Osso Bucco recipes anyone?

[mazakman]

We bought a leg of beef form a reputable butcher the other week and when I saw the beef shank packages I knew right away that I had to make some Osso Bucco.

Not to rank on the wife's cooking but she wouldn't know what to do with the stuff and it would probably turn out tough as nails as she cooks out of necessity when I do it for the love of the end result.

 

I know it's supposed to be made with veal but it's just too darned expensive with a family of 4 kids so it's going to be a variation on a theme so to speak (should very be interesting if well prepared with fresh ingredients).

 

I googled for recipes and found a few interesting ones but I'm wondering if any of you guys (or your mother) may have a recipe for Osso Bucco?

 

I'll have to get some decent Italian red and white wine for cooking and also to savour during the meal.

Going off topic here, did anyone know that France was one of the biggest importers of Italian grapes for wine making? (should post something in the wine thread... maybe later...)

 

If you don't know what this dish is, then you really don't know what you're missing so the next time you're at a fine Italian restaurant and you see it on the menu, please don't hesitate to order it, you're tatse buds will absolutely love you!

 

Thanks in advance for any input.

[mazakman]

Well, I guess that there aren't any good Italian cooks on this site.

 

I'll let you guys know how it turns out when I get around to it.

[hardnrg]

all I know is it's called "Osso Buco" (one c) and the most common form is Osso Buco alla Milanese (Milan Style)

 

here's a recipe that actually accomodates subsitution of lamb or beef:

http://www.newitalianrecipes.com/osso-buco.html

[Bleeble]

If you don't know what this dish is, then you really don't know what you're missing so the next time you're at a fine Italian restaurant and you see it on the menu, please don't hesitate to order it, you're tatse buds will absolutely love you!

Like Olive Garden? :lol:

[r_target]

It's been years since I worked in an Italian kitchen, but I remember it fairly well. This recipe that I googled up is pretty close to what I was taught:

 

OSSO BUCO

 

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

4-6 veal shanks (2 inches thick)

5 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. sage

1 med. onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 carrots, sliced

1 celery stalk, cut in 1/2 inch slices

1 1/2 c. dry white wine

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed chicken broth

2 tbsp. tomato paste

 

Combine flour, salt and pepper, dredge meat. In a large skillet, heat the oil, brown meat on all sides. Lay the shanks flat into Dutch oven or oblong baking dish and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and sage. Combine onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sprinkle over meat.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together wine, broth and tomato paste. Pour over vegetables. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until fork tender. Serve immediately. This dish can be assembled several hours ahead. Plan to serve 2 shanks per person. Have shanks of similar size, so they will cook evenly.

 

What we did differently was:

 

A. No tomato.

 

B. Use fresh rosemary and sage.

 

C. After pan searing, set the shanks aside, drain most of the grease, and pour white wine into the pan. This will deglaze the pan, breaking lose the little bits of roasted meat, fat, and marrow that got stuck to the pan while searing. Don't leave alot of grease in the pan or your sauce will break later. Add the wine to your other sauce ingredients. It'll taste a lot better this way.

 

D. We added red and green bell peppers to the recipe. They get added later than the other veggies though, maybe an hour (or less) before the meat will be ready. When the meat will be ready depends, of course, on how big the shanks are.

 

E. You can uncover the dish for the last 15-20 minutes if you want.

 

 

Did the butcher already saw the shanks for you?

[mazakman]

At last! someone with a palette or a desire to eat well!

 

Wow, linkies to stock recipes too (bookmarked). Thanks hardnrg!

 

As for the spelling I don't want to get into an argument but here's what I found yesterday. Sorry, the last one is in French but I have no problem as I reside in Quebec (pardon the expression, the separatist province . Please, let's not go there as I meant it as a joke, so no offense to my fellow Quebecers):

 

http://www.therecipebox.com/members/other_...lt_free_024.htm

http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/osso.html

http://www.homebasics.ca/viewrecipe.asp?re...98&search=1

http://cucinarebecca.blogspot.com/2006/07/osso-bucco.html

http://www.globetrotter.net/gt/recettes/re...?idRecette=1684

 

There were a few more that might have been worth looking at, but some friends came by last night so the search ended rather abruptly.

 

Hey hardnrg, I seem to remember that you are somewhat adventurous in the kitchen. What kind of meals do you like to prepare?

[mazakman]

Like Olive Garden? :lol:

 

 

No, I don't think so. There aren't any Olive Gardens here in Quebec but we have a few places that are probably comparable, but I avoid them for some reason...

 

r_target: Yes he did saw them into what... about 3/4 inch thick pieces I believe.. I'll have to check.

I like B, C and D. A is a variation on a theme. I love to experiment. Thanks for the reply!

 

Edit: Hey Dave, remember the days of occc when I asked for a food thread and you just laughed it off?

Edited July 24, 2007 by mazakman

[hardnrg]

yeah, I like nice food and don't mind taking the time to make something yummy

 

My favourite meal is steak and chips (chunky fries) and I do that with a garlic and mushroom brandy-cream sauce, with some asparagus or haricot-verts

 

I've just about managed to get a Thai red curry down now

 

I think the nearest thingto what you are about to attempt, that I can do, is a Beef Pot Roast... takes several hours to cook, but is SO worth it

 

by the way, I'm typing this on a Targus IR keyboard on my PSP!

[Kamikaze_Badger]

But nrg, you're from Britain... I thought it was fish and chips you ate ?

[gotdamojo06]

I love me some beef pot roast, my mother and I make that every once and a while. Some prime rib on the grill is the best though

[Bleeble]

LOL, You guys make me look pitiful. If I'm on my own, it's all pasta, PB&J, and frozen pizzas for me.

[mazakman]

yeah, I like nice food and don't mind taking the time to make something yummy

 

My favourite meal is steak and chips (chunky fries) and I do that with a garlic and mushroom brandy-cream sauce, with some asparagus or haricot-verts

 

I've just about managed to get a Thai red curry down now

 

I think the nearest thingto what you are about to attempt, that I can do, is a Beef Pot Roast... takes several hours to cook, but is SO worth it

 

by the way, I'm typing this on a Targus IR keyboard on my PSP!

 

"Vive les PSP et les claviers infra rouge!" (long live PSPs and IR keyboards in French. I couldn't help myself)

 

Beef pot roast is great when well prepared. But that goes for anything that is cooked

 

It will take several hours at least to prepare the Osso Bucco. If cooked too quickly and at to high a temperature will turn out be tough, at any rate it would be a waste of time to be in a hurry to make something like this.

 

Oh man do I ever hear you, chunky fries... MMMMMMM... Do you fry them twice to get them crisp or am I confusing this with something else such as North American French Fries that you would find at a fast food restaurant?

But at home fried at least twice they are something wonderful (3 times is even better).

 

Deep fry the potatoes for a minute or two at high heat in whatever fat or oil that you preffer (this seals the juices in) and take them out of the oil and let the oils drip or prefferably lay in paper towels to soak up the excess oils). Let the potatoes cool to room temp and refry the potatoes once again at high heat until golden brown or as desired and once again let the oils drip.... The end result yields a crisp exterior with a juicy and tender center, Man that's what eating is all about, FLAVORS!

If you can get red skinned potatoes they are sweeter and give a different flavour altogether than what do they call em.... the ones that aren't red . Remember to experiment, thick slices as opposed to thin will yield different results in flavor...

 

"Haricots-verts", green beans. My mother, God rest her soul would blanche them and once cooled would fry them in a pan of butter for a minute or two at high heat, then she would add bread crumbs (you can use Italian bread crumbs that are available at your local supermarket) and a bit of salt and pepper. Killer stuff! her re-fried cauliflower was another one of her favorites.......... But I'll save that one for another time.

 

Bleeble; Oh come on, you have to make time to eat well. It's better to survive on well cooked meals.