SLOW COOKER OSSO BUCO

Osso Bucco is a famed Italian dish that involves braising veal shanks in wine. For this streamlined version, we marinate the shanks, brown them, then let them cook in the slow cooker until they’re fall-apart tender. Serve this elegant and saucy dish with our Saffron Mushroom Risotto.

Yield: Serves 4.

SLOW COOKER OSSO BUCO

Ingredients

  • ​2 cups dry white wine
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 meaty veal shanks, 2 inch thick (about 5 lb/2.5 kg)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped cored fennel bulb
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp marjoram, crumbled
  • 2 strips orange peel (3x3/4 inch each)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups Valpolicella or other dry red wine
  • 2 cups no-salt-added beef broth
  • Herb Gremolata

Directions

  1. To prepare marinade, combine white wine, 3 tbsp oil, 1 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt in an extra-large heavy zip-lock plastic bag. Add shanks and squeeze bag to coat shanks with marinade. Seal bag and place on a tray. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 18 hours.
  2. Remove shanks from marinade; discard marinade. Pat shanks dry and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Add shanks in batches and brown on all sides. Transfer shanks to a greased 6 quart slow cooker; set aside.
  4. Add onions, fennel and garlic to same frypan; sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, marjoram, orange peel and bay leaves; sauté for 1 minute. Add Valpolicella and cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 - 6 minutes; pour mixture over shanks in slow cooker. Pour broth over top; stir to combine.
  5. Cover and cook on high heat setting until meat is very tender and beginning to fall off the bone, about 4 - 4 1/2 hours.
  6. Using a large slotted spoon, carefully transfer shanks to a platter; reserve broth mixture. Cover shanks with foil; keep warm.
  7. To prepare sauce, pour broth mixture into a large non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until broth mixture is reduced by about half, about 30 - 40 minutes. Strain sauce through a large strainer into a serving dish; discard solids.
  8. Serve shanks topped with sauce and Herb Gremolata.
Nutritional analysis per serving:

844 calories, 28.1 g fat, 119.1 g protein, 2.5 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g fibre, 872 mg sodium

*Ingredient not included in nutritional analysis.

HERB GREMOLATA

Ingredients

  • ​2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp grated lemon peel
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp caraway seed, toasted

Yield: Makes about 3/4 cup.

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.
Nutritional analysis per 1 tbsp serving:

8 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.4 g protein, 1.6 g carbohydrate, 0.6 g fibre, 7 mg sodium