‹
№ 899 · Italian ·Lombardy

Osso Buco alla Milanese

Tempo
1h 20
Picante
Calor 0 de 5
Dificuldade
Médio
Rende
4porções

Ingredientes

Veal shanks
4
thick (4-5cm) cross-cut veal shanks (ossobuco de vitelo) — your butcher should know this; if not, ask for "vitelo cortado em rodelas grossas com osso e tutano" (thick rounds with bone and marrow). Beef shank works if veal isn't available; flavor is heavier but excellent.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour for dredging (about 4 tbsp)
Kitchen twine (barbante de cozinha) — to tie around each shank so they hold shape during cooking
Soffritto and braise
3 tbsp
olive oil + 30g butter
1
large onion, finely diced
2
carrots, finely diced
2
sticks celery, finely diced
4
garlic cloves, minced
350ml dry white wine (decent — pinot grigio, vermentino, or Brazilian Casa Valduga)
350ml beef or veal stock
1 can
(400g) Italian tomatoes (San Marzano if you can; otherwise good Italian-style passata)
1
strip lemon peel
2
bay leaves
4
sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch of nutmeg
Gremolata (mix just before serving — do NOT prepare ahead)
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
3 tbsp
fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1
garlic clove, minced ultra-fine
(Optional, non-traditional) 2 anchovy fillets, mashed
To serve
*Risotto alla Milanese* (saffron risotto) — the canonical pairing
OR soft polenta
OR a generous bed of buttered tagliatelle
Marrow spoons (or small teaspoons) if you have them

Modo de preparo

Osso Buco alla Milanese

The greatest braise in Italian cooking. Cross-cut veal shanks (literally "bone with a hole") slow-cooked with white wine, vegetables, and tomato until the meat slips off the bone and the marrow inside the bone becomes a spreadable, savory custard. Finished with gremolata — raw lemon zest, garlic, and parsley — that cuts through the richness like sunlight. Pressure cooker takes 2.5 hours of oven time to under an hour.

Heat: 0/5. No chile, just deep wine-and-vegetable richness with bright lemon-parsley finish.

The marrow

The bone marrow inside the shank — il midollo — is the prize. Use a small spoon to scoop it out and spread on bread with a sprinkle of salt, or drop it onto the risotto where it melts. Don't waste it. This is what osso buco was named for.

Tame it

No heat to tame. The only adjustment most home cooks consider: less wine if you find the dish tannic. Don't — the wine reduces and rounds.

Serving

Wine: a Lombardy red (Bonarda, Barbera) or any soft Italian red — Chianti Classico is excellent. Avoid heavily oaked New World wines; they bully the dish.

Notes

  • Veal vs beef. Veal is delicate, slightly milky in flavor, and tradition. Beef shank (ossobuco bovino) is heavier, deeper, and easier to find in Brazil. Both are excellent. If you can find veal: do it.
  • Tying the shanks prevents the worst part of pressure-cooked osso buco — the meat falling off the bone before it gets to the plate. Don't skip this even though it feels fussy.
  • Risotto alla Milanese pairing is canonical for a reason — the saffron-and-butter risotto cuts and complements the dark-tomato-wine sauce. If making both, start the risotto 25 minutes before serving.
  • Gremolata is the dish. Without the lemon-parsley-garlic counterpoint, osso buco is one note (rich). With it, the whole meal lifts.
  • Make ahead: the braise reheats beautifully — actually improves overnight. Make Saturday for Sunday lunch. Always make gremolata fresh.
  • Marrow tip: if you don't like the look of marrow on the table, scoop it during step 8 and stir it into the sauce — invisible enrichment.