You’ll never forget your first bite of beef ossobuco, knowing in that instant that it certainly would not be your last. That’s how much of on impact this Italian stew will have on you.
A beef ossobuco recipe is a classic Italian recipe you can find on the menu of any reputable Italian restaurant.
I am pretty sure that you’ve even tried an original beef ossobuco recipe, but you just didn’t realise it was ossobuco.
In essence, ossobuco (or osso buco) is a specialty meat casserole dish from the Lombardy region of Italy. Often it is made with beef shanks or veal shanks (also with the marrow in the bone).
Apparently, the marrow is responsible for extracting the most amount of umami flavour. The meat is then braised in a fragrant broth which includes wine and tons of vegetables.
So, try this irresistible Italian stew and prepare yourself for one of the best melt-in-your-mouth experiences you’ve ever had!
top products for beef ossobuco
Here’s a list of the top products you’ll need for completing a beef ossobuco recipe like this one, especially if you’d like to make an intense beef stew. Take a look at my suggested products:
- casserole dish – since this beef ossobuco is a casserole, you’ll need to procure a quality casserole dish.
- Italian red wine – I recommend using a lovely rich Italian wine for this traditional Italian recipe.
- beef stock – if you would like to add more beef flavours, then you can always add a bit of beef stock. It will intensify the flavours of the stew.
- slow cooker – for perfect, tender results, use a slow cooker.
Enjoy making this beef ossobuco recipe! Let me know if there are other products which you always use for making your stews.
two types of ossobuco
In essence, there are two types of ossobuco. The first one is made with white wine. This version is commonly known as Osso buco Milanese.
The fact that it is made with the addition of white wine makes it a much lighter beef stew, with a somewhat cleaner aftertaste.
The other version of ossobuco is made with red wine, which in turn produces a rich and intense flavour. The red wine adds plenty of depth to this stew, so it’s no surprise I came to love it so much.
Of course, some versions also don’t contain any alcohol at all.
In any event, if you are a fan of beef stews, take a look at these delicious beef recipes:
osso buco recipe red wine
In order to achieve that amazing richness in the sauce I add red wine to it.
On that note, make sure you keep some red wine for serving with the beef ossobuco later on. Since beef ossobuco is an Italian dish, the logical choice is a good Italian red wine.
If you want to stay true to the origins of beef ossobuco, you should choose a wine from Northern Italy.
A nice, full-bodied Chianti for instance, will pair beautifully with a serving of beef ossobuco. If you love beef stews with red wine, check out this beef stew with mushroom and red wine recipe.
osso buco recipe slow cooker
This beef ossobuco recipe takes about 90 minutes to cook in the oven. It will take the whole 90 minutes for the meat to be completely tender.
Believe me, it’s worth the wait for the melt-in-your-mouth experience.
When you dish the beef ossobuco up, you’ll see that the meat will completely fall to pieces. Oh and the marrow, it’s to die for!
Bone marrow is very beneficial for you. I don’t understand why people toss away the bones when they make broths. The bone marrow is the best part in my opinion.
Bone marrow is an excellent source of nutrition. Studies indicate that some of the health benefits of consuming bone marrow include supporting joint function, improved skin and reduction in inflammation.
When in its raw form, the texture of the bone marrow is spongy. However, once you cook it, it’s soft and melts completely in your mouth. It kind of tastes like butter with a nutty flavour. You must try it!
Nevertheless, if you want to take this recipe to the next level and really enjoy tender bone marrow, you can also use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Both will tenderise the meat to perfection.
osso buco pork
Although the traditional Italian ossobuco is made from veal or beef shanks, there is an alternative. You can easily substitute the beef shanks with pork shanks.
Make sure to season well, as the pork shanks are not quite as rich in flavour as the beef shanks.
Here you can add some crushed red peppers, and some orange or lemon zest to give the pork ossobuco a bit more complexity.
Moreover, you can think about substituting the red wine for a dry white wine, when preparing the ossobuco with pork.
You can use either or. Both ways, you’ll have a delicious sauce around your ossobuco.
what to serve with beef stew
In the beef ossobuco’s home ground in northern Italy, polenta is often used as a side.
Polenta is essentially a sort of porridge made from cornmeal.
When served warm, it has much the same texture as a potato mash, making it perfect for scooping off that delicious beef ossobuco sauce.
An often overlooked way to serve polenta is to let it set, cut it into pieces and fry it in oil.
That being said, I must admit that I always serve my beef ossobuco with a good old-fashioned potato mash. There is just nothing that pairs as well with a deep intense sauce like beef ossobuco, as a good mash does.
If you want to rustle things up a bit, you can try a different mash. For instance, you can make a carrot and parsnip mash or even a butter bean mash.
More beef stew recipes
If you love stews, here are plenty more for inspiration:
- Oxtail stew – if you’re patient and cook this recipe at a long temperature for a long time the result is pure bliss.
Ossobuco
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Beef ossobuco is an Italian stew from the region of Lombardy. Prepare yourself for the most tender meat you’ve ever had.
Ingredients
- 4 large onions, peeled
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 carrots, peeled
- 8 celery stalks
- 800g (1¾lbs) mushrooms, cleaned
- 4kg (8¾lbs) beef shin
- 100g (3oz) all-purpose flour
- 15ml (1 tbsp) salt
- 5ml (1 tsp) black pepper
- 5ml (1 tsp) coriander
- 5ml (1 tsp) cloves
- 120ml (8 tbsp) olive oil
- 120ml (8 tbsp) butter
- 600ml (1 pint) red wine
- 4 bouillon cubes
- 1.5kg (3⅓) passata
- 60ml (4 tbsp) brown sugar
Instructions
- Grate the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms with a food processor.
- Season the flour with salt, black pepper, coriander and cloves and stir thoroughly.
- Make cuts in the meat’s rind.
- Coat the meat in seasoned flour.
- Melt the half the oil and butter in a heavy ovenproof proof pot until the mixture starts sizzling.
- Place the meat in one layer and brown on both sides. Take them out and repeat the process until all the meat is browned.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3.
- Add the remaining butter and oil to the empty pot and let the mixture heat up.
- Add the grated vegetable mixture to the pot and fry lightly until semi-cooked.
- Add the meat to the vegetable mixture.
- Add the wine, passata, sugar to the stew and crumble in the bouillon cubes.
- Give it a good stir and place in the oven for 90 minutes. Done!
Notes
Traditionally, this recipe is made with veal shin. Since veal is so hard to find in the UK, I used beef shin.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braise
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: ossobuco recipe, ossobuco alla milanese, veal shin recipe, italian veal recipe, italian veal stew, beef ossobuco
adam
Oh my gosh this looks so wonderful! Fall apart meat is the best type, I need to try and find a butcher with veal….
adam
Oh my gosh this looks so wonderful! Fall apart meat is the best type, I need to try and find a butcher with veal….
Rosa Mayland
Scrumptious! A fabulously comforting dish.
Cheers,
Rosa
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
I made osso bucco using the River Cafe recipe a few years ago and it was divine – they use a “cartouche” ie circle of baking parchment to cover the meat whilst it cooks and keep the moisture in. How this is any better than a lid I’m not sure.
Lovely to see you blogging again at last… I think your black magimix looks smarter than my white one!
Jan Bennett
Pleased you’re back blogging recipes – this looks lovely. I’d go for the red wine one too.
Good to hear you’re now getting your life sorted. I don’t have any kids but got divorced and have since remarried and am now so happy. Keep up the good work with your businesses x
Jeanne Horak-Druiff
Osso bucco, how do I love thee… let me count the ways!!
A fantastic recipe but also a thougful post full of home truths that many people gloss over. Good on you for taking the leap and may things only get better this year. xx
★★★★★
Camilla @FabFood4All
A gorgeous recipe which I have never tried so must right this wrong!
I totally get the point you make about kids escaping situations with their parents and landing in relationships which may or may not be right for them, I’ve seen it al to often. Hopefully your words of wisdom will help someone;-)
Katie Bryson
What a fabulously wise post Michelle – well done for being brave and standing up for your family’s happiness. It can’t have been an easy time but you sound so positive and full of relief! Loving the tasty recipe… such gorgeous and light photography 🙂
Laura@howtocookgoodfood
Loved reading this post, so many good points made and more to the point, how good does your osso bucco look. I haven’t eaten this in years, I do love the white wine version and that jelly inside the bone is something else! This is the kind of dish I could eat far too much of 😉
Renil M. George
Took a while to get the food.
★★★★★
michelle
Was it worth it? 🙂
Kim Styles
That is a really ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’ post and I think I and many people will relate to it. But look at what you have achieved and what a strong woman you are on your own. its all about getting up and facing the world , sometimes when it is about your kids and their future, stubborness and will to defy all odds comes into play.