Osso Buco is an Italian meat dish which is braised (cooked in liquid), most often beef stock and a red wine. It is typically made from a veal shank, although the cut we offer is from beef shanks (you could also use thick-cut short ribs as an alternative).

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 pound pancetta, diced 1/4 inch cubes
• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds Osso Buco
• 1/2 cup diced carrot (1/4 inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup diced celery (1/4 inch cubes)
• 1 medium onion, diced 1/4 inch pieces
• 2 Tbsp (about 4 cloves) chopped garlic
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1-2 cups chicken stock
• Flour for dusting the meat before browning (I used almond flour to keep it gluten free and it worked just fine)
• Salt and Pepper

Gremolata

• 2 Tbsp Minced flat (Italian) parsley
• 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F

Brown the pancetta: Heat a dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat for about five minutes. Add pancetta to pan, cook, stirring occasionally.

When the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered (about 5 minutes of cooking), remove the pancetta to a plate covered with some paper towel and set aside.

If necessary, drain off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

Cover the shanks in flour, brown in pan: Season the shank well with salt and pepper. Shake off any excess flour, and add the meat to the hot fat in the pan.

Increase the heat to medium high and cook the meat on each side until well browned (about 5 minutes per side). Remove the meat to a plate, set aside.

Sauté onions, carrots, celery: Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the dutch oven. Cook the onion mixture, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent (about five minutes) and toss in the garlic and thyme.

Continue cooking until the vegetables just begin to brown (about 10 minutes).

Return shanks to pan, add wine and stock: Add the shanks and the pancetta back to the pan. Pour in the wine, and then add enough stock to come a little more than half way up the side of the shanks.

Bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and put it in the oven to cook until the meat is tender, about an hour to an hour and a half.

Make gremolata: Combine the gremolata ingredients, place in a separate small serving dish. Sprinkle with gremolata.

Recipe adapted from simplyrecipes.com