Osso Buco With Orange-Herb Gremolata Recipe (2024)

By Dorie Greenspan

Osso Buco With Orange-Herb Gremolata Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours, mostly unattended
Rating
4(233)
Notes
Read community notes

Cross-cut veal shanks are the cut for osso buco, a braised dish. The sauce for my rendition is tomato-based, bolstered (subtly) by anchovies as well as white wine and broth. But it’s the addition of orange zest and oil-cured black olives that makes this a standout. Like most slow-cooked dishes, you can make this a few days ahead and it will only be better for the wait. The tradition is to serve the veal (you can use pork, if you prefer) with a last-minute dusting of gremolata, a mix, in this case, of basil, orange zest and garlic. Osso buco is good over rice, noodles or other grains; I like it over mashed potatoes or a smooth squash purée.

Featured in: The Evening-in-Paris Dinner

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

    For the Osso Buco

    • 128-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, preferably imported
    • 3tablespoons canola oil
    • 6cross-cut veal shanks or 12 pork ones, patted dry
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 2tablespoons olive oil
    • 4cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • 2carrots, thinly sliced
    • 1large onion, finely chopped
    • 3sprigs thyme, leaves only
    • 1bay leaf
    • 6anchovy fillets
    • 1cup dry white wine
    • 1cup chicken broth
    • ¾cup oil-cured black olives, pitted
    • 4wide strips orange (or lemon) zest
    • Pinch red-pepper flakes

    For the Gremolata

    • Rind of 1 orange (or lemon), finely chopped
    • ¼cup basil leaves, finely chopped
    • 1clove garlic, finely chopped
    • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

799 calories; 32 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 101 grams protein; 1861 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Osso Buco With Orange-Herb Gremolata Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. To Make the Osso Buco

    1. Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350 degrees. Cut the tomatoes into pieces, and reserve the juice; set aside.

    2. Step

      2

      Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven (or other large pot) over medium heat, and working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl as the pieces are browned. Discard the oil.

    3. Step

      3

      Add the olive oil, garlic, carrots, onion and herbs to the pot. Season with salt, and cook over low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are soft but not colored, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, and cook a minute or two, until they dissolve. Increase the heat, add the wine and boil until almost evaporated. Stir in the broth, tomatoes with their liquid, olives, zest and pepper flakes. Return the meat, submerging as much of it as possible. Seal the pot with foil, and cover with the lid. Slide the pot into the oven.

    4. Step

      4

      Braise for 1½ hours — if the meat is falling off the bone, it’s done; if it’s not, give it another 30 minutes or so.

  2. To Make the Gremolata

    1. Step

      5

      Mix all the ingredients together.

  3. To Serve

    1. Step

      6

      Serve the meat with the sauce (or refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat gently). Pass the gremolata at the table.

Ratings

4

out of 5

233

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Sharon

What a delicious cozy winter / dinner party recipe. This could feed 4 adults very comfortably. The orange peel and gremolata definitely add an amazing winter element. I purchased 2 large shanks which required 2 hrs. of cooking time. I made a polenta with Parmesan cheese to accompany the dish. Fantastic with a Barolo and a Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing and croutons.

Didi

Added more red wine (didn't quite cook it all off), more vegetables (celery...), more orange zest, and used buffalo osso bucco shanks. Cooked for 2 hours and got sweet, tangy, and deep flavors, so delicious!!! It went too fast! Fabulous recipe!

Misha

I dusted the meat with flour, salt and pepper before browning. I think a small amount of sugar should be added or the sauce before pouring over the veal to sweeten the canned tomatoes.

Richard

If this was bitter, it was because you got pith in with the zest. Nothing else in the recipe would cause bitterness.

Caroline 0ne

This was fabulous. Will make again and again. Inspired by another recipe I started with a couple of ounces of pancetta, which I removed after browning and added back later. For two cross cuts of veal shank, I halved the other ingredients - perfect amount of sauce.

Liza

Made this w beef as Whole Foods no longer sells veal. 2 hours and the meat was falling off the bones perfectly. Used red wine. Doubled carrots and added celery. The gremolata was loved. Served w risotto and an arugula salad. Perfect Sunday night dinner for 2!

KCC

Had anyone tried this using a slow cooker?

Coley Bert

This is fantastic with lamb shanks. Serve over polenta into which you've stirred half a cup of grated Italian fontina and some butter.

mgodoytess

Making this without anchovies! I thought I had some but I don’t … hopefully it will be good

Kim

Another fantastic braise! My grocer was out of oil-cured black olives, so I bought dry-cured and soaked them in olive oil over night. Worked great.

Edward Blau

By chance, I found two nice pieces of veal shank at a bargain price and used the Craig Claiborne recipe in The NY Times which is from the north of Italy and does not use tomatoes.I think the delicate flavor of the veal gets overwhelmed by the addition of tomatoes.I would urge those who want to use the precious pieces of veal to consider Milanese Osso Bucco.We served it with polenta and a 2015 Tuscon red.

Cristina

a classic for us would be risotto alla milanese with ossobuco!

Liza

Made this w beef as Whole Foods no longer sells veal. 2 hours and the meat was falling off the bones perfectly. Used red wine. Doubled carrots and added celery. The gremolata was loved. Served w risotto and an arugula salad. Perfect Sunday night dinner for 2!

Maria

Skip the gremolata, made with parmesan polenta, was delicious.

chris

Wow. Followed recipe to the hilt save no fresh basil so added some homemade pesto to the zest also decreased temps to 275 as I’m old school in letting it cook slower. Delish!!

sassysf

Terrific! Highly recommend. The the orange zest and basil is key. I made this with beef shanks. Cooking time 2.5 hrs. I lightly salted the meat 24hrs before cooking. I doubled the carrots and added diced celery. I used 50/50 white/red wine and 50/50 veg/beef stock. However, I used only 1/2 c of dry-cured olives, I was worried it would be too salty. Served over polenta. Just delish!

craig mclaughlan

Delicious. The touch of chilli and orange zest are key. Not sure why recipe calls for white wine but whatevs, it was great.

FDionne

Fantastic recipe. I had only two shanks but didn't change the quantities otherwise. The gremolata was actually a great complement instead of overwhelming the dish like it usually does. I'll use the leftover sauce as a base for a pasta dish.

Susan

I’ve done this handful of times now, sometimes for 2 where I’ve halved the recipe and sometimes for 4 where I had 4 veal shanks with the sauce recipe as is.I’ve used shallots when I was out of onions, anchovy paste instead of the fillets, and veal demi-glace instead of the broth. It is superb every time, definitely company worthy, but delish when it’s just me and my hubby. I usually serve it over polenta and often with a salad w/Sam Sifton’s Grilled Romaine dressing (yum).

Susan

Oh, and it freezes and reheats very well.

Shaun C

Superb! Loved the addition of olives and lemon (in our case) peel. Consider using a little more stock and tomatoes to ensure there’s enough liquid. We also added finely diced celery to the vegetable mix. N

Jeff E

Don’t use beef shanks. Finally tender after 2.5 hours, but it’s better with veal or lamb. Also, no point in browning the meat. A messy and time consuming step that makes no difference.

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Osso Buco With Orange-Herb Gremolata Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which herb is usually used in gremolata? ›

Gremolata is traditionally made with just three ingredients: flat-leaf parsley, fresh garlic, and lemon zest. You finely chop the parsley, then mix it with grated garlic and lemon zest (which work together to tame the bitter herb into gentle submission).

What is traditionally served with osso buco? ›

Osso buco is traditionally served over polenta, mashed potatoes, or risotto alla milanese (a risotto made with beef bone marrow, stock, and saffron). As far as wines go, osso buco pairs perfectly with a full-bodied red such as Chianti or cabernet sauvignon.

What is best cut of meat for osso bucco? ›

Osso Bucco is from a beef shank which is a cross-cut of meat that comes from the lower leg of the cow. Beef Osso Busso also contains a bone with marrow in the center. While you can make Osso Bucco with either veal or beef, it is more common to use beef because it is widely available and less expensive than veal.

Why is osso buco so expensive? ›

This was essentially once a peasant dish that has become so popular that veal shank is now incredibly expensive. In North America and in Britain, it's expensive, and hard to find. Even in Italy, veal shank is so expensive now that butchers have come up with a substitute.

What's the difference between chimichurri and gremolata? ›

While both include parsley and garlic, their other ingredients impart distinct tastes and textures — gremolata has lemon zest and chimichurri gets its acidity from vinegar. And while chimichurri incorporates olive oil and vinegar, gremolata does not, so it's dry.

What does gremolata mean in English? ›

Meaning of gremolata in English

a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon, eaten in small amounts with meat or fish: Italians often finish stews with a scattering of gremolata.

What does osso buco mean in Italian? ›

Etymology. Veal shank. Ossobuco or osso buco is Italian for 'bone with a hole' (osso: 'bone', buco: 'hole'), a reference to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank.

Why is osso buco so good? ›

As a delectable example of traditional Lombard cuisine, this specialty dish combines cross-cut veal shanks with vegetables, white wine, and broth. The defining feature of osso buco is the large bone and rich marrow centre, with this prized delicacy ideal for slow cooking and paddock-to-plate eating.

Can you overcook osso bucco? ›

This is a fairly low-risk dish — if I really think about it, perhaps the timing of the cooking of the osso buco would be the biggest pitfall. If it's not cooked enough, it can make the meat have a gummy consistency, and if you overcook the dish, the meat will be destroyed.

Do you eat the marrow in osso buco? ›

The hole in the bone provides easy access to the marrow and those enjoying osso buco are encouraged to eat the delicious marrow. Remove the marrow with a small spoon and spread it on bread, mix it into the risotto or polenta, or just eat it as is. Gremolata.

How to tell when osso buco is done? ›

Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.

What is a good substitute for osso buco? ›

If veal shank is unavailable or out of your budget, substitute short ribs or nice meaty oxtails for a less expensive dish that will be every bit as delicious!

Why is my veal osso bucco tough? ›

If your shanks need more time to get tender, give them as much as they need, adding more water to make sure the pot doesn't get too dry. That's real cooking—using your senses and adjusting as you go.

Is gravy beef the same as osso bucco? ›

Gravy beef and beef osso bucco are meat cuts from the shin (or leg) of beef cattle. They are essentially the same cuts of meat, except that osso bucco is sold with the shin bone still present, whereas gravy beef is sold without the bone. Both cuts are typically cooked in the same manner, in stews or casseroles.

What is the most used Italian herb? ›

Basil- is probably the most loved herb in the entire country of Italy. It pairs incredibly well with tomatoes, which means it is an herb that can be found in many of the red sauces available there. It is widely used in many pasta dishes, though it can also be found cozying up with vegetables like eggplant or zucchini.

What herbs are used for seasoning? ›

Allspice, basil, cardamom, cloves, curry, ginger, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme.

What are 3 French herbs? ›

The canonical fines herbes of French cooking. Top to bottom: parsley (Petroselinum crispum), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) and chives (Allium schoenoprasum).

Which herb is traditionally used in Italian style cooking? ›

Basil, often hailed as the king of Italian herbs, is a cornerstone in many recipes. Its sweet, yet peppery flavor is the soul of classic dishes like pesto and Caprese salad. The versatility of basil extends to enhancing dishes like cannellini beans with pine nuts, where it adds a fresh dimension.

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