If you enjoy tender, slow-cooked beef, you'll love this boneless beef shin osso buco recipe. Traditionally, osso buco is made with veal shanks, but for this version, I've used beef shin for a more economical and hearty alternative. Whether you're serving it over creamy mashed potatoes, polenta or fresh pasta, or going traditional with risotto alla Milanese, it makes a delicious family meal that's surprisingly easy to put together.
This boneless beef shin osso buco recipe is my take on the Italian classic, with just a little twist. It's perfect for when you want something hearty and full of flavour but with minimal effort.
This beef osso buco takes about two and a half hours to simmer in a casserole dish on the stove, but once the prep is done, the rest of the time is mostly hands off, leaving you free to get on with other things. The result is a rich, hearty sauce, with tender beef, that's perfect for serving over mashed potatoes, polenta or even a traditional saffron risotto.
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My twist on an original classic
Instead of veal, I've opted for shin beef, which is a little easier to find and brings a rich, meaty taste to the dish. The only downside is that the shin beef sold by my local supermarket doesn't come with the traditional slice of marrow bone. But don't worry, this cut of beef still cooks down beautifully until it's fall-apart tender, soaking up all the delicious flavours from the sauce. If you can set shin beef with the marrow bone still attached, consider it a bonus, and continue to follow the recipe.
I also swapped out the usual white wine for red in this recipe. I think red wine works so much better than white wine with beef, adding a deeper and more robust flavour that complements the richness of the beef perfectly.
The base of the dish is a simple mirepoix of onions, carrots and celery, gently softened to bring out their sweetness and then slowly simmered in stock and red wine. A touch of tomato puree and a little thyme add extra depth and aroma to the sauce.
To finish it off, I've included a simple recipe for gremolata, which is made with chopped parsley, lemon (both juice and zest) and crushed garlic. This is normally sprinkled on top of the beef before serving. The freshness of the lemon and parsley cuts through the richness of the beef perfectly.
Why I think you'll love this dish
This osso buco recipe is:
- made with simple ingredients;
- full of rich and hearty flavours thanks to the beef and red wine;
- just as delicious as the traditional veal version;
- mostly hands-off cooking - just simmer until done and turn the meat occasionally;
- a delicious meal the entire family will love.
Recipe information
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: Around 2 and a half hours - you may need to turn the beef occasionally to keep it submerged in the gravy.
Yield: The recipe as written will serve 4 people, but you can easily scale it up by adding extra meat and vegetables. I would suggest around 200 grams or 7 ounces of raw shin beef per person, as shin beef does shrink when cooked.
Ingredients
I've split the ingredients into 2 sections: the first for the beef osso buco, and the second for the gremolata.
Osso buco
- Beef shin - if you can find beef shin with a piece of marrow bone in the centre, then by all means use this; if you can only find boneless shin, don't worry - it will still be delicious. The shin should be at least three-quarters of an inch thick and well marbled.
- Onions, carrots and celery - these should be cleaned and peeled and cut into a small dice, approximately one-quarter of an inch in size. These vegetables form the base of the gravy.
- Thyme - I used dried thyme, but you could use a sprig of fresh thyme instead. Remember to remove the thyme stalk before serving if you use fresh. Leave the thyme out if you don't enjoy the flavour, or substitute with a different herb such as rosemary or oregano.
- Beef stock - I normally make my stock with a beef stock cube; if you have fresh stock, you could use that instead.
- Red wine - this adds a rich depth of flavour to the stock. Use a full-bodied wine such as Shiraz or Pinotage, and be sure to use a wine that you would drink. The flavour of cheap plonk won't improve with cooking and may spoil the finished dish. If you don't want to cook with wine, substitute with extra stock, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar to provide the acidity.
- Tomato puree - you may know this as tomato paste. This is highly concentrated tomatoes and not to be confused with tomato ketchup. Used to add flavour to the stock.
- Garlic - Finely minced.
- Flour - this is used for coating the shin beef before it is browned.
- Olive oil - used to brown the beef. If you don't have olive oil, use regular vegetable oil.
- You will also need salt and ground black pepper for seasoning. This is to your own taste.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities for making this shin beef osso buco on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
Gremolata
If you want to make the gremolata to serve with the osso buco, this is what you will need:
- Fresh parsley - a small bunch, finely chopped.
- Lemon - the juice and also the zest to sprinkle on top.
- Garlic - finely chopped or minced.
Instructions
How to make the osso buco
Step 1: If your shin is surrounded by a thick layer of 'silver skin', use a sharp knife to remove it. This will help to keep the beef flat as it cooks, and prevent it from curling up. You don't always get the thick silver skin on the beef; I only had it on one piece.
Step 2: Season the beef lightly with salt and black pepper and dust it with flour. Shake off any excess flour.
Step 3: Heat the oil in a pan until it sizzles gently when you add a drop of water. Add the beef and fry on moderate to high heat for 3 or 4 minutes per side until the meat is nicely browned. Transfer to a plate while you cook the vegetables.
Step 4: Clean and peel the vegetables and cut them into a small dice, slightly larger than a quarter of an inch, and slightly smaller than a centimetre in size.
Step 5: Fry the vegetables along with the garlic in the same pan on moderate heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until they start to soften. Add an extra tablespoon of oil if necessary.
Step 6: Add the red wine and dried thyme, and continue to stir until the wine has reduced by half.
Step 7: Combine the tomato puree in the stock and pour it over the vegetables. Submerge the browned meat into the stock.
Step 8: Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to a low, and simmer for 2 to 2 and a half hours until the meat is fork tender. Turn the meat occasionally so that it remains juicy on both sides. Top up with extra stock if it seems to be drying out.
To plate the osso buco, place a piece of shin on top of a bed of creamy mashed potato, spoon over the gravy, and optionally top with a spoonful of gremolata.
How to make the gremolata (optional)
- Chop the parsley finely.
- Remove the zest from the lemon, taking care to only remove the yellow surface area.
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small dish.
- Mince the garlic and combine it with the lemon juice.
Step 9: Place the chopped parsley in a dish and stir in the lemon juice and garlic mixture. Sprinkle the lemon zest on top.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your shin beef osso buco always turns out perfectly:
- Brown the meat well - take your time over this step and sear the beef until it is nicely browned on all sides. This adds loads of flavour to the finished dish.
- Chop the veggies finely - a fine dice helps the vegetables combine with the sauce as it simmers, creating a rich and flavourful gravy.
- Cook it low and slow - keep the heat low and let the osso buco simmer gently. This gives connective tissue in the beef time to break down, resulting in beautifully tender beef.
- Make sure the meat stays submerged in liquid during the cooking time, turning it occasionally. Top up with an extra splash of stock if necessary.
- If you are lucky enough to find bone-in shin beef, tie each piece with kitchen string to help keep the bone in place as it cooks.
- Let it rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving. This gives the flavours time to settle and for the sauce to thicken slightly.
Top tip
Here's a super tip for keeping garlic fresh. If you peel garlic cloves and place them in a freezer bag, you can store them indefinitely in the freezer. When you need garlic, simply take a few cloves out of the bag. They take less than a minute to thaw, then you just chop or mince them in the usual way.
Make it in a slow cooker
You can easily adapt this recipe to make it in the slow cooker:
- Follow the recipe steps to brown the meat and cook the vegetables in the stock.
- Transfer the vegetables to a slow cooker and arrange the browned meat on top.
- Pour over the stock and tomato puree.
- Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need for making this shin beef osso buco recipe:
- Cast iron casserole or large saute pan. You need a pan with a tightly fitting lid to allow the osso buco to simmer for a couple of hours without losing too much liquid to evaporation.
- Sharp knife - to remove the silver skin from the shin - if there is any. You will also use the knife for cutting up the vegetables.
- Chopping board - to protect your work surface.
- Cheese grater or microplaner - to remove the zest from the lemon if you are making the gremolata.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and reheated as below.
Shin beef osso buco freezes beautifully. Allow it to come to room temperature, then transfer any leftovers (including the gravy) to a suitable container and freeze for up to three months. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator (or in the microwave if you are in a hurry) and reheat it in a saucepan on medium heat on the stove until the gravy is bubbling and the meat is heated through.
FAQ
Absolutely! Although I would recommend using kitchen string to tie around each piece of meat to keep the bone in place. You'll get lots of extra flavour from the marrow in the bone.
You can substitute the red wine with extra beef stock and a tablespoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar to emulate the acidity of the wine.
Yes, in fact I think it tastes even better the next day! Allow it to cool to room temperature, then store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve it, reheat it on the stove or in the oven until piping hot.
Yes. Once everything has been combined, transfer the casserole dish to the oven and cook it at 160C / 320F for about 2.5 hours until the beef is tender.
Save for later
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📋The recipe
Boneless beef shin osso buco
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Cast iron casserole OR
- Large saute pan
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
Osso buco
- 1¾ pounds / 800 grams beef shin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour for coating beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion peeled and finely diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
- 1 - 2 ribs celery washed and finely diced
- 2 - 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup / 120 ml red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups / 480 ml beef stock you can make it with stock cubes
- 1- 2 tablespoon tomato puree / tomato paste
Gremolata
- 1 small lemon zest and juice
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
Beef shin osso buco
- If your shin is surrounded by a thick layer of 'silver skin', use a sharp knife to remove it. This will help to keep the beef flat as it cooks, and prevent it from curling up. You don't always get the thick silver skin on the beef; I only had it on one piece.1¾ pounds / 800 grams beef shin
- Season the beef lightly with salt and black pepper and dust it with flour. Shake off any excess flour.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons flour
- Heat the oil in a pan until it sizzles gently when you add a drop of water. Add the beef and fry on moderate to high heat for 3 or 4 minutes per side until the meat is nicely browned. Transfer to a plate while you cook the vegetables.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Clean and peel the vegetables and cut them into a small dice, slightly larger than a quarter of an inch, and slightly smaller than a centimetre in size.1 large onion, 2 medium carrots, 1 - 2 ribs celery
- Fry the vegetables along with the garlic in the same pan on moderate heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until they start to soften. Add an extra tablespoon of oil if necessary.2 - 3 cloves garlic
- Add the red wine and dried thyme, and continue to stir until the wine has reduced by half.½ cup / 120 ml red wine, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Combine the tomato puree in the stock and pour it over the vegetables. Submerge the browned meat into the stock.2 cups / 480 ml beef stock, 1- 2 tablespoon tomato puree / tomato paste
- Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to a low, and simmer for 2 to 2½ hours until the meat is fork tender. Turn the meat occasionally so that it remains juicy on both sides. Top up with extra stock if it seems to be drying out.
- To serve the osso buco, place a piece shin on top of a bed of creamy mashed potato, spoon over the gravy, and optionally top with a spoonful of gremolata.
Gremolata
- Chop the parsley finely.1 small bunch parsley
- Remove the zest from the lemon, taking care to only remove the yellow surface area.1 small lemon
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small dish.
- Mince the garlic and combine it with the lemon juice.2 cloves garlic
- Place the chopped parsley in a dish and stir in the lemon juice and garlic mixture. Sprinkle the lemon zest on top.
Notes
- Brown the meat well - take your time over this step and sear the beef until it is nicely browned on all sides. This adds loads of flavour to the finished dish.
- Chop the veggies finely - a fine dice helps the vegetables combine with the sauce as it simmers, creating a rich and flavourful gravy.
- Cook it low and slow - keep the heat low and let the osso buco simmer gently. This gives connective tissue in the beef time to break down, resulting in beautifully tender beef.
- Make sure the meat stays submerged in liquid during the cooking time, turning it occasionally. Top up with an extra splash of stock if necessary.
- If you are lucky enough to find bone-in shin beef, tie each piece with kitchen string to help keep the bone in place as it cooks.
- Let it rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving. This gives the flavours time to settle and for the sauce to thicken slightly.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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