Beef Osso Buco in Red Wine

Beef osso buco is a recipe that swaps veal shank with bone in shin of beef, which is braised in red wine & served with a simple gremolata.

This recipe requires long old cooking, but it is a very easy recipe that requires you to spend very little time in the kitchen.

Braised Beef Shank Osso Bucco

Osso Buco 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 veal shank is a bit of a unicorn piece of meat in the UK. Beef shin on the bone, on the other hand, should be much easier to source. Although you will likely need to ask your butcher rather than scouring supermarket fridges.

It’s also the piece of meat that I use in this braised beef shin recipe.

Given that osso buco or bucco 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, so the white wine in the original makes perfect sense.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to cook this in the hob/stovetop or in the Instant Pot?

I originally developed this recipe with the Instant Pot in mind, but I rapidly fell out of love with it as a piece of equipment. Mainly because it is pretty poor at producing the smaller portions of food that I create.

However, the large nature of this meal means that the Instant pot does a fine job with this dish. However, I still prefer the version cooked on the hob!

What should I look for in the beef?

When buying your beef, you should be looking for slices 2-3cm (around 1″) thick.

You should also buy something with the 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!

What red wine should I use?

I like to use a big bold red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinotage for this recipe. But the age-old adage that you should cook with something that you would like to drink holds true.

Do I have to add the anchovies?

No, but they do add a rich umami punch to the sauce, and it really doesn’t make the dish taste fishy!

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, this dish will sit in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be reheated gently and served at your leisure.

However, I would not complete the cooking process.

Cool the meat in the sauce before reducing the sauce and whisking in the butter. When you reheat the dish, bring the sauce to temperature, then remove the beef, reduce the sauce and whisk in the butter just before serving.

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 buco is a mash. Either mashed potatoes or celeriac mash would work exceptionally well!

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

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop or Instant Pot.
• 25cm or 14″ heavy-based pan with a lid (not needed if you cook this in a pressure cooker).
• Kitchen tongs.
• Kitchen twine or string.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Vegetable peeler.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.