Slow Braised Osso Buco
4 People
423 Cals
Slow Braised Osso Buco
4 People
423 Cals
About the recipe
The Italian Slow-Cooked Comfort Food That Nourishes You From the Inside Out.There is something deeply comforting about a pot of osso buco slowly bubbling away in the oven. The way the kitchen fills with the scent of rich tomato, red wine and herbs — before you've even taken a bite, you already feel nourished.This is the kind of cooking I grew up loving. Rustic. Unhurried. Italian at its soul.Slow Braised Osso Buco is one of those timeless recipes that feels both special and completely approachable. You don't need any fancy techniques — just quality ingredients, a good cast iron pot, and a little patience. The oven does all the work for you.The result? Beautifully tender, fall-from-the-bone grass-fed beef shin bathed in a deeply flavoured sauce of tomato, wine, herbs and sweet braised vegetables. Finished with a bright, fresh gremolata of lemon zest and parsley that lifts the whole dish and makes it sing. ✨This is slow food at its most satisfying — and it happens to be one of the most nourishing meals you can make.Why it's so good:Good food should nourish you deeply — and this dish does exactly that.Grass-fed beef shin is one of the most nutrient-dense cuts you can cook with. It's rich in high-quality protein to support muscle, strength and recovery, along with iron and zinc — two minerals many of us don't get enough of — to support energy, immunity and healthy skin.Bone marrow — that beautiful soft centre tucked inside the bone — is something of a hidden treasure. It's packed with minerals, healthy fats and gelatin that support joint health, gut lining integrity and a resilient immune system. It's the kind of deep nourishment that's been part of traditional cooking for thousands of years.Slow cooking is magic for collagen. As the beef braises low and slow, the connective tissue and cartilage slowly break down and dissolve into the sauce, releasing natural collagen and gelatin. This is what gives the braising liquid that gorgeous, silky, almost glossy quality — and what makes it so deeply comforting and restorative to eat.The vegetables — onion, carrot and celery — form the classic Italian soffritto base, adding natural sweetness, fibre and a host of antioxidants that support overall wellbeing.And the gremolata? Fresh parsley is one of the richest plant sources of vitamin K and vitamin C, while lemon zest adds bright flavour and beneficial plant compounds. It's the finishing touch that makes this dish feel complete — and helps your body absorb all that beautiful iron too.This is the kind of food that loves you right back.
Nutrition Per Serving
423
Calories
14g
Fat
3g
Saturates
5g
Sugars
350mg
Salt
59g
Protein
12g
Carbs
2g
Fibre
Ingredients
For the braise:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.2 kg grass-fed beef osso buco about 4 pieces beef shin, bone in
- Rice flour or plain flour for dusting
- 2 brown onions diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 celery sticks diced
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 250 ml light red wine such as pinot noir or a light shiraz
- 500 ml hot filtered water from the kettle
- 3 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Fresh gremolata:
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- A note on the gremolata: Traditional versions include raw garlic but I've left it out here — the garlic is already doing its work in the braise, and I love how a simple parsley and lemon gremolata keeps the finish bright, fresh and clean without overpowering the richness of the sauce.
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional).
- Pat the osso buco dry with paper towel and dust lightly on both sides with flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy cast iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef and sear for 3–5 minutes each side until deeply golden and caramelised. Don't rush this step — that golden crust is where so much flavour lives. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. To the same pot, add the diced onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant, scraping up all those beautiful caramelised bits from the base of the pan as you go.
- Stir the tomato paste through the vegetables and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the red wine and allow it to bubble and reduce for 2–3 minutes, letting the alcohol cook off and the flavours deepen.
- Pour in the water and add the bay leaves and thyme. Season with sea salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Return the browned beef to the pot, nestling it into the liquid.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for approximately 2 hours, or until the meat is completely tender and falling effortlessly from the bone.
- While the beef is resting, simply combine the chopped parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl. This takes 30 seconds and makes all the difference.
- Ladle the osso buco into shallow bowls over your chosen base (mashed potato, polenta, boiled potato, braised cabbage, broccoli, pasta, risotto)
- Scatter generously with gremolata and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes + Variations
To Serve
The beauty of osso buco is that it goes beautifully with so many different bases. Spoon it over: Creamy mashed potato — the classic, and for good reason. Use good quality butter and a little warm milk for the silkiest result. Soft polenta — whisk fine polenta with warm water or broth and a little parmesan for something deeply Italian and rustic. Boiled baby potatoes — simple, satisfying and letting the rich sauce do all the talking. Don't forget a scattering of fresh gremolata over every single bowl — it's not optional!
Make it lower carb — Braised Cabbage or Cauliflower Mash
This dish is absolutely stunning served over slow-braised cavolo nero or savoy cabbage. Simply shred the cabbage, add a little olive oil and a splash of the braising liquid to a pan and cook gently until silky and tender. It absorbs the gorgeous sauce beautifully and makes for a wonderfully light, nourishing plate. Cauliflower mash is another brilliant lower-carb option — blend steamed cauliflower with a little olive oil, sea salt and a touch of garlic until velvety smooth. The richness of the sauce makes it feel completely indulgent. Make it ahead — it gets better
Like all great braises, osso buco genuinely improves with time. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate overnight, and simply reheat gently on the stovetop before serving. The flavours deepen and the sauce becomes even more luxurious. Perfect for entertaining — all the work is done before your guests arrive. Gluten-free
Simply use rice flour to dust the beef instead of plain flour — it creates a beautiful golden crust and keeps the dish completely gluten-free. To thicken the sauce, just add a little carrot puree or corn flour slurry. Make it richer — add more bone-in cuts
If you'd like an even deeper, more collagen-rich braise, ask your butcher for a mix of beef shin and marrow bones. Add the extra bones directly to the pot — they will add incredible depth to the sauce and boost the mineral and gelatin content beautifully. Wine-free version
Simply replace the red wine with an extra 250ml of water or beef stock. A Note From My Kitchen
The beauty of osso buco is that it goes beautifully with so many different bases. Spoon it over: Creamy mashed potato — the classic, and for good reason. Use good quality butter and a little warm milk for the silkiest result. Soft polenta — whisk fine polenta with warm water or broth and a little parmesan for something deeply Italian and rustic. Boiled baby potatoes — simple, satisfying and letting the rich sauce do all the talking. Don't forget a scattering of fresh gremolata over every single bowl — it's not optional!This recipe is everything I believe good food should be — simple to make, deeply nourishing, and genuinely satisfying to eat. There is a quiet joy in putting a pot like this in the oven and knowing that a few hours later, dinner is waiting for you. Unhurried. Generous. Full of love. It's the kind of cooking that slows you down in the best possible way — and reminds you that some of the most restorative meals are the simplest ones. I hope it finds its way into your home and onto your table soon. Save this recipe and share it with someone who loves slow cooking. Teresa Cutter — Chef, Nutritionist + Wellness Ambassador Follow along on Instagram @teresacutterchef for daily recipes that truly love you back.
To Serve
The beauty of osso buco is that it goes beautifully with so many different bases. Spoon it over: Creamy mashed potato — the classic, and for good reason. Use good quality butter and a little warm milk for the silkiest result. Soft polenta — whisk fine polenta with warm water or broth and a little parmesan for something deeply Italian and rustic. Boiled baby potatoes — simple, satisfying and letting the rich sauce do all the talking. Don't forget a scattering of fresh gremolata over every single bowl — it's not optional!
Make it lower carb — Braised Cabbage or Cauliflower Mash
This dish is absolutely stunning served over slow-braised cavolo nero or savoy cabbage. Simply shred the cabbage, add a little olive oil and a splash of the braising liquid to a pan and cook gently until silky and tender. It absorbs the gorgeous sauce beautifully and makes for a wonderfully light, nourishing plate. Cauliflower mash is another brilliant lower-carb option — blend steamed cauliflower with a little olive oil, sea salt and a touch of garlic until velvety smooth. The richness of the sauce makes it feel completely indulgent. Make it ahead — it gets better
Like all great braises, osso buco genuinely improves with time. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate overnight, and simply reheat gently on the stovetop before serving. The flavours deepen and the sauce becomes even more luxurious. Perfect for entertaining — all the work is done before your guests arrive. Gluten-free
Simply use rice flour to dust the beef instead of plain flour — it creates a beautiful golden crust and keeps the dish completely gluten-free. To thicken the sauce, just add a little carrot puree or corn flour slurry. Make it richer — add more bone-in cuts
If you'd like an even deeper, more collagen-rich braise, ask your butcher for a mix of beef shin and marrow bones. Add the extra bones directly to the pot — they will add incredible depth to the sauce and boost the mineral and gelatin content beautifully. Wine-free version
Simply replace the red wine with an extra 250ml of water or beef stock. A Note From My Kitchen
The beauty of osso buco is that it goes beautifully with so many different bases. Spoon it over: Creamy mashed potato — the classic, and for good reason. Use good quality butter and a little warm milk for the silkiest result. Soft polenta — whisk fine polenta with warm water or broth and a little parmesan for something deeply Italian and rustic. Boiled baby potatoes — simple, satisfying and letting the rich sauce do all the talking. Don't forget a scattering of fresh gremolata over every single bowl — it's not optional!This recipe is everything I believe good food should be — simple to make, deeply nourishing, and genuinely satisfying to eat. There is a quiet joy in putting a pot like this in the oven and knowing that a few hours later, dinner is waiting for you. Unhurried. Generous. Full of love. It's the kind of cooking that slows you down in the best possible way — and reminds you that some of the most restorative meals are the simplest ones. I hope it finds its way into your home and onto your table soon. Save this recipe and share it with someone who loves slow cooking. Teresa Cutter — Chef, Nutritionist + Wellness Ambassador Follow along on Instagram @teresacutterchef for daily recipes that truly love you back.
