Osso Buco alla Milanese

Method24 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 300°F, approximately 150°C, for a gentle covered braise.

2. 2

   Step 2: Put all the dredging flour (½ cup) in a shallow dish. Season all four raw veal shanks on all sides with their separate salt and black pepper.

   Uses 4 meaty cross-cut veal shanks · ½ cup flour for dredging; discard unused excess · Salt for seasoning raw veal before flour, to taste · Black pepper for seasoning raw veal before flour, to taste

3. 3

   Step 3: Roll each actual seasoned shank in the flour, then shake and pat away the excess coating. Keep all four lightly flour-coated shanks and discard the unused dredging flour.

   Uses All the seasoned shanks and flour for coating

4. 4

   Step 4: Heat all the olive oil (2 tbsp) and the first tablespoon butter in a wide heavy braising pot over medium-high heat. When the butter melts and oil shimmers, lay the actual flour-coated shanks flat-side down, working in batches if they would touch.

   Uses All four coated shanks · 2 tbsp olive oil for browning · First 1 tbsp butter for browning

5. 5

   Step 5: Brown the shanks for about five minutes per flat side, turning once with tongs, until well caramelized. Reduce the heat slightly if the butter-oil mixture starts to burn; repeat for any remaining batch.

   Brown one shank batch:5 min per flat side · 10 minUses The actual browning shanks and pan fat

6. 6

   Step 6: Lift all the actual browned shanks onto a platter and hold them, retaining any juices that accumulate there. Keep the used braising pot for the aromatic vegetables.

   Uses Only all the actual browned shanks

7. 7

   Step 7: Pour off and discard the used browning fat. Carefully wipe away burnt bits with a damp paper towel, leaving the good browned bits attached to the pan.

   Uses Only the used pan after the shanks are lifted out

8. 8

   Step 8: Peel and chop the onion (1 medium) and carrot (1) into half-inch pieces. Wash and chop the celery stalk (1) and trim, wash and chop the fennel bulb (1) to the same size. Melt the remaining two tablespoons butter in the actual braising pot over medium heat, then add all four prepared vegetables.

   Uses The actual cleaned-out braising pot · Remaining 2 tbsp butter for vegetables · 1 medium onion, chopped into half-inch pieces in step 8 · 1 carrot, chopped into half-inch pieces in step 8 · 1 celery stalk, chopped into half-inch pieces in step 8 · 1 fennel bulb, chopped into half-inch pieces in step 8

9. 9

   Step 9: Season the actual vegetables with their separate salt and black pepper. Stir and cook for about six minutes until they begin to soften without browning. Peel and chop all three braise garlic cloves, then stir them in with both orange-zest (2 strips) strips, all the marjoram (1½ tsp) and the bay leaf (1). Cook for another one to two minutes.

   Soften vegetables 6 min, then aromatics 1–2 min · 8 minUses The complete aromatic vegetable pan · Salt for the aromatic vegetable pan, to taste · Black pepper for the aromatic vegetable pan, to taste · 3 garlic cloves for braise aromatics · 2 strips orange zest for braise · 1½ tsp marjoram for braise · 1 bay leaf

10. 10

    Step 10: Add all the dry white wine (1 cup), increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes until the wine reduces by roughly half.

    Reduce white wine by about half · 5 minUses The complete aromatic pan · 1 cup dry white wine

11. 11

    Step 11: Add all the prepared chicken stock (½ cup) and chopped tomatoes with their juice (1 cup) to the actual reduced-wine pan. Boil for about ten minutes until the liquid reduces to roughly one cup in total.

    Reduce braising liquid to roughly one cup · 10 minUses The complete reduced-wine pan · ½ cup prepared liquid chicken stock · 1 cup chopped tomatoes with their juice

12. 12

    Step 12: Place all the actual browned shanks in the prepared braising pot with their exposed bones facing up and pour in all the juices accumulated on their platter. Cover with parchment paper, pressing it near the veal with its edges hanging about an inch over the pot sides.

    Uses The complete prepared braising liquid · All the actual browned shanks and accumulated juices

13. 13

    Step 13: Cover tightly with the lid and put the pot in the lower oven at 300°F, approximately 150°C, starting an approximately two-hour total braise. Check after fifteen minutes: the liquid should gently simmer. If it simmers aggressively, reduce the oven by 10–15°F, approximately 6–8°C.

    Whole covered braise; check 15 min/turn 40 min · 120 minUses The complete assembled braising pot

14. 14

    Step 14: Continue the same covered braise, turning the shanks and spooning pan juices over them after forty minutes from the start of oven cooking. Cook toward about two hours total, continuing as needed until the meat is completely tender and pulls from the bone. Check the veal reaches at least 63°C / 145°F and remains hot for at least three minutes before the finishing stage.

    Uses The actual braising pot

15. 15

    Step 15: While the shanks braise, wash and finely chop parsley (2 tbsp) to measure two tablespoons, peel and mince garlic (1 tsp) to measure the separate teaspoon, and wash and finely grate yellow lemon zest (1 tsp) to measure one teaspoon. Stir these three actual gremolata ingredients together in a small bowl, cover and keep cool, refrigerating if the kitchen is warm.

    Uses 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for gremolata · 1 tsp minced garlic for gremolata · 1 tsp grated lemon zest for gremolata

16. 16

    Step 16: When the veal is fully cooked, fork-tender and pulling from the bone, remove the lid and parchment. Sprinkle half the actual prepared gremolata over it and return the pot to the same oven uncovered for fifteen minutes to caramelize the surface.

    Uncovered veal finish with half gremolata · 15 minUses The complete tender veal pot · Half the actual mixed gremolata

17. 17

    Step 17: Carefully lift the actual finished shanks from the sauce with a slotted spatula or spoon, keeping the meat and marrow bones as intact as possible. Leave the actual braising sauce in the pot for finishing.

    Uses Only the actual cooked shanks; leave sauce in the pot

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    Step 18: Arrange the lifted shanks without stacking on a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Keep any pieces that break away with their shank.

    Uses All the lifted shanks

19. 19

    Step 19: Set the pot of actual retained braising sauce on the stove. Skim and discard any visible layer of floating fat, then taste the sauce for concentration.

    Uses Only the actual sauce remaining after lifting the shanks

20. 20

    Step 20: If the sauce tastes weak, bring it to a boil over high heat and reduce for five to ten minutes to concentrate it. Skip that reduction if already concentrated. Taste again and add the separate finishing salt or black pepper only if needed. Remove the bay leaf and orange-zest strips before serving.

    Uses All the actual skimmed sauce · Extra salt for the finished sauce, only if needed · Extra black pepper for the finished sauce, only if needed

21. 21

    Step 21: If the finished sauce needs more brightness, stir in one or two teaspoons from the reserved half of actual gremolata. Keep all the remaining gremolata for the serving garnish.

    Uses All the finished sauce · One or two teaspoons from the reserved half, only if needed

22. 22

    Step 22: Portion the actual warm shanks: allow one reasonably sized shank per person, or separate large shanks at their natural seams for smaller portions as needed.

    Uses All the held cooked shanks

23. 23

    Step 23: Keep each marrow bone with a serving of the actual portioned veal and arrange the meat and bones on warm dinner plates.

    Uses The actual portioned veal and bones

24. 24

    Step 24: If serving with the optional ready-cooked risotto, warm it thoroughly and add it alongside the veal. Sprinkle the actual remaining gremolata over the plated shanks, then spoon on the hot finished sauce and serve.

    Uses All the plated veal portions · All the actual sauce and remaining gremolata after any optional addition · Prepared cooked risotto for optional serving, as desired