Ossobuco alla Milanese (Braised Veal Shanks)

Ossobuco alla Milanese is fall-off-the-bone tender veal shanks that are slow braised in a flavourful white wine sauce.

Serve topped with fresh gremolata on saffron risotto for a classic combination.

Ossobuco is a cross sectional cut of veal shank. It's a beautiful cut to prepare for a gathering because for very little effort you never fail to get exceptionally soft, juicy, fork tender meat that also looks elegant and eye-catching.

In general the recommended cooking method for ossobuco is braising. Veal shanks, like other cuts from the shank of the animal, tend to be tough and are not good choices for quick cooking methods like pan frying or grilling. But shanks are perfect for braising, or slow cooking in flavourful liquid.

By cooking the shanks low and slow in a flavorful liquid, you will coax out the best qualities of the meat - the tender, fall-apart softness.

As far as seasoning goes, the recipe outlined in this post is a very classic and traditional rendition of ossobuco alla Milanese. This recipe is adapted from The Silver Spoon cookbook, which is considered a very authoritative source for authentic Italian recipes.

If you want to try a less traditional version of ossobuco check out my Braised Veal Shanks with White Beans & Kale.

Ingredients for Ossobuco alla Milanese

• Ossobuco: Cross cut veal shanks. This cut is becoming more common. Just make sure you get the shank already cut into discs as it would be near impossible to cut them yourself at home. A whole veal shank is a different cut and requires a different cooking time indication.
• Mirepoix: finely diced onion, carrot and celery in a 1:1:1 ratio.
• White wine: A dry wine is ideal. White is the traditional choice. Red wine can also be used but will make a much more robust tasting sauce.
• Beef stock: low sodium is best so as not to over salt. If using a very salty stock then adjust the quantity of salt accordingly.
• Flour: flour is used to lightly dust the shanks before browning. During the long braise, the flour mixes with the cooking juices and creates a velvety sauce.
• Tomato paste: just a little bit of tomato paste to add umami and color.
• Seasoning: the seasonings are simple - just garlic, salt and black pepper.
• Oil or butter: for browning the shanks before braising.

Equipment

You will need a heavy duty oven and stovetop safe baking dish with a lid for this. Cast iron is a great choice.  A Dutch oven is a good option since it had a lid.

I used my Le Creuset braiser (3.3 liter / 3.5 quart) which has the heat retention of cast iron but offers more surface area so the shanks can sit in one layer and brown evenly. If you cook the shanks in layers that's okay too.

Instructions for making Ossobuco alla Milanese

The preparation is quite simple, even if you're a beginner to roasts or braises. This is as close to foolproof as a roast gets.

Before you can pop the shanks in the oven there's a little bit of preparatory work.

Note that if you plan to make the ossobuco with saffron risotto, before cooking the shanks use a knife or spoon to scoop out a few tablespoons of bone marrow from one of the shanks as you see I've done in the first photo below.

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C / 340 F.
2. Season the ossobuco with salt and then lightly dust with flour. Better to sprinkle on the flour rather than dredge the shanks since it should only be a thin layer.
3. Heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat.
5. Sear the shanks on both sides until lightly golden brown.
6. Remove the shanks from the pan and set them aside in a plate, then add the mirepoix (and more oil or butter if necessary) until the onion has softened.
7. Mix in the white wine, beef stock, tomato paste and seasoning.
8. Put the veal shanks back in then cover and cook for about 3 hours or until the shanks are fall-off-the-bone tender.

If you move quickly you can do the whole prep and have the shanks in the oven in about 20 minutes.

Then it's hands off and when it's closer to serving time you can just whip up a risotto, creamy parmesan polenta, or mashed potatoes.

Serving Suggestion

The most classic pairing for ossobuco alla Milanese is risotto alla Milanese (Milanese style risotto made with saffron) and gremolata, a fresh mix of parsley, lemon and garlic, which offers an acidic counterpoint to the richness of the meat and really makes the whole combination pop.

You can also serve ossobuco alla Milanese with creamy parmesan polenta, take a modern approach to the classic formula with saffron mac and cheese, or opt for something simpler like mashed potatoes or buttered noodles (or make your own pasta).

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