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I have had Osso Bucco twice in restaurants in the last few weeks and both times were different, but delicious, sometimes the liquid used to cook the meat in is more tomatoey (invented word alert) and other times not. I love a good tomato sauce myself, but I find that for Osso Bucco, I enjoy it better with less tomatoes. So, this is my version of it. It is not the first time for me to make it, but the first time it is such a success. Also, I can see this becoming a regular meal on anyone’s menu. The steps are simple and the results will not fail you. Please try it!

Ossu Bucco for a Crowd

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup (4 oz./125 g) all-purpose flour

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1 tsp. smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

• 12 bone-in pork or veal shanks (about 10 lb./5 kg total), each about 1 ½ inch (4 cm) thick

• ½ cup (4 fl. oz./120 ml) olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 2 celery ribs, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 1 ½ cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) dry red wine

• 1 can (28 oz./796 ml) diced tomatoes

• 6 cups (40 fl. oz./1.25 l) beef broth

Instructions:

1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Dust the veal or pork shanks with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

2. In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the shanks, turning once, until well browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the browned shanks to a clean plate.

3. Return the pot to medium heat and add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes.

5. Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, return the browned meat to the pot, cover, and simmer, turning occasionally, for 2 hours. Uncover and continue cooking until the veal is tender, about 30 minutes.

6. Serve with polenta, rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

Note: This may look like an expensive meal to serve, but it’s quite affordable if you use pork shanks. It serves many and is always a hit!

P.S. I will soon share my different recipes for perfect mashed potatoes on my website, www.feeding-a-crowd.com. Just check the recipes section! 

Below is the Creamy Polenta Recipe.