What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen:Veal Osso Buco

Well folks, braising season is officially upon us. With the cool weather finally reaching Northern Nevada, we have now reached the point where it’s appropriate to slowly cook meat in the oven until it falls off the bone.

For this week’s recipe, we have a classic braised dish that’s surprisingly easy to make. Veal osso buco is a fine-dining delicacy, where veal shanks are braised for a long time until the meat is fork-tender and the marrow nearly flows out the top of the bones.

By straining the sauce after the meat braises, we elevate this dish to restaurant quality.

Good luck!

Ingredients

• 2 veal shanks, about 2 lbs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 14-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, liquid reserved
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Gremolata:

• ⅓ cup parsley leaves
• Zest from one lemon
• 6 garlic cloves
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Take veal shanks out of the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for about an hour.
2. In a food processor, finely chop the onion, celery and carrot until very fine. Set vegetables aside. Then finely mince the four cloves of garlic and set aside.
3. Combine the flour with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Once the veal shanks have rested, coat them in the seasoned flour.
4. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Once hot, sear the veal shanks on all sides until well browned. Remove to a plate.
5. Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and the chopped onion, celery and carrot to the Dutch oven. Cook for 5–6 minutes, scraping up the fond from the bottom. Once the vegetables are golden, add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Deglaze the pot with the wine, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the crushed tomatoes, a few tablespoons of the reserved tomato liquid, thyme, bay leaf, a good pinch of kosher salt and about ¾ cup chicken stock. Heat to a simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and place in the oven for 1 hour.
7. After the first hour of braising, remove the lid and continue to cook for 2 to 2½ hours more, until the meat is very tender. If the liquid runs low, add the remaining chicken stock.
8. While the meat braises, prepare the gremolata. In a food processor combine the six cloves of garlic, parsley, lemon zest and pinch of salt, and process until finely chopped. Set aside.
9. Once the meat is tender, remove it from the Dutch oven. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a skillet. Heat over medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with kosher salt, pepper and lemon juice. Turn off the heat and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of cold butter.
10. To plate, flood the bottom of the plate with sauce and top with the braised veal shank. Spoon the gremolata over the top. Serve with saffron-infused rice or creamy polenta.

Erik Jimenez splits his time between the statehouse and the stove—he’s Nevada’s Chief Policy Deputy by day and an inventive chef by night. He brings flavor to everything he does—from state finance to five-star culinary delights.