Osso Buco With Gremolata & Risotto

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Osso Buco With Gremolata & Risotto

If there’s one dish that feels like a warm hug from Nonna, it’s Osso Buco with gremolata and risotto.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3 30

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Daen Lia

Ingredients

Osso Buco

5 veal or beef osso buco 300g / 10oz each
1 cup flour white all purpose
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 celery stalks roughly chopped
2 brown onions sliced
1 garlic bulb top sliced off
2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
4 oz tomato paste
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef stock
4 bay leaves
3 thyme sprigs
3 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Gremolata

1 cup parsley leaves finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove minced or grated
1 cup olive oil extra virgin
salt and pepper

Saffron Risotto

2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
1 brown onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves finely diced
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoon butter
½ cup parmesan cheese grated
salt and pepper

Instructions

Osso Buco

Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 320°F / 160°C
Prep meat: Tightly tie butchers string around the shanks. Season both sides of the shanks with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Lay the flour onto a baking tray and coat both sides of the shanks in flour, tapping off any excess flour.
Cook meat: In a large heavy based pot, that is also oven safe, on a medium - high heat, bring the olive oil to heat. Sear each side of the veal for 2 - 3 minutes or until golden and brown. Remove from the pot.
Cook aromatics & bake: Turn the heat to low - medium. In the same pan, add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic bulb and cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until softened and sweet. Turn the heat to high and add the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes or until deep red and almost sticking to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze the pot with the red wine and cook for 2 minutes or until most of the wine has been absorbed by the vegetables. Turn the heat to medium. Add the meat back into the pot and cover with beef stock. Add the bay leave and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for 2.5 - 3 hours or until the beef is tender and falling a part.
Finish sauce: Carefully remove the osso buco and garlic from the pot. They will be super tender and may fall a part if not handled gently! Place them onto a plate. Through a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl, strain the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a large frypan. On a medium heat, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Squeeze out the garlic cloves into the sauce and stir through. Add the butter and stir through. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened and is silky and smooth. Turn the heat to low.
Baste: Return the osso buco to the sauce and baste with the sauce for several minutes.
Serve: Serve immediately on a bed of saffron risotto and with the gremolata spooned over the top.

Saffron Risotto

Fry aromatics: In a large fry pan on a medium heat, bring the olive oil to heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes or until softened and fragrant.
Toast rice: Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes or until the rice turns opaque. Add in the wine and keep stirring with the rice until all of the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
Add stock: Reduce the heat to medium. One cup at a time, add in the chicken stock and stir through until all the stock is absorbed. Repeat this step 5 more times until you have used up all of your stock. Your rice will start to become plump as it continues to cook and absorb the stock. It should take roughly 25 minutes to cook. When you have added your last cup of stock you want only 80% of the liquid to be absorbed.
Saffron: Add the saffron threads to the rice and stir through until the rice turns a rich yellow colour.
Butter and cheese: Turn the heat off and stir through the butter and cheese until you have a silky and glossy texture. Season with salt and pepper.

Gremolata

Combine: Add all ingredients into a large bowl and stir through until well combined. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Notes

- Tie the shanks with kitchen twine: This helps the meat hold its shape and prevents it from curling during the long, slow braise. It also makes for a neater presentation.

- Make shallow cuts in the meat: If you don’t have twine, use a sharp knife to make 2–3 small slices through the connective tissue around the edge of the shanks. This also helps stop them from curling as they cook.

- Sear the meat properly: Take the time to get a deep, golden crust on the meat before braising. This adds so much flavour to the final dish and helps build a richer sauce. Don’t overcrowd the pan—work in batches if needed.

- Strain the sauce for a silky finish: For a more refined version, you can strain the sauce after braising to remove the vegetables and herbs, leaving you with a smooth, glossy finish. This isn’t how Nonna would make it—but if you’re going for something a little more restaurant-style, it’s a great extra step. Totally optional, so skip it if you prefer a more rustic feel.
- Veal or beef: Veal shanks are traditional, but they’re not always easy to find. Beef shin or beef osso buco cuts are fantastic substitutes and still give that melt-in-your-mouth result.

Nutrition