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Italian

Osso buco alla milanese

Non-vegetarian

Ossobuco alla milanese

Cross-cut veal shanks braised slowly with white wine and broth until the meat falls from the bone, finished with a fresh gremolata of lemon zest, garlic and parsley.

Osso buco alla milanese is an Italian stew from Italy, ready in about 2 hours 20 minutes and made with veal shank (cross-cut), dry white wine and lemon zest. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Braised osso buco veal shank in sauce served on creamy risotto
Photo: juantiagues / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-2.0
Prep
20 min
Cook
2 h
Total
2 h 20 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
476

Ingredients

4 servings

For the gremolata

Method

  1. Step 1

    Snip the membrane around each shank in two or three places so they stay flat. Season with salt and pepper (opens in a new tab) and dust with flour.

    • 5 min
  2. Step 2

    Brown the shanks well on both sides in the oil and half the butter (opens in a new tab) in a wide casserole. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Add the remaining butter (opens in a new tab), the onion (opens in a new tab), carrot (opens in a new tab) and celery (opens in a new tab) and cook gently until soft. Return the shanks in one layer, pour in the wine and let it reduce by half.

    • 12 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels
  4. Step 4

    Add the stock and bay leaf (opens in a new tab), cover and braise very gently, basting now and then and adding stock if needed, until the meat is very tender.

    • 90 min
    • low heat
  5. Step 5

    Mix the lemon zest (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and parsley (opens in a new tab) to make the gremolata. Scatter over the shanks just before serving.

    • 3 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Milan (Lombardy), Italy · Well documentedMore food from Italy
Dish
Dinner · Lunch · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Braised
Taste
rich, savoury, citrusy
Diet
No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Pork-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead
Techniques
Braising · Reduction

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom butter
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Celeryfrom celery, beef stock
  • Contains: Sulphitesfrom dry white wine

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

476 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 460 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 42%
  • Carbohydrate 12%
  • Fat 46%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy476 kcal104 kcal
Protein47 g10.2 g
Carbohydrate13.7 g3 g
Net carbohydrate12 g2.6 g
Sugars3.2 g0.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.8 g0.4 g
Fat22.6 g4.9 g
Saturated fat8.8 g1.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol163 mg36 mg
Sodium1110 mg241 mg
Salt equivalent2.8 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
738 mg
Calcium
70 mg
Iron
3.8 mg
Magnesium
94 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
208 µg
Vitamin C
11 mg
Vitamin D
1.8 µg
Vitamin B12
4.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
48 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Scoop out the marrow from the bone with a small spoon – it is the prized part.

Serve with

  • Classically served with risotto alla milanese; polenta or mashed potato also work.

Food safety

  • Braise until the meat is falling from the bone; cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently in the sauce until piping hot; make the gremolata fresh.

Variations

  • Ossobuco al pomodoro: A later, widely cooked version adds tomatoes to the braise.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

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