Osso Buco alla Milanese

Ingredients

• 4 veal osso buco (cross-cut veal shanks, 4–5 cm thick, about 300g each)
• Salt and black pepper
• All-purpose flour for dusting
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (240ml) dry white wine
• 1 cup (240ml) veal or chicken stock
• 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• For gremolata: zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Saffron risotto or polenta for serving

Instructions

1. 1Pat the veal shanks completely dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Tie each shank around the circumference with kitchen twine if they seem loose — this keeps them intact during the long braise.
2. 2Dust each shank lightly in flour, shaking off excess. Heat olive oil in a large wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear shanks 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Do not move them — you want a proper crust. Work in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same pot. Cook onion, carrot, and celery (the soffritto) for 10–12 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
4. 4Pour in the white wine. Increase heat to high and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
5. 5Return the veal shanks to the pot, standing them upright so the marrow doesn't fall out during cooking. Add stock, crushed tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. The liquid should come about halfway up the shanks — add more stock if needed.
6. 6Bring to a simmer, then cover tightly and cook over very low heat for 1.5–2 hours, turning shanks gently every 30 minutes, until the meat is completely tender and nearly falling off the bone. The sauce should be thick and reduced.
7. 7While the osso buco finishes, combine gremolata ingredients: lemon zest, parsley, and minced garlic. Stir together gently.
8. 8Serve each shank on a bed of saffron risotto or creamy polenta. Spoon the braising sauce generously over the top. Finish with a scatter of gremolata — it is not optional. Use a thin spoon to scoop the marrow from the bone and spread it on bread.