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Ossobuco alla milanese on saffron risotto, the braised shank crowned with bright gremolada around its marrow bone, red wine beside on worn wood.

Ossobuco alla Milanese

Cross-cut veal shanks braised in white wine until the marrow loosens, finished with gremolada. Milan serves it over saffron risotto; so should you.

2 hr 25 min · Serves 4

  • Lombardy
Jump to the recipeWhat to serve with it

This is the in bianco version, white wine and broth with no tomato, and it lets the gremolada do the talking. The one choice that matters is the gentlest simmer for nearly two hours: at a boil the shanks turn stringy, at a whisper the marrow softens and the sauce turns glossy.

Make ahead The braise can be made a day ahead and reheated gently in its sauce; chop the gremolada fresh just before serving.

Total
2 hr 25 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
2 hr
Serves
4

One step at a time, with what each step needs.

Scan for the recipe

Ossobuco alla Milanese

Total 2 hr 25 min · Prep 25 min · Cook 2 hr · Serves 4

Method

  1. Nick the membrane around each shank in three places so they stay flat, season, and dust lightly with flour.

  2. Brown the shanks in half the butter in a wide heavy casserole, 4 minutes a side, and set aside.

  3. Lower the heat, add the remaining butter, and soften the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt until sweet, about 10 minutes.

  4. Return the shanks, pour in the wine, and let it bubble down by half.

  5. Add hot broth to come two thirds up the meat. Cover with the lid ajar and braise at the gentlest simmer, turning once, until a fork twists freely in the meat, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Top up with broth if the sauce tightens too far.

  6. Mix the gremolada: lemon zest, parsley, and garlic, chopped together at the last minute.

    Chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest mixed on a wooden board for gremolada.
    Mix the gremolada: lemon zest, parsley and garlic, chopped together at the last minute.

  7. Scatter the gremolada over the shanks, shake the pot, and give it 3 final minutes, uncovered, for the perfume to wake the sauce.

  8. Serve each shank over saffron risotto or soft polenta, sauce spooned around, marrow spoon on the plate.

Equipment

  • Dutch OvenWide enough to hold the shanks in one layer, which keeps them flat and evenly braised.2 options

    • Our pick

      Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6 qt

      A heavy pot with a lid for steady, gentle cooking; choose batch sizes to fit.

      Shop

    • Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven, 5.3L

      French enamelled cast iron that holds a low, even simmer for hours.

      Shop
  • Microplane Zester2 options

    • Our pick

      Microplane Premium Zester

      For finely zesting the citrus used in the gremolada.

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    • Cuisipro Surface Glide Fine Rasp

      A fine rasp for citrus zest and hard cheese.

      Shop
  • Chef's KnifeChop the gremolada together at the last minute so the perfume stays bright.2 options

    • Our pick

      Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, 20cm

      For chopping and slicing the ingredients before cooking.

      Shop

    • Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

      A forged German knife with real heft, for cooks who like a solid blade.

      Shop

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Estimated per serving

Calories
494 kcal
Protein
44.1 g
Carbohydrates
9 g
Fat
29.4 g

Per serving · 1/4 of the recipe Ingredient-based estimate; brands and preparation change the result. Stock uses a representative prepared broth; its concentration and salt vary, so sodium is not reported. Uses USDA’s edible cooked shank yield, plus an assumed 10g marrow per shank. Half the dusting flour and 20% wine alcohol are retained. Side dishes are excluded.

Nutrition sources: USDA Agricultural Research Service · CREA Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione

Nonna's tips

  1. This version in bianco

    This version uses white wine and broth without tomato, letting the gremolada give the sauce its fresh finish.

  2. Gentle fire, patient lid

    A braise that boils turns shanks stringy. Bubbles should rise like a question, one or two at a time.

  3. Use a small, long-handled spoon to scoop the marrow from the centre of the bone.

    Spread it on a crust of bread and add a pinch of salt if needed.

What to serve with Ossobuco alla Milanese

A dinner from Lombardy, built around this dish. Change any course and the shopping list follows.

  1. Antipasto

    Spring salad with Salame di Varzi

    Mixed leaves and baby spinach meet fava beans, asparagus, young carrot ribbons and diced Salame di Varzi, dressed with a lemon citronette.

    35 min

  2. First course

    Risotto alla Milanese

    Milan’s golden risotto: Carnaroli rice, real saffron threads, good broth, and the double richness of bone marrow and butter. The city on a plate.

    50 min · make ahead

  3. Main course

    Ossobuco alla Milanese

    This recipe

    2 hr 25 min · make ahead

  4. Side

    Orobic polenta taragna with Branzi

    Cornmeal and buckwheat cook slowly into a soft polenta, then take in cubes of Branzi and a final spoonful of garlic-and-sage butter.

    1 hr 25 min · make ahead

  5. Dessert

    Torta sbrisolona

    Mantova’s crisp almond cake, made from loose crumbs of wheat flour, yellow cornmeal, butter and lard, then broken into pieces to share.

    2 hr 5 min

  6. What to pour

    A Valtellina Superiore, Nebbiolo from the terraced slopes of Sondrio province: its acidity and fine tannin cut through the marrow and butter.

    Valtellina Superiore
Lombardy

Lombardy

Ossobuco is a Milanese dish, often served with risotto alla milanese. Scoop the marrow from the central bone with a small spoon.

The Lombardy guide

Shopping list

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On the table

To buy

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Cook your way around Italy

Twenty regions, one dish from each. Cook one and its region goes on your map.

0 of 20 regions cooked

Made Ossobuco alla Milanese? Stamp Lombardy.

Tagliatelle al ragu bolognese piled in a cream bowl, the slow meat sauce clinging to golden ribbons with barely a blush of tomato, Parmigiano and red wine near.Next stop · Emilia-RomagnaTagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese3 hr 50 min

When you go to Lombardy

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One dish from every region

  1. Aosta ValleyFonduta Valdostana
  2. PiedmontAgnolotti del Plin Burro e Salvia
  3. LiguriaTrofie al Pesto Genovese
  4. LombardyRisotto alla Milanese
  5. Trentino-Alto AdigeCanederli in Brodo
  6. VenetoRisi e Bisi
  7. Friuli-Venezia GiuliaFrico con Patate
  8. Emilia-RomagnaTagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese
  9. TuscanyRibollita
  10. UmbriaStrangozzi al Tartufo Nero
  11. MarcheVincisgrassi
  12. LazioSpaghetti alla Carbonara
  13. AbruzzoArrosticini
  14. MoliseCavatelli al Ragù di Maiale
  15. CampaniaSpaghetti alle Vongole
  16. PugliaOrecchiette alle Cime di Rapa
  17. BasilicataStrascinati con Peperoni Cruschi
  18. CalabriaFileja alla ’Nduja
  19. SicilyPasta alla Norma
  20. SardiniaOgliastra-style culurgiones with tomato sauce

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Sources and citations (1)
  1. Accademia Italiana della Cucina — Lombardia recipe collection

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