Vic Farms Easy Osso Buco

Adam Parks

Slow cooking is my second favorite way to cook (grilling is numero uno!). There is no substitute for the time it takes to properly break down the connective tissue that leads to the great flavor and texture of meat cooked low and slow. A crock pot is great because you can turn it on in the morning and leave it unattended all day before coming home to a cooked meal. But to do it right a Dutch Oven is the only way to go. You get perfectly even heat because it is made of cast iron. Also, you can sear the meat in the same vessel you slow cook it in, so you don’t lose any of the fond (Fond is the crusty brown bits of delicious-ness stuck to the bottom of the pan during searing… in case you are ever on Jeopardy).

The fancy name Osso Buco just means hollow bone in Italian. While Osso Buco is classically made with lamb or veal shanks, this simple recipe can be used with the shanks of any animal, including beef, pork, goat, etc. It is the marrow from the shanks that gives this slow cooked delight its rich, velvety sauce. In this case we are using beef Marrow or Shank Steaks, as it shows how a very affordable cut can be made into something extraordinary. Bon Appetito!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Servings 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour Season with Salt & Pepper
4 each Marrow Steaks
3 TBS Olive Oil
3 each Carrots Diced
3 each Celery Stalks Diced
2 each Onions Diced
6 cloves Garlic Minced
1 sm can Tomato Paste
2 cups Red Wine
4 cups Beef Stock or Broth
2 each Bay Leaves

Instructions

Coat the Marrow Steaks in the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess flour, otherwise it will burn in the pan.
In a large Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoon oil over a medium-high heat. Brown the Marrow Steaks until golden, and transfer to a platter. If your using a crock pot, the steaks can be seared in a heavy frying pan before you put them in the crock pot.
Lower the heat to medium. With the rest of the olive oil, add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is soft but not brown.
Add tomato paste to the vegetables and cook for another minute or so. Then add wine, stock, and bay leaves to the pot.
Put the Marrow Steaks into the pot and add enough Beef Stock to cover the meat.
Bring the pot to a simmer. You can leave it on the stove top at a simmer, but I prefer to put it in a 225° oven. Start checking it after about 2 hours. It is done when the meat easily pulls off the bone.
Once the meat is perfectly tender, use a strainer to separate the meat and veggies from the sauce. Put the sauce back in the pot and boil it until it is your desired thickness. You can add a few pats of butter to finish it.
Serve the meat and veggies over a bed of polenta or mashed potatoes and smothered with that incredibly rich sauce you made.
Pro Tip: While the Osso Buco is delicious as is, you can up you Fancy Game by adding a little Gremolata over the top. Gremolata is just 3/4 cup finely chopped Parsley, 3 cloves of minced garlic and 2 TBS lemon zest.