Ossobuco alla milanese
Milan's braised veal shank: browned in butter, cooked slowly with white wine and broth, finished with gremolata of lemon, garlic and parsley.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hr
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Treat yourself$28+ USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Ossobuco means bone with a hole, and the marrow in that hole is the point. Thick cross-cut slices of veal shank are dusted with flour, browned in butter, then braised gently with onion, white wine and meat broth until the meat gives at a touch. The old Milanese way is 'in bianco', without tomato; a spoon of tomato is a later habit that many kitchens now use. Right at the end comes gremolata: lemon zest, garlic and parsley chopped together and scattered over so the heat releases it. Snip the membrane around each slice before browning, or it curls like a crisp. Keep the braise at a bare simmer. Done is meat you can cut with a spoon and a sauce glossy enough to coat it.
What you'll need
11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Ingredients
- Gremolata
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Veal shank, cross-cut, 3–4 cm thick4 slice
- Wheat flour, for dusting30 g
- Butter50 g
- Onion, finely chopped1 medium
- Dry white wine150 ml
- Beef stock, hot meat broth500 ml
- Salt4.9 ml
- Black pepper2½ ml
Gremolata
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Snip the membrane around each slice in two or three places. Season and dust lightly with flour.
5 min
Step 2
Brown the slices in the butter over medium heat, about 4 minutes a side. Lift out. Soften the onion in the same butter without colouring.
15 min
Step 3
Return the veal in one layer, marrow side up. Add the wine and let it bubble until reduced by half, then add enough hot broth to come halfway up the meat.
5 min
Step 4
Cover and braise at a bare simmer for 1½–2 hours, basting now and then and adding broth if it gets dry, until the meat is tender.
110 min
Step 5
Chop the lemon zest, garlic and parsley together finely. Scatter over the veal, cover for 2 minutes, and serve with the sauce.
3 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 529 kcal
- Protein
- 61.1 g
- Carbs
- 10.9 g
- Fat
- 25.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 10.7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2.1 g
- Sodium
- 1274 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Veal shank → Beef shin cross-cut
Darker and slower. Add 45 minutes and more broth.
Tips
- Serve with risotto alla milanese, or with soft polenta at home.
- Give the marrow to whoever loves it most, with a small spoon.
History & culture
Ossobuco is Milan's festive braise and it comes with risotto alla milanese, the saffron rice, which is the one time a Milanese risotto shares a plate. Diners are handed a small spoon for the marrow. Families hold opinions on tomato and on whether gremolata goes in at the end or at the table.
Veal braised on the bone is old Lombard cooking. The tomato-free version, with gremolata, is the older one; tomato crept in during the twentieth century as it did all over northern Italy. Pellegrino Artusi included ossobuco in his 1891 cookbook, and Milan's trattorie made it the city's signature alongside the saffron risotto.
Traditional — The older Milanese braise without tomato. Gremolata is lemon, garlic and parsley only.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Ossobuco alla milanese take?
2 hr 20 min all in — 20 min prep, 2 hr cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Treat yourself — about $28+ USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Veal shank → Beef shin cross-cut. Darker and slower. Add 45 minutes and more broth.
Any tips from this recipe?
Serve with risotto alla milanese, or with soft polenta at home. Give the marrow to whoever loves it most, with a small spoon.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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