Braised Osso Buco with Creamy Polenta
a classic beef shank braised in tomato sauce
Ingredients
Osso Bucco
- 3 lbs bone in beef shank
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 yellow onion finely minced
- 3 stalks celery finely minced
- 3 carrots peeled and finely minced
- 5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 jar 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tbsp beef base
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 quart chicken stock
- 1 pinch dried rosemary
Creamy Polenta
- 1 log cooked polenta sliced into 1-inch thick slices
- 1/2 cup full fat milk
- 1/3 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
Instructions
Osso Bucco
- Season beef shanks with salt and pepper. Then heat a dutch oven on medium heat. When the dutch oven is hot, add in oil. Then sear the beef shanks about 5-6 mins each side until golden brown. Remove beef shanks from the dutch oven.
- Add in minced celery, carrot, onion, and garlic into the dutch oven. Saute for 5 minutes. Then add in tomato paste. Saute another 3 minutes.
- Then add in bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, beef base, dry red wine, salt, chicken stock, and dried rosemary. Mix well together.
- Place beef shanks back into the tomato mixture. Place a lid on the dutch oven and insert into a 350 degree oven.
- Braise in oven for 2 hrs at 350 degrees.
- Remove from the oven and serve with creamy polenta.
Creamy Polenta
- With 15 minutes left of cooking on the osso bucco, begin making the polenta by adding the slices of pre-cooked polenta into a medium sauce pan. Add in milk, butter, and salt into the pan. Cook at medium heat, using a whisk to break down the polenta and mix with the milk and butter, about 5-10 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent sticking.
- When the polenta is smooth and creamy, turn off the fire. Add in grated Parmigiano Reggiano and whisk thoroughly into the polenta. Then season with salt to taste.