Osso Buco is a traditional Italian dish made from cross-cut sections of veal shanks, including the marrow-filled bone in the center. The name “Osso Buco” translates to “bone with a hole” in Italian, accurately describing the appearance of the cut.
While veal is the classic choice for Osso Buco, it can also be made with other types of meat, including beef. Beef Osso Buco is a more affordable and readily available option, offering a similar rich and flavorful experience.
Here’s a closer look at the different types of meat used for Osso Buco:
Veal Osso Buco:
- Flavor: Veal is known for its delicate and slightly sweet flavor, making it a popular choice for Osso Buco. The long, slow cooking process helps to tenderize the veal and enhance its natural sweetness.
- Texture: Veal is a relatively tender cut of meat, even before cooking. Braising further breaks down the connective tissue, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Availability: Veal can be more challenging to find than beef, and it tends to be more expensive.
Beef Osso Buco:
- Flavor: Beef Osso Buco offers a richer and more robust flavor compared to veal. The beef shank is a hardworking muscle, resulting in a more intense beefy taste.
- Texture: Beef shank is a tougher cut of meat, but the slow cooking process transforms it into a tender and succulent dish. The marrow in the bone adds an extra layer of richness and depth of flavor.
- Availability: Beef is widely available and generally more affordable than veal, making it a practical choice for Osso Buco.
Other Options:
While veal and beef are the most common choices for Osso Buco, other cuts of meat can be used as well. Lamb shanks, pork shanks, and even chicken legs can be substituted for a unique twist on the classic dish.
Ultimately, the best type of meat for Osso Buco depends on your personal preferences and budget. Both veal and beef offer delicious and satisfying results, while other options provide an opportunity to experiment with different flavors and textures.
How to serve this dish
Firstly, the gremolata is an essential component of this dish that should not be overlooked. Although the garnish of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic may not seem like much, it really does add that something special.
The richness of the meat is really cut through by the freshness of the lemon and parsley in particular. It does a perfect job of enhancing the flavors and making it slightly simpler to eat.
Second, risotto alla Milanese, basically a saffron risotto variation with bone marrow, is the traditional side dish for this dish. You can pair this with my saffron risotto or go full traditional, and both are delicious.
If you’re not quite in the mood for risotto, try some polenta, mashed potatoes, or tiny pasta like orzo. It’s worth having something to soak up some of the flavorful braising sauce.
I also like to have some sort of green vegetable with this, even though it may not be entirely traditional, to balance out all the richness. A favorite is green beans, but you could also try some sautéed chard or spinach.
With all the best ingredients, beef osso buco is a slightly richer version of the veal original. The meat turns incredibly tender, and the flavorful wine-based sauce is abundant. This deliciously comforting dish is finished with a vibrant burst of freshness and color from the gremolata on top.
Every now and again, we get some surprises with beef. One of those surprises is this recipe for Osso Bucco.
A classic Italian dish is called osso bucco, or, to be more exact, melenese. The Italian term “Osso Bucco” means “bone with a hole,” and that’s precisely what it appears to be. A piece of meat with a bone in the middle. When I initially saw it, it looked like a meat doughnut. That proves beyond a doubt that I’m not from Italy, LOL!
I hate to say it, but before we had some beef processed and one of the cuts we received back was labeled “Osso Bucco,” we had never heard of the product. When I asked the butcher what it was, he explained that it was a classic Italian dish made with beef shank cut. He promised we would love it, and he was right.
This dish is typically made with veal in Italy, but it can also be made with other cuts of meat. Since we don’t butcher cows until they are much older, our Osso Bucco beef cut isn’t veal, but it is still a cross-cut of beef from the shank.
I’ve researched lots of Osso Bucco recipes and have learned that many of them can take all-day to make because they’re made in the oven and you have to check it regularly. That’s why I got really excited when I discovered this Osso Bucco recipe from finecooking.com. It uses a crock pot to help braise the meat.
The Famous Italian OSSO BUCO – for Family or Holiday Dinner. Recipe by Always Yummy!
FAQ
Is osso bucco beef or veal?
What kind of cut is osso bucco?
What meat is similar to osso buco?
Is osso bucco tough meat?