Why osso buco should be in your culinary repertoire
It’s the cut of meat that makes this dish feel incredibly luxurious and rich, transforming a simple stew into something fit for nobility.
Osso buco is one of the great slow-cooked dishes. Italian in its roots, it’s loved all over the world. Osso buco literally means “bone with a hole”, named after the cut of meat, a crosscut of the veal or beef rear shank. This piece contains a bone with marrow at the centre, and it’s this marrow that makes the dish feel incredibly luxurious and rich, transforming a simple stew into something fit for nobility.
Osso buco is believed to have originated in Milan during the 19th century. The dish gained popularity among the Milanese aristocracy and eventually became a symbol of the city’s culinary traditions. While it is commonly made with veal, I prefer the richness and depth of beef shin, which is also more readily available. You’ll find most osso buco recipes include tomatoes and red wine. However, from what I can uncover from scouring culinary history books (my favourite pastime), the dish was originally made without tomato. And it’s this version I prefer, as it offers a lighter take on an already rich stew, allowing the meat to speak for itself.
While I don’t like to demand anything from anyone when they are cooking, I do think the Italians are right when they say gremolata is a requirement with this dish. It’s the crown on the dish that helps balance it. Don’t look at it as a separate recipe but rather the finishing touch to this recipe; a simple garnish of lemon peel, garlic, and parsley, with a bit of olive oil to bind it. Gremolata is a great “recipe” – I use that word loosely as I rarely follow quantities here – to take grilled meat, fish and vegetables to the next level.
I love to serve this dish alongside some lightly dressed radicchio leaves. Try making my golden orzo recipe with this osso buco dish.
Osso buco bianco
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 osso buco (beef) shins, roughly cut 3cm high
- Plain flour to dust
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium sticks celery, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 anchovies
- Salt and pepper
- 400ml white wine
- 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
For the gremolata
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C (150C fan forced).
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based deep pan with a lid over medium-high heat.
- If you like, you can tie string around each osso buco to try to keep it together (sometimes impossible as they are so meltingly tender once cooked). Dust the osso buco in flour and shake off the excess. Brown on each side for a few minutes to develop a good crust. You might need to do this in batches. Set aside.
- Reduce heat then add onion and celery. If you find the beef has soaked up all the oil, add another drizzle to get things going. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent catching or browning, until soft and translucent. Add garlic, butter and anchovies, and cook for a few more minutes until the butter and anchovies have melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Return the osso buco to the pan along with wine, stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring it all to a simmer. Turn off the heat, place baking paper over the osso buco, pop on the lid, and place in the oven to cook for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
- For the gremolata, chop the parsley and place it in a small bowl with the lemon zest. Grate in the garlic clove. Stir in the oil to bind it. Set aside.
- To serve, use a spatula to carefully lift each osso buco and place it on top of your chosen carb. Snip the string (if it’s lasted) and spoon over the juices.
- Spoon over the gremolata.
Serves 4
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