Ossobuco alla Milanese

Name: Ossobuco alla Milanese
Prep time: 150 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 4 – veal shanks, cross-cut, 3–4 cm thick (about 350 g each); 40 g – plain flour; 60 g – butter; 30 ml – extra virgin olive oil; 100 g – onion, finely chopped; 60 g – carrot, finely chopped; 60 g – celery, finely chopped; 150 ml – dry white wine; 300 ml – hot veal or beef stock; 150 g – peeled tomatoes, crushed; 1 – lemon, zest only; 1 – garlic clove, minced; 3 tbsp – chopped flat-leaf parsley; To taste – salt and black pepper

Ossobuco served with roasted vegetables – photo by Eduardo Krajan, Pexels

Ossobuco alla Milanese is the great slow-cooked dish of Lombardy: cross-cut veal shanks braised gently in white wine and stock until the meat is tender and the marrow inside the bone becomes silky. A fresh gremolata of lemon zest, garlic and parsley lifts the richness.

It is loved for its melting texture and its comforting sauce. Traditionally served with risotto alla milanese, it is the dish that Milan offers when it wants to celebrate.

Difficulty Medium

Prep time 2 h 30 min

Servings 4 people

Wine Red – Barbera or Valpolicella

Cost Medium

Raw veal shank cuts for ossobuco – photo by Emre Vonal, Pexels

Saffron risotto, the classic side for ossobuco – photo by Nadin Sh, Pexels

The story

The name ossobuco means 'bone with a hole', a reference to the marrow-filled centre of the cross-cut shank. It is one of the pillars of Milanese cooking, born in the frugal tradition of making the most of humble cuts of veal, which were slowly braised until tender. The Lombard countryside provided butter, white wine and veal, so the dish became a natural fit for the city's winter tables.
The first written recipes appear around the nineteenth century, although Milanese families were surely cooking it long before. The classic version is flavoured with the gremolata of lemon, garlic and parsley, which cuts through the richness of the meat. Some cooks add tomato while purists prefer the white version, and both are served with saffron risotto, a pairing so established that in Milan the two are often thought of as a single dish. Its marrow is considered a treat.

Ingredients

4 veal shanks, cross-cut, 3–4 cm thick (about 350 g each)
40 g plain flour
60 g butter
30 ml extra virgin olive oil
100 g onion, finely chopped
60 g carrot, finely chopped
60 g celery, finely chopped
150 ml dry white wine
300 ml hot veal or beef stock
150 g peeled tomatoes, crushed
1 lemon, zest only
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
To taste salt and black pepper

Method

1
Make small cuts in the connective tissue around each shank so they keep their shape while cooking, then season with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour.
2
Heat the butter and oil in a wide heavy pot and brown the shanks for 3–4 minutes per side until golden; set them aside.
3
In the same pot, soften the onion, carrot and celery over low heat for 8 minutes.
4
Return the shanks to the pot, pour in the wine and let it evaporate for a few minutes.
5
Add the crushed tomatoes and enough hot stock to come halfway up the meat, then cover and simmer very gently for about 1 hour 45 minutes.
6
Turn the shanks halfway and add a little stock if the sauce reduces too much; at the end the meat should be tender and the sauce thick.
7
Mix the lemon zest, garlic and parsley to make the gremolata.
8
Sprinkle the gremolata over the ossobuco just before serving and bring it to the table with risotto alla milanese.

Tips & variations

Variations: omit the tomatoes for the pale 'in bianco' version, or add a bay leaf and a sprig of sage to the braise.
Make ahead & storage: ossobuco tastes even better the next day; keep it covered in its sauce for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 months, reheating gently.
Common mistakes: cooking at too high a heat (the meat dries and toughens), not tying or cutting the shank so it curls, and adding the gremolata too early so it loses its freshness.

Photos: Eduardo Krajan, Emre Vonal and Nadin Sh via Pexels (free licence)