Intro

If you’ve ever wanted to create a dinner that is homey and literal – the kind of food you’re glad your kitchen smells proper; the kind of food that can make your guests linger a little longer at the table, then you need to try Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe.

This is not just one more beef stew or fancy Italian dish. It’s a slow-simmered masterpiece of tender veal shanks, aromatic vegetables, wine and herbs that melt together in a rich silky sauce that tastes like something out of a dream.

The first time I made it, I knew why Ina Garten – the Barefoot Contessa herself – calls this one of her all-time favorite comfort dishes. It’s elegant, deeply flavored, and oddly Easy to get his hands into for a home cook.

So, pour yourself a glass of wine (since that’s what you’re going to be cooking with, anyway) and let’s take a delicious little journey into the world of this classic Italian comfort dish, Ina-style.

What is Osso Buco?

“Osso Buco” literally translates as “bone with a hole” in Italian, and that’s referring to the cut of veal that shank crossing the slicing and dicing shank is the star of the show. The marrow of the bone melts into the sauce as it braises, which forms an unbelievably rich and velvety texture.

Traditionally, osso buco is from Milan and is slow-cooked with white wine, broth, onions, carrots, celery, and herbs. Some versions incorporate tomatoes; others leave it pale and delicate. Ina Garten’s version takes the best of both worlds – tomato base but with a deep wine flavor, and that military undertone.

The Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe is about layering flavors. You begin by browning the meat to provide that wonderful caramelized crust. Then you inauthentically saute aromatics, deglaze with wine (cue that sizzling sound from our mouths we all love), and let it all simmer low and slow until the meat practically falls off the bone.

It’s rustic. It’s refined. It’s one of those recipes that makes you feel as though you have been transported to the Italian sunny countryside.

The Story of My Discovery of This

My first introduction to Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe came not in a restaurant or on television – it was in the midst of a Sunday snowstorm.

One time, I was flipping through one of Ina’s cookbooks and looking for something that would be cozy and slow-cooked. I came across the recipe quite by accident, examined the list of ingredients (veal, wine, thyme, garlic — all my favorite things), and decided to dye.

By the time the dish went into the oven, my kitchen was stinking like an Italian grandmother had moved in. The pungent scent of simmering wine and herbs filled the house. When I finally lifted the lid, the veal was so soft that I didn’t even need to use a knife.

I served it over the creamy polenta as Ina suggests, and my family sat there quietly for the first few bites – the highest compliment possible. That day it became clear to me: This was not a recipe. It was an experience.

Equipment List

You don’t have to drag restaurant-style gear to pull off this showstopper. And it just takes a few solid tools to make all the difference:

Large Dutch oven
Tongs
Chef’s knife & cutting board
Wooden spoon
Fine grater or zester

Ingredients For Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe

For the Osso Buco:

4 veal shanks (about 11/2 inches thick, bone in)
Salt, freshly ground and ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine (or red, if you are after a rich flavor)
1 cup chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (# or scaled half tsp. dried)
2 bay leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
Chopped fresh parsley (garnish) 1 tbsp

For the Gremolata (optional but amazing):

2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, grated

Instructions For Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe

Here’s where the magic happens – slow, gentle, and full of flavor-building moments.

1. Prepare the veal shanks.

Pat dry using paper towels (this helps them to brown beautifully). Season well with salt and pepper and dredge lightly with flour shaking off excess.

2. Sear the meat.

Use heating fat and a thoroughly clean Dutch oven – Heat cooking fat in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the veal shanks and sear both sides until golden brown about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t rush this – color is flavor! Remove and set aside.

3. Sauté the vegetables.

In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Add garlic & cook for another minute until fragrant.

4. Deglaze with wine.

Pour in the white wine and scrape off any burnt bits at the bottom. Let simmer for 2 – 3 minutes to reduce slightly – this creates depth.

5. Add liquids and herbs.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, thyme and bay leaves and simmer uncovered. Nestle the shanks of the veal back down into the pot, so that they’re mostly covered.

6. Simmer low and slow.

Simmer uncovered another ten minutes, put on the lid, and remove to a hot oven at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Let it braise for about 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and falling pretty much off the bone.

7. Make the gremolata.

While the osso buco is cooking, examine the ingredients in a small bowl: mix parsley, lemon zest and garlic together. This bright topping cuts right through the richness just fine.

8. Serve beautifully.

Put the veal and sauce over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes or a risotto Milanese. Sprinkle with gremolata and serve with a slice of crusty bread to eat with that incredible sauce.

The Flavor Story: Deep, Cozy, and Balanced

What I appreciate about the Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe is the balance of flavors in it – the depth of the meatiness moderated by the citrus of lemon and herbs.

Silky, buttery texture to the veal shanks is achieved once it has been braised over a number of hours and the marrow adds this texture to the sauce, both inside and out. All bites are contrasted such soft meat, smooth sauce, tangy citrus, and the earthiness of vegetables and wine.

And who knows aroma: as soon as you open the oven, it is a shock to the senses. You get the impression of comfort as you are hit with the smell of wine, thyme, and caramelized veal.

The Secret of Why Ina Garten Works So Well.

The simplicity of Ina Garten is what makes her a genius. She does not fail to keep things so complicated; quality ingredients speak.

Her recipe of the osso buco does not entail unnecessary procedures, yet she hits the basics straight in searing to add flavor, slow braising so as to make its contents tender, and lastly bright and fresh gremolata to conclude the dish.

It is infallible and apologetic, even when you are not doing it at the right time, the dish appears to taste good. That’s Ina for you.

The Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe also has a scaling. It is fancy enough to have at dinner observers but not complex enough to stop at Sunday family dinners. And when you still have some left (which you easily will), then it is even better the following day.

Storage and Reheating Tips

It happens that you saved some. In that case, then you are fortunate to have been blessed with leftovers; osso buco is one of those food items that gets better with time.

Refrigerate: Refrain from using the air too much, up to 3 days.

Freeze: Freezes well, not exceeding 3 months. Allow it to cool before closing completely.

Reheat: Heat lightly on the stove on low heat with a drop of stock or water added to thin out the sauce.

A Dish That Feels Like Home

The Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe is a kind of meditation on cooking; everything is gradually slowed down. You slice, stir, finish your wine, and have the smell cover you.

You will see that when you go to eat this dish is not really food but an act of love. It is among those recipes that get all to the table and creates such an impression upon them that they always stay long after the dishes are washed.

And the best part? You will not even need to be a gourmet cook to render it a restaurant dish. All one has to do is follow Ina and use quality ingredients and cook out of love.

Final Thoughts

Everything about the cooking of Ina Garten we adore, her Ina Garten Osso Buco Recipe is a cooking that is easy, cozy, stylish, and very substantial. It is a meal and has to be shared, has to be slacking, and has to be enjoyed every morsel.

It is an impressive digestible whenever one is celebrating a special memory, or lounging away quietly on a weekend dinner, this recipe transforms an ordinary cheer to an extraordinary one.

Take a chance, people, lap on your apron, pour yourself some wine, and be a Barefoot Contessa in your soul. And since it is so easy, as Ina will tell you:

More Dinner Recipes: