Ingredients
6 (1 ¼”-thick) crosscut bone-in veal shanks, tied with kitchen twine (about 2 3/4 lb.)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. all-purpose flour or cornstarch
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 c. dry red or white wine
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/3 c. finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Preparation
Step 1Adjust a rack to the lower third of your oven and preheat to 325°. On a large plate, pat veal shanks dry with paper towels and season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place flour or cornstarch on a large plate and dredge the shanks all over, shaking off any excess. Return to the plate, and repeat until all shanks have been coated.Step 2In a large Dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, sear the shanks on all sides until golden, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer shanks to the plate. Using a paper towel, wipe any dark bits and excess oil out of pot.Step 3Return pot to medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to turn tender, about 8 minutes.Step 4Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf, and return the shanks to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake until the shanks are very tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.Step 5Meanwhile, make the gremolata: Combine parsley, zest, and garlic in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.Step 6Remove the pot from the oven and use a spoon to remove excess fat from the top of sauce. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary and remove and discard the butchers’ twine from the shanks.Step 7Top with the gremolata and spoon juices over top to serve.
Some tips and tricks: Make sure to have your butcher tie the veal shanks to keep the meat on the bone. If you don’t have a butcher or can’t find veal, you can use pork shanks as a replacement, but it won’t be quite the same. We top our Osso Buco with a traditional herby, citrusy gremolata you’re going to want to put on everything, so feel free to make a lot to use up any extra fresh parsley. While the gremolata brightens this dish, it’s really all about the bone marrow —serve this with little spoons so you and your guests can scoop it out of the bones for the full, delicious experience. Serve with risotto (a traditional match), mashed potatoes, or polenta–you’ll definitely want something to soak up all the deliciousness. Pair with a red wine (Italian or otherwise) for a truly romantic dinner. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
