Osso Buco - My Favorite Italian Dish

08 November 2008 8 comments

KusineraUSA Osso Buco

I've seen this dish prepared by TV chefs all the time but have not tried cooking it. While in Italy last summer, I tried Osso Buco for the first time at a restaurant in Florence named La Bussola Ristorante Pizzeria and I was in heaven. You can see in the photo below that it was served with steamed rice and the sauce La Bussola Osso Bucohas A LOT of tomatoes. I love tomatoes so I didn't mind it at all.

If you're not familiar with Osso Buco, it is a regional dish from Piedmont in Italy. It is made with veal shanks although if that is not available, you can substitute beef shanks instead. For the dry white wine, I used Chardonnay since that's what's readily available in my fridge. I also used canned tomatoes.
This recipe is from Epicurious.com and I found it to my liking. It is the classic version of Osso Buco. I omitted the orange zest since I don't remember tasting it in Italy., You can also use the crockpot in cooking this. You only need to brown the shanks and saute the veggies on the stove top first before adding all of the ingredients to the crockpot. This recipe is a keeper. It is as close to the Osso Buco I had in Florence and I will definitely make it again.

CLASSIC OSSO BUCO
4 pounds (1.8 kg) veal shanks, cut in 1 1/2-inch ( 4 cm) slices
1/4 cup (30 g/1 oz) flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

2 onions, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 bottle (375 ml) dry white wine
a 14.5-ounce (435 g) can plum tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
grated zest of 2 oranges (I omitted this)
1 cup (250 ml/8 fl oz) veal stock, more if needed

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (176°F/Gas 4). Put the flour on a plate, add generous amounts of salt and pepper, and coat the veal slices, with flour, patting to remove the excess. Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan or frying pan big enough for all the veal slices to touch the bottom. Add half the slices and brown them over quite high heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn them, brown the other side and remove them to a plate. Brown the remaining slices and remove them also.

2. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and carrot and sauté until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the wine and boil until reduced by half, stirring to dissolve the pan juices. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, orange zest, veal stock, salt, and pepper. Immerse the veal slices in this sauce — the liquid should come at least halfway up the sides. Cover the pan and bring it to a boil.

3. Braise the shanks in the oven until the meat is very tender and falling from the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir from time to time, gently turning the slices, and if the pan seems dry, add more stock. At the end of cooking, taste and adjust seasoning of the sauce. Osso buco can be cooked ahead and stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator, or frozen. Keep it in the pan ready to be reheated on top of the stove.

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8 comments: to “ Osso Buco - My Favorite Italian Dish so far...

  • Carlota November 08, 2008
     

    ito ba ang handa para sa bday ko? hehehe... sarap ah. italian is one of my fave.

  • Joy0z November 09, 2008
     

    ang sarap tingnan kaso parang ang hirap lutuin at ang daming kelengan gawin Mama Beth hehehe. Kelan kaya ako makakatikim ng luto mo?

  • Twerlyn November 09, 2008
     

    Looks so yum!thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Twerlermz' blog

  • earthlingorgeous November 14, 2008
     

    Wow! nagutom ako bigla. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Parang ang hirap lutuin hahaha! found you at Gagays.

    Anyway, I am celebrating my blog 1 year anniversary and I would like to invite you to join my giveaway. Details here

  • Anonymous November 22, 2008
     

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  • Vk-mahalkaayo November 25, 2008
     

    favo rin ito, lalo n tagal ang pagka loto, yon very soft na ang meat.......hay, parang humba din....lol

    bahala na lagi ang d-i-e-t..........lheheeh

    basta masarap malimutan lahat..........

  • Kate June 21, 2009
     

    I have never had this before but they make this all the time on Top Chef or Iron Chef America. I will try this very soon using a crock pot as per your suggestion. I never cook with wine much so I have to find other recipes that will require wine so I don't end up wasting half a bottle. (This recipe requires a lot of wine!)

  • gabrong October 23, 2009
     

    ..most of the times guys just eat what they see on the table-- everything that smells nice and spells f-o-o-d.. --this recipe reminds me of one really speedy version..meat with bone in, saute'ed in olive oil with all other spices and taste buds wakers.. plus the dry white wine--then if meat with bones are already brownish--transferring all to a pressure cooker 'partying' all up with canned whole peeled tomatoes or just plain tomato sauces and paste..pressure cooking for 40 to 45 minutes S&P to taste--and voila--street food osso buco na! ..love all your food!Grabee..kakagutom!-angel gabriel