Go Back
A blue serving dish with beef osso buco garnished with parsley.

Boneless beef shin osso buco

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.
Recipe by: Veronica
Main Course
Italian inspired
Calories 627
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Print Pin Bookmark
No ratings yet

(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

Recipe tips:
  • 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.
 
To freeze:
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.
 
Make in a 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.

    • Nutrition

    Calories - 627kcal | Carbohydrates - 41.3g | Protein - 68.3g | Fat - 20.4g | Saturated Fat - 5.9g | Cholesterol - 179mg | Sodium - 682mg | Potassium - 1598mg | Fiber - 6g | Sugar - 6g | Calcium - 235mg | Iron - 42mg

    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.

    QR Code

    Scan this QR code with your mobile phone to view the recipe on the web.

    QR Code
    Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
    All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
    Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I'd love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter