Tiffany Haney
Veal Ossobuco, or Osso Buco, is a classic Italian dish that is typically prepared by braising or slow-cooking. While it can be challenging to find this dish on restaurant menus, it is a comforting and flavourful meal worth the effort. The name, translating to bone with a hole, refers to the cross-cut veal shanks used, which are cooked until tender and served with a rich sauce. This dish can be prepared in a Dutch oven or frying pan, and the shanks are typically coated in flour and browned before being braised with vegetables, wine, and stock. The real magic happens during the slow braising process, creating a fall-off-the-bone tender dish with a velvety sauce. So, can you pan-fry veal ossobuco? Absolutely!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meat | Veal shanks |
| Cooking method | Pan-fried, braised, baked |
| Cooking time | 2-2.5 hours |
| Oven temperature | 325°F |
| Ingredients | Flour, salt, pepper, vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, garlic), tomatoes, wine, stock, herbs (bay leaves, parsley, thyme, rosemary), gremolata (lemon zest, parsley, garlic) |
| Garnish | Gremolata |
| Serving suggestion | Saffron-flavored risotto alla Milanese |
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What You'll Learn
How to prepare the veal shanks
Veal shanks are the traditional meat for osso buco, a classic Italian dish. The shanks are braised and slow-cooked to create a fall-off-the-bone tender dish.
To prepare the veal shanks, start by seasoning them generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Use a sharp knife to cut the membrane around the perimeter of the shank, making three cuts to prevent curling during cooking.
Next, prepare a dredging station by sprinkling flour into a shallow bowl and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Blend the flour and seasonings together. Dredge each veal shank in the seasoned flour, coating all sides evenly, and shake off any excess flour.
Heat a Dutch oven or a medium frying pan on the stovetop over medium to medium-high heat. Add olive oil or another cooking fat of your choice, such as pancetta, and heat until shimmering or lightly smoking.
Carefully place the dredged veal shanks into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the shanks until they develop a deep golden-brown crust on all sides. This step is crucial for building flavour, so take your time and ensure a nice crust forms before proceeding.
Once the veal shanks are seared, remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
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Making the sauce
Once the veal shanks are browned and set aside, it's time to make the sauce. For this, you'll need a combination of vegetables, including onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Some recipes also call for anchovies and pancetta to be added at this stage for extra flavour. Sauté the vegetables until soft and translucent, which should take around 5 to 10 minutes.
Next, pour in some dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay, or a dry red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook out before adding in some beef or chicken broth. You can also add tomatoes or tomato paste at this stage, along with herbs like thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. Give everything a good stir and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
For the best sauce, it is recommended to finely mince the vegetables, as larger chunks may not break down enough to form a thickened sauce. You can use a hand blender directly in the pan or a regular blender or food processor to blend the sauce to your desired consistency.
Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. The sauce is now ready to be served with the veal ossobuco.
It's worth noting that the marrow from the veal shanks will also contribute to the sauce, adding a luxurious texture and depth of flavour.
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Oven cooking
Veal ossobuco is a classic Italian dish that involves braising or slow-cooking veal shanks until they are tender and the meat falls off the bone. While pan-frying is often involved in the preparation of veal ossobuco, the dish is typically finished in the oven. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to cook veal ossobuco in the oven:
Preparation:
Before cooking veal ossobuco in the oven, there are several key steps to follow. Firstly, gather your ingredients, which typically include veal shanks, flour, salt and pepper, olive oil or butter, vegetables (such as onions, carrots, celery, and garlic), tomatoes, wine, stock, and herbs like thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary.
Next, prepare the veal shanks by seasoning them generously with salt and pepper. You can also use butcher's twine to tie around the circumference of each shank to help them hold their shape during cooking. Set the veal shanks aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
Coat the veal shanks with flour, ensuring they are evenly coated, and shake off any excess. You can also add some olive oil or butter to your pan at this stage, heating it until it is hot or lightly smoking.
Searing the Meat:
Place the floured veal shanks into the hot oil or butter and sear them until they develop a deep golden-brown crust. This step is crucial as it adds flavour to the dish and forms the foundation for a rich sauce. Sear the shanks for about 4 to 6 minutes per side, ensuring they are nicely browned. Once seared, set the veal shanks aside on a plate.
Creating the Sauce:
In the same pan, add your choice of vegetables, typically a combination of onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook this mixture, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, which should take around 5 to 10 minutes.
Next, add your tomatoes, either in the form of fresh tomatoes or canned, along with tomato paste if desired. Pour in your chosen wine, ensuring you scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the flavours. Allow the wine to cook out, and then add your stock. Beef stock is a popular choice, but chicken stock or vegetable stock can also be used. If using beef stock, consider using homemade for better flavour, or opt for chicken stock if store-bought.
Season the sauce with herbs such as thyme and bay leaves, and for an extra flavour boost, try adding a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. You can also add some crushed tomatoes at this stage if desired. Allow the sauce to simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes to develop the flavours.
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grab a baking dish that can comfortably fit the veal shanks with some space around them. Ladle about half of your braising liquid, including the vegetables, into the baking dish.
Place the seared veal shanks into the baking dish and pour the remaining braising liquid on top, ensuring the shanks are mostly submerged. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil paper.
Place the baking dish onto the middle rack of the oven and cook for approximately 2 to 2 ½ hours. The exact cooking time may vary, so use a fork to check if the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone. If the shanks need more time, continue cooking until they are fall-apart tender.
Serving:
Once the veal ossobuco is cooked to perfection, carefully
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Storing and reheating
Storing veal ossobuco
Allow the veal ossobuco to cool down completely before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer. It is important to store the veal ossobuco in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out and to ensure food safety. Make sure the meat is submerged in its sauce to maintain moisture. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating veal ossobuco
Thaw frozen veal ossobuco in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. When reheating, add the desired portion of ossobuco and braising liquid to a small pot and cook over low heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the oven at 325°F for 30 to 45 minutes. It is important not to reheat the veal ossobuco for longer than necessary to preserve its tenderness and flavor.
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Serving suggestions
Veal ossobuco is a traditional Italian dish from the Lombardy region. It is made with bone-in veal shanks, with the bone marrow making the recipe luxurious and flavourful. The dish is best served with a garnish of gremolata—a combination of lemon zest, flat-leaf Italian parsley, and garlic—on top of the veal shanks.
The veal ossobuco can be served with a side of vegetables, such as onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. You can also serve it with risotto, specifically Risotto alla Milanese (saffron risotto), or creamy polenta, which go well with the rich braising sauce.
Another option is to serve the veal ossobuco with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes. You can also serve it with just a loaf of bread, which can be used to mop up the sauce and spread the marrow.
Some other classic pairings include serving the veal ossobuco over a bed of risotto or alongside creamy polenta. These combinations are comforting and timeless, and the starches soak up the rich braising sauce perfectly.
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Frequently asked questions
Veal ossobuco is a classic Italian dish, made with cross-cut veal shanks. The name, which means "bone with a hole", refers to the marrow-filled centre of the shank, which becomes tender during cooking.
You will need all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, vegetable or olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, wine, stock, and herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
First, coat the veal shanks in flour and season with salt and pepper. Then, heat oil in a pan and fry the veal shanks until browned. Next, add the vegetables to the pan and sauté. Pour in the wine and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and herbs, and simmer. Finally, transfer the veal shanks and sauce to a baking dish and bake in the oven.
