Osso Bucco is Italian for "bone with a hole" - it usually refers to the shank of veal, beef or goat/lamb with a spot of delicious marrow in the middle of the bone. It is an extremely flavorful cut, but sometimes quite tough. It is traditionally braised with white wine and broth, and served with a gremolata with rice. However, my kids usually demand a bit more flavor, so we have our family recipe.
Dinner for two plus two ravenous kids:
3lb beef shanks
1 large sweet onion - diced
1 large old carrot - diced
2 firm Roma tomatoes - diced
3 tbsp all purpose flour
3 bay leaves
2 cloves
sprig of fresh rosemary
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
3 young, sweet carrots - diced
1/2lb crimini mushrooms cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 275 deg.
Season both sides of the beef shanks with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and pat off excess.
Heat oil (I use canola) a large Dutch oven until almost smoking. Brown slices of shank on all sides. Depending on the size of the Dutch oven, one or two slices at a time. Be careful not to let the flour burn. Set aside.
Use the balance of the flour to make a roux with the oil at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Set aside.
Put more oil in the Dutch oven and saute the onion until translucent, carrots soft. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs and spices, tomato paste and the roux and stir. Fold in the shanks, make sure they are covered well in the liquid mixture.
Place covered in the pre-heated oven 120mins. Take out, stir in the mushrooms and sweet carrots. Put back in the oven for another 40 minutes.
We served with fresh baguettes and saffron mashed potatoes:
2 large Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 cup milk infused with saffron
1/2 tbsp butter
Dinner for two plus two ravenous kids:
3lb beef shanks
1 large sweet onion - diced
1 large old carrot - diced
2 firm Roma tomatoes - diced
3 tbsp all purpose flour
3 bay leaves
2 cloves
sprig of fresh rosemary
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
3 young, sweet carrots - diced
1/2lb crimini mushrooms cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 275 deg.
Season both sides of the beef shanks with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and pat off excess.
Heat oil (I use canola) a large Dutch oven until almost smoking. Brown slices of shank on all sides. Depending on the size of the Dutch oven, one or two slices at a time. Be careful not to let the flour burn. Set aside.
Use the balance of the flour to make a roux with the oil at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Set aside.
Put more oil in the Dutch oven and saute the onion until translucent, carrots soft. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs and spices, tomato paste and the roux and stir. Fold in the shanks, make sure they are covered well in the liquid mixture.
Place covered in the pre-heated oven 120mins. Take out, stir in the mushrooms and sweet carrots. Put back in the oven for another 40 minutes.
We served with fresh baguettes and saffron mashed potatoes:
2 large Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 cup milk infused with saffron
1/2 tbsp butter