich tomato sauce with zesty gremolata for a comforting Milanese main course.

# Components:

→ Veal and Seasoning

01 - 4 veal shanks (approximately 12 oz each, cross-cut, bone-in)
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour as alternative), for dredging

→ Vegetables

04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 carrots, diced
08 - 2 celery stalks, diced
09 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

→ Braising Liquid

10 - 1 cup dry white wine
11 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
12 - 1 1/2 cups beef or veal stock
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - Zest of 1 lemon (reserve for gremolata)

→ Gremolata

17 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
18 - 1 garlic clove, minced
19 - Zest of 1 lemon (from above)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Pat veal shanks dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off any excess.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown veal shanks on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté until softened, approximately 6 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with their juice, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and half of the lemon zest. Stir to combine.
06 - Place veal shanks back into the pot in a single layer, spooning sauce over them. Bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Cover and transfer to a preheated oven set at 325°F. Braise for 2 hours or until the veal is fork-tender.
08 - While veal braises, combine parsley, garlic, and the remaining lemon zest to make gremolata.
09 - Remove veal shanks to a serving platter. Skim fat from the sauce if desired, and simmer to thicken. Spoon sauce over the shanks and garnish with gremolata before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those veal shanks become so tender they practically fall apart on your fork, yet the dish feels refined enough to impress anyone at your table.
  • The gremolata hits at the end like a bright wake-up call, cutting through all that richness in the most satisfying way.
  • It's the kind of meal that tastes like you've been cooking all day, but the hands-on time is actually pretty short.
02 -
  • Don't rush the browning step—a proper sear is what makes this dish sing, and that takes real heat and patience, not a quick pass through a cold pan.
  • The oven temperature matters more than you'd think; if it's too high, the meat becomes stringy instead of tender, so use an oven thermometer if you have one.
  • Add the gremolata only at the very end, right before eating—if it sits in the hot sauce, it loses all that vibrant brightness that makes the dish complete.
03 -
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, don't panic—simmer it gently on the stovetop without the meat for 5 to 10 minutes, and it will thicken beautifully.
  • The marrow from the shanks is edible and delicious; push it out onto a piece of bread or onto the risotto underneath the meat for something really special.
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