Recipe
Ossobuco alla milanese
Milan's slow-braised shanks: flour-dredged slices browned in butter, then simmered in white wine and stock until the meat falls off the bone, finished with bright lemon-parsley gremolata.
Ossobuco alla milanese takes about 145 minutes and makes 4 servings. Each serving has 590 kcal.
- Preparation
- 25 minutes
- Cooking
- 120 minutes
- Total time
- 145 minutes
- Servings
- 4
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 34 g
Ingredients
- Beef shank slices (ossobuco)4 pcs
- All-purpose flour50 g
- Butter40 g
- Olive oil2 tbsp
- Onion1 pc
- Carrot1 pc
- Celery1 pc
- White wine200 ml
- Vegetable stock500 ml
- Lemon1 pc
- Parsley20 g
- Garlic1 clove
- Salt1 pinch
- Pepper1 pinch
Instructions
- 1
Snip the membrane around each shank in a few places so it does not curl, season with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in flour, shaking off the excess.
Tip: Pat the meat dry before flouring - a thin, dry coating browns into a proper crust, while a damp one goes gummy and sticks to the pan.
- 2
Heat the butter and olive oil in a wide, heavy pot and brown the shanks well, about 4 minutes per side, then set them aside.
- 3
In the same pot, soften the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
- 4
Pour in the white wine and let it bubble until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- 5
Return the shanks, add hot stock to come halfway up the meat, cover and braise at the gentlest simmer for 90 minutes, turning the shanks halfway.
Tip: The liquid should barely tremble - real boiling makes shank tough and stringy. If the lid traps too much heat, set it slightly ajar.
- 6
Make the gremolata: finely chop the parsley and garlic and mix with the grated zest of the lemon.
- 7
Check that the meat yields to a spoon, reduce the sauce uncovered for a few minutes if it is thin, then sprinkle the gremolata over the shanks and serve.
Cooking methods
On the stove
Brown over medium-high heat, then braise on the smallest burner at the lowest flame - the surface of the liquid should shiver, not bubble. A heat diffuser helps on strong gas stovetops.
On induction
Brown on power 7, deglaze on 5, then braise on power 2 with the lid on. Induction holds a low braise beautifully - check once or twice that the liquid is trembling, not boiling.
Over an open fire
A classic Dutch-oven braise: brown the shanks over flame, then move the pot to the edge of the fire with a modest bed of embers and a few on the lid. Rotate the pot every 20 minutes and add embers as they fade.
Recipe questions
- How long does this recipe take?
- Plan for about 145 minutes from start to finish.
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings.
- Can I cook this recipe on induction?
- Yes. Brown on power 7, deglaze on 5, then braise on power 2 with the lid on. Induction holds a low braise beautifully - check once or twice that the liquid is trembling, not boiling.
- Can I cook this recipe over an open fire?
- Yes. A classic Dutch-oven braise: brown the shanks over flame, then move the pot to the edge of the fire with a modest bed of embers and a few on the lid. Rotate the pot every 20 minutes and add embers as they fade.
In the app
Cooking the way it should feel
One step on screen, a timer that keeps going, and clear progress until the dish is done.
