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This beef osso buco is rich, savory, and comforting. Beef shanks are braised in a tomato and white wine sauce, then sprinkled with fresh gremolata for a deliciously tender meat dish. It only takes a few minutes of prep time and a little bit of patience while it cooks!
If you want to feel like you’re at a fine Italian restaurant without leaving the house, you just need to learn how to cook this easy and delicious osso buco!
Osso buco is the perfect dish for a date night in or a nice dinner party, though it’s certainly suitable for a casual weeknight meal, too.
It brings a lot of elegance and depth of flavor to the table, but it’s actually very easy to make!
If you’ve ever made braised beef shanks, it’s a very similar process. The main difference with osso buco is the addition of white wine and finishing it with fresh gremolata.
The meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender after 2+ hours in the oven, and the rich, savory sauce with the vibrant flavor of gremolata is a wow-worthy combination.
Make sure to serve it with an appetizer or two if you’re after that restaurant experience! I like a garden herb focaccia bread or balsamic tomato bruschetta.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Hands-off recipe: I’m always a proponent of braised meat and other slow-cooked recipes! There’s nothing like getting dinner prepped early in the day and having it hot and ready when everyone’s hungry.
- Elevated comfort food: Osso buco is just as cozy and comforting as any other braised or stewed meat, but it feels a little more elegant for a nice dinner. The white wine and gremolata add a unique flavor that elevates the dish.
- Budget-friendly osso buco: Many osso buco recipes call for veal shanks. While this is very tasty, it’s not practical for a regular dinner! This osso buco with beef shanks is still extremely tasty and much more affordable.
Ingredients
- Beef osso buco: Also called beef shanks, you can find these at most grocery stores and any butcher shop.
- White wine: A dry white wine adds a nice brightness and acidity to the osso buco. The alcohol will cook out, but you can also use additional chicken broth if you wish to skip the wine.
- Chicken broth: You can use broth from a carton, or homemade chicken broth if you have it.
- Gremolata: This is a quick condiment made of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest! We’ll whip it up while the meat is in the oven and sprinkle it on top before serving.
The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
How to Make Braised Beef Osso Buco
Step 1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Season the shanks with the salt and pepper, then dust all over with the flour.
Step 2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks about 4 minutes per side, until browned, then move them to a plate.
Step 3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 4. Stir in 3 cloves of the garlic and the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Step 5. Pour in the wine and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, and thyme, then return the shanks to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Step 6. Cover and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender (check at 2 hours).
Step 7. Stir together the lemon zest, parsley, and remaining garlic. Spoon over the shanks and serve.
Tips + Notes
- I use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. If you’d rather skip the wine, just use another cup of chicken broth instead.
- Beef broth works in place of the chicken broth too if that’s what you have on hand.
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme work in place of the dried; just pull the stems out before serving.
- Don’t wipe out your pan before adding the broth; scraping those browned bits of meat into the sauce (called deglazing) adds a ton of flavor.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 4 days and freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure they are properly cooled and stored in an airtight container.
Recipe FAQs
Osso buco is best served on a bed of your favorite starchy side dish! Risotto or polenta are traditional options, but I usually opt for Dutch oven mashed potatoes or easy rice pilaf. A nice bread to mop up the sauce is always a good idea, too, like freshly milled brioche.
Nope! The bone marrow adds a lot of delicious flavor and richness to the dish, so you definitely don’t want to remove it. It’s traditional to plate the dish with the bone still in, so you really never need to bother removing it until you’re eating.
You can buy a beef shank in most grocery stores and butcher shops. Just look for a cross-cut shank with the bone in.
Gremolata is a fresh green Italian condiment made of chopped parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. It’s sprinkled over osso buco right before serving to add a bright, zingy flavor to the braised meat.
Related Recipes
- Weeknight Carne Pizzaiola
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast With Gravy
- Braised Pork Loin Roast
- Savory and Hearty Elk Stew Recipe
- Dutch Oven Goulash
If you tried this Braised Beef Osso Buco or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Beef Osso Buco
Equipment
- 5-7 quart Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 beef osso buco about 3 pounds (beef shanks)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
For the Gremolata
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Season the shanks with the salt and pepper, then dust all over with the flour.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks for about 4 minutes per side, until browned, then move them to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in 3 cloves of the garlic and the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
- Pour in the wine and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, and thyme, then return the shanks to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and bake 2 to 2 ½ hours, until the meat is fork-tender (check at 2 hours).
- Stir together the lemon zest, parsley, and remaining garlic clove. Spoon over the shanks and serve.
Notes
- I use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. If you’d rather skip the wine, just use another cup of chicken broth instead.
- Beef broth works in place of the chicken broth too if that’s what you have on hand.
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme work in place of the dried; just pull the stems out before serving.
- Don’t wipe out your pan before adding the broth; scraping those browned bits of meat into the sauce (called deglazing) adds a ton of flavor.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 4 days and freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure they are properly cooled and stored in an airtight container.
