According to basically every search engine online, Ossobuco or osso buco is Italian for “bone with a hole” (osso “bone”, buco “hole”). This is in reference to the marrow hole at the centre of the cross-cut veal shank.
Since I have never made it before, I decided I could splurge a little bit around my birthday to get the osso buco. It is pricey (aka we got a very minimal amount of it for the purpose of this recipe). However, Table For Two by Julie Chiou made it seem simple enough to finally try making, and it was. In summary, if you’re intimidated by Osso Buco or nervous in general, please, don’t be. It’s simple and you can do it!
For the side, I made Yukon Gold and sweet potato mashed potatoes. I started making them about half an hour before the timer was up for the osso buco. Together, they made the perfect Autumn meal. (I made the potatoes in the same pot I had used to sear the osso buco. This gave the potatoes a bit of the same seasoning and flavor. I won’t complain about the added bonus of having fewer dishes to do!). I give to you, this slow cooker osso buco recipe.
Slow Cooker Osso Buco
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 4 pieces Veal Shank, each about 1 1/4 inches thick (about 2 pounds total)
- ⅓ cup each Onion, Celery, Carrots, chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 ¼ cups (303 g) Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- ¾ cup (178 ml) Beef Broth
- 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 large sprig Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh Parsley, chopped, for topping
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Season veal shanks with salt. Then, sear all four sides until browned but not cooked through. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to mix.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- To serve, discard the sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top prior to serving, if desired.
Enjoy!