Braised Osso Buco (and/or Beef Short Ribs)

This classic family, Sunday dish takes a little time, but is full of love. When I made this recipe for my family on Christmas, I had two osso buco pieces, so I also knew I needed to supplement the amount of meat. I added the short ribs, which really follow the same cooking process! So once you determine which meat(s) you’re going to use, follow the recipe below. (Also note that many times osso buco refers to braised veal shanks, and harder to find. These were from the farmer’s market and a local farm to the Charlotte area.)

Also, when planning your meal, this dish is traditionally served with Milanese Risotto (my recipe here), which is basically a saffron risotto. However, it would be delicious with any risotto or with a mashed potato.

Fun Fact: My husband had amazing beef short ribs over mashed potatoes at our wedding, so this is also a great family memory!

Another good tip – is that these taste even better when they are allowed to sit overnight!

Ingredients:

• Four 12-ounce veal shanks, or 2 lbs bone in short ribs (if you cannot find bone in, cut cooking time down.)
• Kosher salt & Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 can tomatoes, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon horseradish
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a large, ovenproof casserole over high heat. Put the oil into the casserole and let it heat.

Meanwhile, season meat liberally. Next, put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the meat in it, and pat off the excess.

Brown the meat in the hot oil for about 5 minutes on each side, or until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

(If needed, put fresh oil – if too browned. Mine definitely needed replacing, so be ready for this step) Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Add the stock, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to the pan. Return the meat to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat.

• 

• 

• 

Once the liquid boils, cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender and falling off the bones.

Remove the herbs and meat from the sauce pan. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.

Bring remaining liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until reduced by a quarter. Using a skimmer or large spoon, skim off any grease or foam that rises to the surface. Return the strained vegetables to the liquid and taste for seasoning.

To serve, put a serving of meat in a bowl (over risotto or mashed potatoes) and ladle about 3/4 cup of the sauce and vegetables over it. (If the sauce and the meat are not still warm, heat them together very gently over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.)

• 

• 

• 

• 

(If making ahead, you can allow to rest on the stove, then warm back up for around 10 minutes.)

Garnish each serving with the fresh horseradish, lemon zest, and chopped parsley. (although it’s not completely necessary, I really liked how the horseradish cut through the richness of the dish.)