The Best Osso Buco

1 Heat oven 5 min Preheat your oven to 325 °F.

2 Brown pancetta 5 min Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 4 ounces diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Once the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered, remove the pancetta and transfer it to a plate covered with paper towels. Set aside. If needed, drain off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

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3 Dredge shanks in flour 2 min Place flour on a large, shallow plate. Season the veal shanks well with salt and black pepper and lightly dredge in flour. Shake off any excess flour.

4 Brown shanks 10 min Place the meat in the hot pan with hot fat. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the shanks until well browned, about 5 minutes per side.

5 Remove shanks from pan 2 min Remove the shanks to a plate. Set aside.

6 Sauté onions, carrots and celery 5 min Add 1 diced onion, ½ cup diced carrots, and ½ cup diced celery to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

7 Add garlic and thyme 10 min Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped garlic and the minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme). Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables just start to brown, about 10 minutes.

8 Return shanks and pancetta to pan 5 min Return the shanks and pancetta to the pan. Add in 1 cup dry white wine. Pour in enough stock to come a little more than halfway up the sides of the shanks, 1 to 2 cups. Bring to a simmer.

9 Transfer to oven 1h 30m Cover the pan with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

10 Prepare gremolata 2 min In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest and 2 minced garlic cloves. Transfer the gremolata to a separate small serving dish.

11 Serve Serve the osso buco on top of risotto or polenta, sprinkled with gremolata.

Short on time? Not really possible to rush. But you can start it on the stove and finish in a low oven the next day. Reheat gently with a splash of stock and it comes back alive.