Osso Buco | How To Make Osso Buco And Cheesy Polenta

If you want to know how to make the most delicious slow-cooked beef shank, also known as Osso Buco, you've come to the right place. This is the easiest osso buco recipe on the internet. And the polenta recipe is simple and delicious as well.

Ingredients for Osso Buco:
2 beef shanks (osso buco)
2-3 carrots (peeled and 1 inch slices)
1 large sweet onion (rough chop)
2 ribs celery (1 inch slices)
5 cloves of garlic (large mince)
3 tsp salt (divided)
1-2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbs flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red wine ( ex: cabernet, merlot, pinot noir, shiraz)
4 cups chicken broth

Ingredients for Polenta:
1-16 oz or 18 oz tube of Polenta (Melissa's or Trader Joe's brand)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/4 shredded parmesan
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Place beef shanks onto flat surface and season them (both sides) with salt and pepper, totaling about 2 tsp salt and 1-2 tsp pepper. Then on cookie sheet, spread out about 1 1/2 cups flour and dredge beef shanks in flour. Try to lightly cover all surfaces of shanks.

In a large skillet or dutch oven: (You will need a pan or pot large enough to add broth and vegetables after browning shanks. You can either brown them and bake them in the same skillet, or brown them in a skillet and then add them to the larger baking pot, such as a dutch oven.)

Heat up the skillet on high heat with 2 tbsp olive oil until hot and then add shanks. Let them brown on each side for 2-3 minutes, try to turn them and brown the edges as well, if possible. Remove from skillet and set shanks onto a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add final 1 tbsp olive oil into skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes, then add carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Using spatula, create an open area in the center of the skillet by pushing vegetables toward edges. Add tomato paste to skillet in open area and brown for 1 minute before combining with rest of vegetables. Cook vegetables and tomato paste for 1 minute after combining, stirring constantly. Then sprinkle in 2 tbsp flour and combine. Cook, stirring for 2 more minutes. Next add wine and chicken stock and stir to combine, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan. Now, add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 2 bay leaves, and combine. Continue stirring occasionally until brought to a boil. Once at a light boil, turn off heat, and add shanks to pan. Nestle them into liquid until mostly submerged. Cover with lid and place into 325 degree oven and cook for 3 hours.

30 mins before Osso Buco is done cooking, remove polenta from tube on cutting board and cut into slices and then cut into cubes (see video). Place polenta cubes into sauce pan and add 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup cream. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Eventually the polenta cubes will started to soften. After about 20 minutes, smash them with a potato smasher or fork. Then continue stirring until mostly smooth. Will have a little bit of grainy look to it, and that's ok. It's polenta. When polenta is mostly smooth, and bubbling, turn off heat and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan. Cover with lid for 5 minutes before serving.

To serve osso buco, spread polenta in a bowl or onto a plate and late pieces of the beef shank on center of polenta. Place pieces of vegetable around meat and drizzle gravy from osso buco over meat and polenta to your liking. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy!






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