Osso Bucco

 As a way to be more financially responsible, we decided last year to purchase a quarter of a cow to keep in the freezer instead of purchasing beef at the grocery store. The choice cuts and hamburger have been great, but we’ve now worked our way down to some of the lesser-known cuts such as the beef shank. The beef shank is the crosscut of meat that comes from the lower leg of the cow. I learned one of the most popular dishes to make from this cut is Osso Bucco, a traditional Italian dish from the Lombardy region of Italy. Osso Bucco literally translates as “bone with a hole”.

Osso Bucco can be either a veal or beef shank that is often braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth. I was very excited to give this new recipe a try and was very pleased with the outcome.

Ingredients:

2-3 beef shanks

1 sweet onion

1 carrot

1 stalk of celery

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of rosemary

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup beef stock

Tomato paste

Flour

Salt & Pepper or your favorite beef seasoning

 

Step 1 season the beef shanks with salt and pepper or your favorite beef seasoning. Put flour on a plate and dredge your beef shanks in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Step 2 heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Once hot, brown the beef shanks on both sides. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Step 3 add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and then sauté the chopped carrot, celery, garlic and onion. Sauté the vegetables on a medium heat until softened.

Step 4 add the white wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add the beef stock and tomato paste and stir to combine.

Step 5 add the herbs and place the beef shank back into the pan with the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours.

Step 6 After 2 hours, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Serve over a bed of rice or risotto.