Osso Bucco

“Osso Bucco” which literally translated means “a bone with a hole” – refers to the marrow hole in the cross-section of a veal shank.  When slow-cooked the meat becomes tender and cooking with the bone intact not only imparts a rich, beautiful taste, it also means that the collagen and amino acids are drawn out adding extra nutrients to your dish.  The marrow contains glycine, glucosamine, chondroitin and (CLA) conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fat that helps decrease inflammation and boost immunity.

Growing up in an Italian household, the meat from the sauce was always served as a “secondi” (main) alongside a very simple garden salad with vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour (or GF plain flour)
  • 500 grams pappardelle or other long GF pasta
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable stock paste
  • 3 cups (750ml) water
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbs tomato paste
  • 1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 19/24 kilograms (about 6) veal osso buco
  • Grated parmesan, to serve

Instructions

  1. Place the flour in a large bowl and season. Add the osso buco pieces and toss to coat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat.
  2. In batches, cook the osso buco for 4 minutes each side or until well browned, then remove and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add the carrot, onion and celery.
  3. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, for a further 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until slightly caramelised. Add the tomatoes and stock, and return osso buco to the saucepan. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
  5. Remove the large chunks of osso buco and the bones from sauce, and set aside.
  6. Serve the sauce over your favourite pasta or mashed potatoes with a piece of osso bucco served next to it and place a bone next to it. If you're lucky the marrow will still be intact in the bone and this is utterly delicious!
  7. If you prefer, you can shred the meat up into smaller chunks and combine it back into the sauce and discard the bones, reserving the marrow into the sauce. Both ways of serving this are fabulous!