FYI: Osso Buco is the Italian term for "bone with a hole." The reference being made to the hole in the marrow found in a cross-cut veal shank. Historically, osso buco was most likely prepared as a farmhouse dish originating in Milano.
For our osso buco, we decided to use beef shanks instead of the traditional veal shanks (also red wine instead of white because of the change in meat). Here's the recipe to follow if you want the same results:
Beef Shank Osso Buco (serves 4)
4 Beef Shanks
2 stalks Celery, diced
2 Carrots, diced
1 medium White Onion, diced
4 cloves (or 1 Tbsp) Garlic, minced
1 c. Chicken Stock
1 c. Red Wine
1 lg can (28oz) Crushed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Parsley
1 1/2 tsp Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of your pan)
First, get your produce prepped and ready to go! Also, preheat your oven to 300F.
Get the beef shanks ready by covering each side with pan searing flour (some grocery stores will actually sell pan searing flour but it is just flour with salt & pepper added. It will be cheaper to just make your own - we usually do).
Add the oil to the pan you are using - make sure your pan is a decent size as the sauce will be made in the same pan. Add the beef shanks to the oil once it's heated.
Flip the beef shanks once the bottom side is a golden brown color. Once both sides are this color, set them to the side - it's sauce time!
Begin by adding the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic to the pan and sauté until tender and onions are translucent.
Once the veggies are done (about 5 minutes), add the red wine and simmer until the wine is reduced by half. After reduced, add the crushed tomates and chicken stock. Mix that together then add the parsley, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer and soak up some of the flavor for about 10-15 minutes.
After allowing the sauce to simmer for a bit, place the beef shanks back in the pan and cover them with sauce.
Cover the pan with an oven safe lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven for three hours.
Cheesy Polenta (takes about 10 minutes to make)
1/4 c. Heavy Cream
4 Tbsp Butter, room temperature
2 c. Chicken Stock
1 c. Yellow Corn Meal
1 Tbsp Mascarpone Cheese
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. Chives
Salt, to taste
To start, make a beurre (the French word for "butter"). Begin by reducing the cream by half over medium heat. Once this happens, reduce the heat and whisk in the butter in small pats - be sure to not let this reach a boil or it will break.
You should be able to see that it is thickening and it should have a shiny appearance (as in the picture above). Mix in the chicken stock and once it is completely mixed, gradually add the yellow corn meal, whisking it so that there are no lumps. Once the corn meal is added, combine the mascarpone and parmesan cheeses until they are mixed completely without lumps. Finally, add the chives and salt once the cheeses are added.
The polenta should look about like this.
Beef shanks are braised! And Little Chef says it looks like a job well done!.. almost.
We love homemade garlic bread, though (a completely optional process). We bought a loaf of Batard bread and sliced it in half the long way, made a garlic cheese butter (mix together a blend of butter, garlic, parmesan cheese, and some parsley flakes - the taste of this is totally by preference so experiment a little!). Slice the bread, spread the butter compound, and top with a shredded cheese blend (we used asiago, provolone, romano, and fontina)! Place that in the oven for a couple minutes before you're ready to eat to melt the cheese and get the crust a little crispy.
mmmm.
To serve, place one beef shank on a bed of polenta, some extra sauce (garnish with extra chives), a slice of bread, and dig in!
email: jeerhunt@gmail.com
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