TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Ossobuco alla Milanese
- Total
- 2 hr 35 min
- Difficulty
- ★★☆☆☆
- Serves
- 4 servings
- Prep 30 min
- Cook 2 hr 5 min
A signature Milanese dish of bone-in veal shanks braised until tender in white wine and broth, then finished with lemon-scented gremolata.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
Authenticity Score
This is the standard recipe, exactly as it’s made where it comes from — the highest Authenticity Score possible. Substituting ingredients changes this score; the app shows exactly how, ingredient by ingredient.
Ingredients (4 servings)
100Authenticity- Veal shanks, bone-in cross-cut slices1200 g4 slices. Make several cuts in the connective tissue around the edges.
- All-purpose flour30 gLightly coat the meat.
- Unsalted butter40 g
- Extra virgin olive oil30 ml
- Onion1 onionFinely chopped.
- Carrot1 carrotFinely chopped.
- Celery1 stalkRemove strings and finely chop.
- Dry white wine200 ml
- Meat broth500 ml
- Flat-leaf parsley15 gFinely chop for the gremolata.
- Garlic1 cloveFinely chop for the gremolata.
- Lemon zest1 lemon’s zestFinely chop only the yellow part.
- Salt8 g
- Black pepper2 g
Method
Season and flour the meat
- 1 Make 3–4 cuts in the tissue around the edges of 1200g veal shanks and season with salt and black pepper.
- 2 Pat the surfaces dry, coat lightly with 30g flour and shake off the excess.
Prepare the aromatic vegetables
- 1 Finely chop 1 onion and 1 carrot.
- 2 Remove the strings from 1 celery stalk and finely chop.
Make the gremolata
- 1 Finely chop 15g parsley and 1 garlic clove.
- 2 Finely chop the yellow zest from 1 lemon, avoiding the white pith.
- 3 Mix to make the gremolata.
Brown the meat
- 1 Heat 20g unsalted butter and 30ml extra virgin olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and add the veal shanks.
- 2 Cook each side for 3–4 minutes and remove when lightly golden.
Sauté the vegetables
- 1 Add 20g unsalted butter, the onion, carrot and celery to the same pot and sauté over medium heat for 8 minutes.
Ready when
Proceed when the vegetables are soft and the onion translucent.
Deglaze with white wine
- 1 Pour in 200ml dry white wine and reduce over high heat for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Ready when
Proceed when the alcohol smell is gone and the liquid has reduced by about half.
Braise until tender
- 1 Return the veal shanks to the pot and add 500ml meat broth.
- 2 When boiling, reduce to low heat, leave the lid slightly ajar and braise for 100 minutes.
Ready when
Proceed when the meat pulls slightly away from the bone and a fork enters without resistance.
Reduce the sauce and finish
- 1 Remove the lid and reduce over medium heat for 5–8 minutes.
- 2 Turn off the heat when the juices are slightly thickened and coat the meat with a gloss.
- 3 Scatter with gremolata to finish.
About this dish
Milan, Lombardy's principal city, is a center of commerce and finance and a home of northern Italian cooking rich in butter, veal and rice. Ossobuco alla milanese is a veal-shank braise representing this food culture.
It is said to have been known around Milan by the 18th century. Alongside the older white-wine-and-broth version, tomato versions spread from the 19th century onward. Traditionally it is served with risotto alla milanese, the saffron rice dish.
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