Classic Osso Buco alla Milanese Recipe

Classic Osso Buco alla Milanese Recipe: My Italian Comfort Food Adventure – Hey friends! Lumina here, and I’m SO excited to share my favorite Osso Buco alla Milanese recipe with you today!

Osso Buco alla Milanese

Lumina Liu

Classic Italian Osso Buco alla Milanese featuring tender veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and aromatic herbs, finished with a zesty gremolata. This traditional Milan specialty is perfect for special occasions and pairs beautifully with risotto.

4.9 from 287 votes

Prep Time 30 Minutes

Cook Time 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Total Time 3 Hours

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 580 calories kcal

Ingredients

 

• 4 meaty veal shanks
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 celery stalk, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 strips orange zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes with juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

 

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Pour the flour into a shallow dish. Season the veal shanks on all sides with salt and pepper. One at a time, roll the shanks around in the flour coat, and shake and pat the shank to remove any excess flour. Discard the remaining flour.
3. Put the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide Dutch oven or heavy braising pot (6 to 7 quart) and heat over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and the oil is shimmering, lower the shanks into the pot, flat side down. Brown the shanks, turning once with tongs, until both flat sides are well caramelized, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the shanks to a large platter or tray and set aside.
4. Pour off and discard the fat from the pot. Wipe out any burnt bits with a damp paper towel. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pot and melt it over medium heat. When the butter has stopped foaming, add the onion, carrot, celery, and fennel. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and cook the vegetables until they begin to soften but do not brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, orange zest, marjoram, and bay leaf, and stew for another minute or two.
5. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, to reduce the wine by about half, 5 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes, with their juice, and boil again to reduce the liquid to about 1 cup total, about 10 minutes.
6. Place the shanks in the pot so that they are sitting with the exposed bone facing up, and pour over any juices that accumulated as they sat. Cover with parchment paper, pressing down so the parchment nearly touches the veal and the edges hang over the sides of the pot by about an inch. Cover tightly with the lid, and slide into the lower part of the oven to braise at a gentle simmer for about 2 hours, turning the shanks and spooning pan juices over the top after the first 40 minutes, until the meat is completely tender and pulling away from the bone.
7. While the shanks are braising, stir together the garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place.
8. When the veal is fork-tender and falling away from the bone, remove the lid and sprinkle over half of the gremolata. Return the veal to the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes to caramelize it. Using a slotted spatula or spoon, carefully lift the shanks from the braising liquid, doing your best to keep them intact. Arrange the shanks on a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
9. Set the braising pot on top of the stove and skim off any fat from the surface. Taste the sauce for concentration of flavor. If it tastes weak, bring it to a boil over high heat, and boil to reduce for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste again for salt and pepper. If the sauce wants more zip, stir in a teaspoon or two of the remaining gremolata.
10. Arrange the veal shanks on warm dinner plates accompanied by risotto, if serving. Just before carrying the plates to the table, sprinkle on the remaining gremolata and then spoon over a generous amount of sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 580.00 caloriesFat: 32.00 gCarbohydrates: 18.00 gCholesterol: 145.00 mgFiber: 3.00 gProtein: 48.00 gSaturated Fat: 12.00 g

Keyword Osso Buco alla Milanese, Italian veal shanks, braised veal recipe, Milan specialty, gremolata, Italian dinner recipe

This classic Italian dish might sound fancy, but I promise it’s totally doable in your kitchen.

The melt-in-your-mouth veal shanks braised in a flavorful sauce are a total game changer for dinner parties or special weekends when you have a little extra time to cook something amazing.

What is Osso Buco alla Milanese?

Osso Buco alla Milanese is a traditional northern Italian dish from Milan (hence the “Milanese” part!). The name literally means “bone with a hole” in Italian, referring to the marrow-filled bone in the center of the veal shank.

This dish is ALL about slow cooking tough cuts until they become tender enough to eat with a spoon—seriously!

The magic happens when you braise these shanks with aromatic veggies, herbs, wine, and stock for a couple of hours. The result? The most tender, fall-off-the-bone meat you’ve ever tasted!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the main dish:

• 4 meaty veal shanks
• ½ cup flour for dredging
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
• 1 medium onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 celery stalk, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 strips orange zest
• 1½ teaspoons marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½(the secret finishing touch!):
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  Equipment Needed

  • Dutch oven or heavy braising pot (6-7 quart)
  • Tongs
  • Slotted spatula or spoon
  • Parchment paper
  • Small bowl for gremolata

  Step-by-Step Osso Buco alla Milanese Recipe

  Let’s make a classic Italian dish with this easy osso buco alla milanese recipe, and I’ll walk you through it step by step.

  Step 1: Prep Work

  First things first, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). This low temperature is crucial for the slow, gentle cooking that makes this Osso Buco alla Milanese recipe so amazing!

  Step 2: Dredge the Veal Shanks

  Pour the flour into a shallow dish (I like using a pie plate). Season your veal shanks generously with salt and pepper on all sides. One by one, roll each shank in the flour to coat it lightly, then shake off any excess.

  Don’t skip this step—it helps create that beautiful brown crust that locks in flavor!

  Step 3: Brown the Meat

  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter stops foaming and the oil shimmers, carefully place your shanks flat-side down in the pot.

  Pro tip: If they don’t all fit without touching, brown them in batches! Nobody likes crowded shanks. 😉

  Cook each side for about 5 minutes until they develop a gorgeous caramelized crust. Then transfer them to a plate and set aside.

  Step 4: Create the Flavor Base

  This is where the Osso Buco alla Milanese recipe really starts to sing! Pour off any burnt fat from the pot and wipe out charred bits, but be careful to preserve those tasty caramelized bits stuck to the bottom!

  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium heat. Add your chopped onion, carrot, celery, and fennel with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until they start to soften, about 6 minutes, but don’t let them brown.

  Stir in the garlic, orange zest, marjoram, and bay leaf, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING at this point!

  Step 5: Create the Braising Liquid

  Pour in the wine and crank up the heat to high. Let it bubble away, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by about half (roughly 5 minutes).

  Add the chicken stock and tomatoes with their juice, and boil again to reduce to about 1 cup of liquid (about 10 minutes).

  Step 6: Braise the Osso Buco

  Now for the main event of our Osso Buco alla Milanese recipe! Return the shanks to the pot, bone-side up, along with any juices that collected on the plate. Cover with parchment paper, pressing it down so it nearly touches the meat but hangs over the edges of the pot by about an inch. Then put the lid on tight.

  Slide the pot into the lower part of your oven and let it braise gently for about 2 hours. After the first 15 minutes, check to make sure it’s simmering gently—if it’s bubbling too aggressively, lower the oven temperature by 10-15 degrees.

  After about 40 minutes, flip the shanks and spoon some of that gorgeous sauce over them. Continue braising until the meat is completely tender and pulling away from the bone.

  Step 7: Prepare the Gremolata

  While your Osso Buco is working its magic in the oven, mix the parsley, garlic, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. This bright, fresh mixture is going to wake up all the rich flavors at the end!

  Step 8: Final Touches

  When the veal is fork-tender (you’ll know because it will practically fall apart when you poke it), sprinkle half of the gremolata over the shanks. Return to the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes to caramelize the top.

  Carefully transfer the shanks to a serving platter—they’ll be super tender and might fall apart, but that’s actually a good sign! Cover with foil to keep warm.

  Step 9: Finish the Sauce

  Place the pot on the stovetop and skim off any visible fat from the surface. Taste the sauce—if it needs more flavor, boil it for 5-10 minutes to concentrate it. Adjust the salt and pepper, and if you want more zing, stir in a teaspoon or two of the remaining gremolata.

  Serving Your Osso Buco alla Milanese

  Serve one shank per person, or break larger ones into smaller portions if needed. The traditional pairing for Osso Buco alla Milanese is risotto alla Milanese (saffron risotto), but it’s also delicious with polenta or mashed potatoes!

  Right before serving, sprinkle the remaining gremolata over the shanks and spoon that rich sauce generously over everything. The heat from the dish will release all the wonderful aromas from the gremolata.

  Don’t forget about the marrow! That creamy center inside the bone is considered a delicacy, so make sure someone gets to enjoy it. I usually fight my family for it! 😄

  Tips for the Perfect Osso Buco alla Milanese Recipe

  • Can’t find veal? You can substitute beef shanks, though they might need a bit more cooking time.
  • No fennel? Just increase the amount of onion and celery.
  • Make ahead: This dish actually tastes even better the next day! Just reheat gently and make fresh gremolata.
  • Wine selection: Any dry white wine works, but I love using Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

  Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Rushing the browning process – Those caramelized bits add tons of flavor!
  2. Cooking at too high a temperature – Low and slow is the key to tender meat.
  3. Skipping the gremolata – It might seem like a small thing, but that fresh, zesty topping completely transforms the dish.
  4. Not reducing the sauce enough – A concentrated sauce means concentrated flavor!

  I hope you love this Osso Buco alla Milanese recipe as much as I do! It might take a little time, but the results are SO worth it. Let me know in the comments if you give it a try!

  Happy cooking!
  Lumina