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Beef Osso Bucco Instant Pot & Stove Top

This Beef Osso Bucco recipe uses bone-in shin instead of the traditional veal and features a rich red wine and port sauce.

Portrait close up image of a beef shin osso bucco recipe served on polenta in a black bowl

Osso Bucco Without Veal!

Osso Bucco is a classic Milanese or Lombardy dish. It traditionally features cross cut shin or shank of veal braised in a white wine based sauce.

I have no qualms about cooking with veal, I have a classic veal Weiner Schnitzel, a stunning veal burger and veal scallopini here on my site already.

But sadly, thick-cut shank of veal though is a bit of a unicorn piece of meat here! Shank of beef on the other hand is both regularly available and affordable. It’s a piece of meat that I use in this braised beef shin recipe too.

Given that osso bucco or buco means bone with a hole I feel entirely justified in putting my spin on this classic dish.

Not that I ever need any encouragement to amble off the beaten track with classic recipes.

Veal is a relatively gently flavoured meat and as such the white wine in the original makes perfect sense.

Beef on the other hand has more punch, particularly shank of beef. This makes red wine the obvious choice for this osso bucco sauce in this recipe.

I even pair the red wine with Port, because I love the stuff! It features in dishes as diverse as my slow cooker venison stew through to my pork belly with port cherries!

Portrait image of a beef shin osso bucco recipe served on polenta in a black bowl

Ingredient & Cooking Hints.

I have offered both Instant Pot and stove top instructions for this beef shin osso bucco recipe.

This is a rare dish that I think that the Instant Pot does exceptionally well and would usually choose it ahead of the stove top.

But that does not mean you should discount the stove top it is still a delicious meal.

When buying your beef you should be looking for slices 3-4cm thick and if possible with marrow still in the bone. This will melt into the sauce and be delicious as well as adding richness.

If your bone is empty you could always ask your butcher for some bone marrow and slip it in. The difference it makes to this dish is immense!

Next up the wine, of course any red wine and fortified wine combination will work.

But I like a big bold red wine like a cabernet sauvignon or pinotage, combined with port!

It helps that there is plenty left after cooking this recipe and enjoying drinking them too!

Portrait over head image of a beef shin osso bucco recipe served on polenta in a black bowl

Serving Suggestions.

I like to serve this recipe over a bed of cheesy polenta, although the classic veal version is traditionally served with saffron risotto.

But this recipe is hardly traditional and that means the sides can be less than traditional too!

The obvious alternative side dish for this beef shank osso bucco is a mash. Either mashed potatoes or celeriac mash would work exceptionally well!

This is also great served with buttered cabbage and roast potatoes!

Square image of a beef shin osso bucco recipe served on polenta in a black bowl
Yield: 2 Servings

Beef Osso Bucco Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Cooking osso bocco with beef shin or shank makes the dish a little bit more accessible than the classic veal version. It also permits bigger and bolder flaovurs in the sauce, whether you cook this in the Instant Pot or on the stove top it is a winner!

Ingredients

  • 2 Slices Bone in Beef Shin
  • 1 Medium Carrot
  • 1 Celery Stick
  • 150 g (1 Cup) Onion
  • 250 ml (1 Cup) Beef Stock
  • 6 Gloves Garlic
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 125 ml (1/2 Cup) Port
  • 250 ml (1 Cup) Red Wine
  • 60 g (1/2 Stick) Butter
  • Salt to Taste
  • Pepper to Taste
  • Lots of freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. If the butcher has not tied your beef run a piece of string around the circumference of the beef and tie it up.
  2. Cut the carrot into quarters then into 3-4mm thick lengths.
  3. Slice the celery tick in half length ways and then cut into 3-4mm thick lengths.
  4. Cut the onion into a 3-4mm dice.
  5. Lightly crush the garlic cloves.

Instant Pot Instructions:

  1. Place your Instant Pot on saute mode.
  2. When hot add the olive oil.
  3. Season your beef with salt and pepper and then sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Remove the beef and set aside.
  5. Add in the onions, carrot, celery and garlic to the base of the instant pot and cook for 5-6 minutes.
  6. Pour in the red wine and port and then turn the saute mode off.
  7. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck pieces residue from searing.
  8. Add the beef and any resting juices along with the beef stock, thyme and bay leaf.
  9. Now place the lid on your Instant Pot and cook for 30 minutes on high pressure with a 10 minute NPR.
  10. Remove the solids from the pot and about half of the cooking juices (save these and throw them into a soup, it freezes well).
  11. Turn the IP onto saute mode again and reduce the remaining liquid by half.
  12. Whisk in the butter then return the solids to the pot and give it a little reheat before serving with lots of fresh parsley.

Stove Top Instructions:

  1. Heat a heavy based pan with a lid over a medium high heat.
  2. When hot add the olive oil.
  3. Season your beef with salt and pepper and then sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Remove the beef and set aside.
  5. Add in the onions, carrot, celery and garlic to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes.
  6. Pour in the red wine and port and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck pieces residue from searing.
  7. Add the beef and any resting juices along with the beef stock, thyme and bay leaf.
  8. Drop on the lid and reduce the heat to low and simmer for between 90 minutes and 2 hours.
  9. Uncover the pot and allow to cook without a lid for the final 20-30 minutes to allow some of the sauce to reduce.
  10. Remove the beef and whisk in the the butter.
  11. Return the beef to reheat and serve with lots of fresh parsley.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 780Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 1137mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 27g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Nina

Monday 12th of November 2018

Another amazing recipe, and I've never had beef shin before so that was an extra added bonus!! The Instant Pot makes me try new things all the time, so grateful for you sharing these fab recipes! I made a cheesy mash (sorry, just not a fan of polenta) instead but it didn't seem to distract from the main event! Gorgeous food once again, we're getting spoiled!

Brian Jones

Thursday 15th of November 2018

Glad you enjoyed this... We love it one of our favourites and we cook it all the time over winter, mash is a perfect accompaniment :)

Natalie

Sunday 25th of February 2018

I love osso bucco, it's definitely one of my favorite italian dishes. Yours looks absolutely delicious and I just can't wait to try it!

Brian Jones

Monday 26th of February 2018

Enjoy Natalie.

Leslie

Sunday 25th of February 2018

I've been wanting to get an Instant Pot, and I think that you may have just converted me! I love polenta, but don't make it often enough. Same with Osso Bucco. Who cares if it's made with beef instead of lamb. Yum!

Brian Jones

Monday 26th of February 2018

Thanks Leslie.

Danielle

Sunday 25th of February 2018

This looks so comforting. I really need to get an instant pot and try some of these out.

Brian Jones

Monday 26th of February 2018

YOu can always slow cook in a dutch oven, a cople of hours should see you about right :)

Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

Sunday 25th of February 2018

What a great idea to substitute the veal for beef - it looks delicious especially with the polenta. Definitely going to have to try this in my Instant Pot!

Brian Jones

Monday 26th of February 2018

Thanks Bintu, enjoy.

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