How to cook beef ossobuco

In Lombardy, if you were to ask a waiter for some ‘bone with a hole’, there’s a good chance Ossobuco Milanese would arrive at your table. While the famous dish is traditionally made with veal rather than beef shin, it has inspired this cut. It comes from the top of the beef shin and contains the prized bone marrow. The inclusion of the marrow creates a wonderfully gelatinous texture and delivers incredible flavour.

Time is your friend when cooking beef ossobuco; expect to slowly simmer this great cut for around 2.5 to 3.5 hours, until the meat is soft, tender, and easily coming away from the bone. This is a cut where, depending on the animal, cooking times can vary greatly, so be prepared to cook for longer if needed.

Beef Ossobuco Stew: A Simple Preparation

1. Remove the ossobuco from the fridge and its packaging.
2. Dust the ossobuco with flour seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Heat a heavy-bottomed casserole dish over high heat and add a little olive oil. Brown the osso buco on both sides, in batches if necessary. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat and add a soffritto of onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until completely soft.
5. Deglaze the pan with a large glass of wine, followed by a little stock and some tinned tomatoes.
6. Return the meat to the pan and bring everything to a simmer. Cover with a lid, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
7. Once the meat is tender and breaks apart with a spoon, it’s ready to serve.

• As with all stews, it’s best to prepare all the ingredients for your soffritto before you start cooking. Keep them ready on the side, then add them as needed.
• If you’d like to add some herbs or spices, sage or a star anise can be a nice touch.
• Beef shin can become tough if cooked at too high a heat, so make sure to keep the heat as gentle as possible.

The dish from which this cut takes its name is traditionally served with risotto Milanese. However, the more developed flavour of the beef (as ossobuco is typically made with veal shin) may not pair as well with this. Instead, try serving it with wet polenta, enriched with plenty of butter and Parmesan.

For something from the other side of the globe, you could try a fragrant Thai beef shin stew, served with sticky rice and plenty of chilli oil. I’ve also seen it used very successfully in a beef shin rendang – an excellent meal. For more inspiration, Anna Tobias’ beef ossobuco recipe is also available on our journal.