Succulent, falling-off-the-bone veal in a thick, full-flavored sauce is a quintessential Italian dish. Besides the lush meat, osso buco offers up a serving of rich marrow from the center of its bone. If little spoons are unavailable, use the tip of a sharp knife to ease it out. Riding above the symphony of tastes, like the clear notes of a trumpet, is the herbaceous, fruity, and pungent garnish known as gremolata.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 center-cut veal shanks, cut 2½ inches thick (about 6 pounds total)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
- 8 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 rib celery, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups Marinara Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1½ cups dry white wine
- 1½ cups Basic Chicken Broth
- Cooked egg noodles or Creamy Polenta with Mascarpone, for serving
- Gremolata, for serving
How to Make It
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season it generously with salt and pepper. Dredge the veal shanks in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. Add the veal and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the veal from the casserole and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring, until it starts to crisp, 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the casserole, until the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the oregano, basil, and pepper flakes. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomato paste, and orange and lemon zests. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for the flavors to blend, about 8 minutes.
- Add the wine and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Return the veal shanks to the casserole, cover, and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 2 hours. Then remove the cover and bake until the veal is very tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove the casserole from the oven and let cool slightly. With a metal spoon, carefully skim off any accumulated fat on the surface and discard it. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. Heat through over medium-low heat if necessary. Serve over egg noodles or Creamy Polenta with Mascarpone, and sprinkle with the Gremolata.