Milanese Osso Buco – Slow-Braised Veal Shin with Gremolata

About This Recipe

Osso buco alla Milanese is one of the great braises of Italian cuisine — thick cross-cut veal shin slowly cooked in white wine, stock, and a soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery until the meat falls from the bone and the collagen in the central marrow bone melts into a silky, unctuous sauce. The hollow bone itself ('osso buco' means 'bone with a hole') contains a scoop of rich bone marrow — traditionally eaten with a small spoon as the most prized element of the dish. The defining element of the Milanese preparation is gremolata: a condiment of finely chopped lemon zest, garlic and parsley scattered over the dish just before serving. It cuts through the rich braise with brightness and freshness — this contrast is essential to the balance of the dish. In Milan, osso buco is traditionally served with saffron risotto (risotto alla Milanese), the golden risotto and the brown braised meat forming one of Italian cuisine's great combinations. Osso buco improves dramatically when made a day ahead — the flavours deepen and the sauce emulsifies further. This makes it an ideal dinner-party main course: all the work is done before guests arrive.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4cross-cut veal shin pieces(about 4cm thick)
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 2carrots(finely diced)
• 2 stickscelery(finely diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 200 mldry white wine
• 400 gcanned chopped tomatoes
• 300 mlveal or chicken stock
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2 sprigsfresh thyme
• 2bay leaves
• 1lemon(zest only, for gremolata)
• 2 tbspflat-leaf parsley(chopped, for gremolata)
• 1 clovegarlic(minced, for gremolata)

Instructions

1. 1

   Tie and sear the veal

   Tie kitchen string around the circumference of each piece to keep its shape. Dust in flour, season well. Sear in olive oil in a heavy casserole over high heat 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Remove.

   Tying prevents the meat from falling off the bone during the long braise.

2. 2

   Build the soffritto

   In the same pan, soften onion, carrot and celery over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Deglaze and add liquids

   Add wine, bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Return veal pieces to the pan, bone-side up.

4. 4

   Braise

   Cover and cook at 160°C for 1.5–2 hours, basting occasionally, until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone.

   Check periodically — the liquid should gently bubble, not boil vigorously.

5. 5

   Make gremolata and serve

   Mix lemon zest, parsley and garlic. Taste and adjust the braising liquid. Serve each piece with a spoonful of sauce and a pinch of gremolata on top.

Variations

• •

  Serve with saffron risotto (risotto alla Milanese) for the authentic Milanese experience.

• •

  Pork osso buco: a more accessible and equally delicious alternative to veal.

Storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge. Improves overnight. Freezes well for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions