The easiest way to make super tender, fall apart beefy bone marrow-y osso buco.
How often do you make it past the pasta part of the menu at a good Italian restaurant? We usually never do. But if I see osso buco on the menu, I make room to order it. How can you not love a slow braised, melt in your mouth beef shank in a beefy, bone marrow-y tomato sauce? Sometimes you even get a little spoon for the bone marrow. If its on the menu, it’s usually the best thing on the menu.
But if it’s not, you can make it at home in an hour on the instant pot. It’s perfect for special occasions but easy enough that you could have it on any given weeknight too.
What is osso buco?
Osso buco is an Italian dish of veal shank braised for a really long time in a white wine bone marrow infused sauce originally from Lombard. The long braise time melts away the connective tissues in the shank and leaves you with melt-in-your-mouth fall apart meat. It tastes amazing because the shank cut is a complex muscle full of connective tissue that just falls apart. Because it’s slow braised on the bone (Osso Buco means bone with a hole), the bone marrow infuses the sauce and gives it an incredible richness and flavor.
Historically, this recipe doesn’t include tomatoes because they’re a new world crop, but these days, pretty much everyone makes it with tomatoes. This version we’re making today takes it up another notch with fresher tasting passata tomato sauce instead of the classic canned tomatoes, but if you don’t have passata, a good quality canned tomato works too.
How to make osso buco
- Brown your beef shanks well on both sides. I use the Instant Pot saute setting on high for 2-3 minutes on each side with a splatter shield on top, and honestly it works better than doing it on the stovetop. The high sides of the instant pot mean much less splatter and mess.
- Cook your aromatics. Transfer the beef shank to a plate or something else to catch the juices, then add the aromatics and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine. Add the wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the instant pot with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine cook until it is reduced by half, at least 2 minutes.
- Braise. Add the beef shank, passata, and herbs to the instant pot and braise on high for 1 hour. You’ll be rewarded with the most tender, fall-apart meat ever.
Instant pot osso buco
Osso buco is classically a braise-it-all-day affair, but, if there’s one thing the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker) excels at, it’s crushing braise times for these kinds of dishes. It’s by far the best option, in my opinion. If you don’t have one, you can make this by simmering until soft on the stove – it’ll just take longer, about 4-6 hours. You can also brown the meat and aromatics in an oven proof pan or dutch oven, then transferring to a 250-300ºF oven for 4-6 hours. If you go either stovetop or oven, check back every so often to make sure your liquid isn’t too low.
Crock pot osso buco (or stovetop too)
But, what if you don’t have an instant pot handy? The next best thing in that case is a crock pot. The crockpot can’t get hot enough to brown the the meat, so you’ll still need to do a little cooking on the stovetop, but it’s just as easy:
- Brown your meats in a large skillet over high heat. Transfer to crock pot and set it to high.
- Cook the vegetables into the same skillet until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add wine and reduce, about 2 minutes.
- Add passata. Once it’s warmed, transfer everything to the crock pot and slow cook for 5-6 hours.
- Reduce the heat to low after about 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
If you don’t have a crock pot, you can simmer in the skillet – just add the shanks back in, partially cover, and set it to your lowest heat. Check back every hour and add water or passata as needed.
The dinner and chill special
Traditionally there a lot more ingredients and steps to this dish, but here it’s been pared down to the bare minimum and let the flavors speak for themselves. Before writing this recipe, Steph and I went to a really well regarded Italian restaurant. We tried their 24 hour osso buco made with veal shank and extra marrow bones. It was amazing, but this one is comparable and way easier.
The biggest step I removed is the flour dredge. Usually the shank is dredged in flour and use that to both brown the meat and thicken the sauce. I don’t think this needs it, the bone marrow thickened sauce is more than enough, and for me, taking out the flour is always messy. If you want to though, it will add a little extra body to both your meat and sauce.
Veal vs beef shank
The default meat choice for osso buco is veal, but these days it can be pretty hard to find veal shank. It’s worth looking for if you want to stay true to the original. You should be able to find it at your neighborhood butcher shop or major supermarket. Beef tastes as good (if not better) and is far easier to find and even often cheaper. Even though veal should technically be lower-cost, it’s rarity makes it more of a specialty product with specialty pricing to match.
Osso buco ingredients
- Shank is an inexpensive cut that should be easy to find. If you can’t get it at your local grocery store, whole foods will carry beef (but not veal) shanks.
- Herbs to make a bouquet garni. I just threw in a sprig of oregano because that’s what we had and it was great. If you have bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh Italian parsley, etc on hand, feel free to throw a little in. If not, just skip – the recipe doesn’t need it.
- Passata is an uncooked strained tomato puree. I chose passata because the fresh tomato flavor really brightens up the dish, but if you have a can of regular old crushed tomatoes around, feel free to use that.
- White wine. Wine adds a complexity and authenticity to the dish that is impossible to replace. If you need to be alcohol-free, you can switch it out for sodium free chicken stock.
How do you serve it?
Osso Buco is typically served with risotto, gnocchi, or pasta, but we like ours with bread or on its own. If you plan on eating this on its own, you might want to double the recipe to get enough meat for 2.
If you wanted to go really over the top (say for an at home Valentines dinner) a tiny bit of caviar makes this one of the most extra surf and turfs you could make at home.
-Mike
The Easiest Ever Instant Pot Osso Buco Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 medium onion chopped
- 1 small carrot chopped
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 slice veal or beef shank about 1 pound
- 1 cup white wine Pinot grigio/Italian white preferred
- 1/2 cup passata or crushed tomatoes
- 1-2 sprigs fresh herbs I just used 1 sprig of oregano
Special Equipment
Instructions
- Roughly chop your onion, carrots, and garlic.
- Preheat your Instant Pot to saute high and add 1-2 tablespoons oil. Pat dry your shanks and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Once your instant pot is hot enough (for me, that's about 2 mins past when it beeps) Brown your shanks 1-2 minutes per side.
- Remove the shank and add your onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook until soft – 2-4 minutes.
- Add the wine and deglaze, scraping the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce until about half the wine is left – 2-3 minutes.
- Add passata, herbs if using, and the shanks to the pot. Set pressure to high and braise for 1 hour. Quick release when done and serve, garnish with grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, and flat leaf parsley as desired.
I love this.
This recipe looks absolutely amazing!! Can’t wait to make this. I did have one question – the ingredient list has 1/2 cup passata listed, but the recipe directions say 1 cup. Which is the correct amount?
Thank you!! Can’t wait to make this.
Oops, thanks for the catch, it’s 1/2 cup passata, fixed now!
Hi Michael
I’m making the Beef Osso Bucco today. I have all the ingredients ready. Can I add some celery and or sweet red pepper ?
Can’t wait to try this.!!
absolutely :)
I am going to do 4 shanks . Would I need to increase the cook time
hi kelvin,
it should be fine, you won’t need to.
Making this right now! COVID-19 got me like… gimme some Osso Buco! I added a few things like green pepper corns, and some flageolet beans – will report back if all works out well! Thanks for the recipe and inspiration
I am eating this as we speak! I subbed carrots with celery, added an extra onion to use it up, used red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon) instead of white wine, and used a mixture of water/pasta sauce to make a passata. I usually keep passata on hand but had none and wasn’t going to head back to the store for it! As I am eating it, I am taken back to an incredible meal at a relatively high end Italian restaurant where I ordered gnocchi and osso buco for quite the price. What I have created here thanks to your excellent recipe is 1000x better than that meal, and definitely cost under $10, and that’s a high point! I will definitely be creating this again and it will for sure make the list of great date night recipes. Now I will have to investigate your blog to find more delicious foods! Thank you!!!
This recipe looks fantastic and I’m trying it tonight. My only question is about the cooking time. As a rule, before I do a RECIPES I print out a number of variations from other sites. Generally, the cooking time on the other recipes seems to be around 40 minutes. This one has 60 minutes. I guess I am concerned about over cooking and having a mash when I take the lid off.
hi alan,
it falls off the bone at 60 minutes, not mushy at all :)
Making Osso bucco for the first time today and fell upon this recipe. It was delicious!!! I added extra passata and served it with pasta. I also used red wine. The meat was so tender!! Thank you!!!
Gathering the ingredients and concerned if there’s enough liquid. Thinking about adding some beef stock. Has anyone tried that?
hi william,
you can definitely add a bit of beef stock.
Not to worry, you will have plenty of liquid! :)
I made this with veal shanks as per your instructions and it was delicious. Have saved it to my phone. Will definitely use again.
I am concerned about putting the can of crushed tomatoes in the bottom of the IP. Will this not bring up the burn signal when it starts cooking the osso buco?
Hi Michael, it shouldn’t burn as the crushed tomatoes are very high in liquid, and the meat will release more liquid as well.
35 minutes was plenty of time!
I made this last night with 4 beef shanks and it was delicious! I used red wine and some beef broth. Note to self: don’t multiply the liquid next time. I had to thicken the broth. The remaining broth will be the base for a wonderful beef vegetable soup to go in the deep freeze.
Has anyone made this using moose shanks?
I make this using deer or elk quite often. It works great–just have to cook it an extra 20 minutes or so to get it to break down.
This recipe yields a delicious meal! Osso Buco is a family favorite that used to take hours to prepare. Make your Nonna proud with this!! This preparation tastes wonderful…rich and deep with flavor, tender and adaptable. I increased the number of servings using3 large veal shanks and increased the other ingredients accordingly.
DELICIOUS!!! BUON APPETITO!!
Was so delicious we will make again
Can I use frozen pork shanks and if so, what would the cooking time be?
hi danielle,
yes, but skip the browning step. i would add an extra 10 minutes for frozen :)
Want to make this but I have turkey shanks, will I need to cook for less time please.
Woody
hi woody,
i would go for 30 minutes :)
Just made it.
Yum.
first time making Osso Buco at home, and was intimidated until i stumbled on this recipe. Easiest recipe ever and it came out amazing! Surprised how flavorful it came out with so little ingredients. Will be making this often! Thanks!!
Thank you for amazing recipes like this one! Made it over the weekend and it was delicious! I’m always excited to check this spot and see what simple yet delicious recipes you guys have shared.
I am making this tonight. We have 2 beef shanks each a little over 1 lb. would you double all the ingredients including the wine and crushed tomato?
I would – there’s no harm in having more liquid. Ideally the cooking liquid just about covers the top of the shanks, so you can base it on if you need to stack the shanks or not and how big your instant pot is.
I made this last night for my Daddy’s birthday and everyone just loved it. This recipe is a keeper!! The meat was so juicy and fell off the bone. I made mushroom risotto and spring salad with EVOO and freshly squeezed lemon juice dressing. As a bonus great bread to dunk in all those fabulous juices. So easy to make.
I made it today as a stew with various veggies. After the meal tonight I will turn the leftovers (not the meat, as it will be eaten) into a wonderful soup! I will also have sauteed Romaine Lettuce as a side dish.
Delicious and easy! I added a couple of thinly sliced celery stalks also. I had never eaten osso buco, much less made it. Will make this often now! My husband wants me to make it with oxtail.
I don’t have an insta-pot so I used my crock pot. I’ve never had this previously so I’ve been dying to try this recipe. All I can say is it’s super delicious with minimal work. I’m glad I doubled it. Thanks for including all the ways you can cook this up. Recipe is such a keeper.
I haven’t tried your recipe yet but have made Osso Buco many times with wild game. Deer and elk shanks for those who hunt are awesome as well.
One thing I found in a recipe was to add a gremoulata garnish to top your dish. Mine had lemon zest, pine nuts, salt , and maybe something else I can’t remember. Sprinkled on top adds another flavor dimension that is very nice.
Just as a side note this recipe inspired me to start experimenting with more shanks and various ways to cook them using your crockpot method. I made beef tinga the other night and it was amazing. Thanks again for sharing this recipe.
The sauce was super good. I simply doubled it for 4 beef shanks. I put it at 40 minutes in the instant pot but i’m guessing it was too long. The shanks came out dry. I’m gonna try 20 minutes next time.
This is an excellent recipe, second time we have made it, so versatile and always delicious, easy to make. Thanks for enhancing our home dinning experience. Much love.
This is easy and the 2nd time I made it. So simple and so good.
I’ve made this several times and my family loves it! Subbed with rosé once – was just as good. Added fresh oregano. Instant pot version. Today I’m making it with lamb. Served with crispy roasted potatoes. Easy to make and delicious!
I have beef shanks frozen in the freezer- how long should I do this for. Also I have no wine- broth ok?
absolutely broth is okay, i would add a 3-4 minutes to the total pressure time for frozen shanks
This was just delicious. I made the recipe as written for 4 people and OMG!
I’ve been using beef shanks for years (about 50 yrs) to make osso buco. My mom gave me the recipe as an alternative to using more expensive beef cuts for pot roast, etc. I’ve never used tomatoes in the dish but will try it next time I make it. I usually serve with potatoes and a veggie. I also use any leftover au jus for a quick onion soup. Osso buco is a versatile meal to which I have added vegetables during the last 20 minutes of cooking such as peas or carrots. Yum.
First time I made this it was divine. Second time, the meat came out pretty tough. I’m not sure if I just had a lot more meat in there the second time (and thus it needed more cooking time?) – or if maybe it was just bad quality meat the second time? Any suggestions? Thanks!
I made this in my pressure cooker as my first ever Osso Buco….it was fantastic as you suggested. I added chopped celery, potatoes and peas (in the last 30 minutes of cooking time) and it was truly memorable !
This sounds delicious!
Just bought an in instant pot.. is braise the same as pressure cooking setting? 😬
Yes. I pretty much only use the pressure cook button.
I want to try this for Sunday dinner, but I have “Soup Bones” instead of “Beef Shanks”. Google tells me they are almost the same cut but from different locations on the cow. Do you think it will turn out?? I will report back. :)
Very simple, available and common ingredients that every household usually have in their fridges or gardens.
Awesome! I’ve been making this recipe so many times and my kids and husband love it. I tried adding some sliced shitake or brown mushrooms and the recipe was still amazing.😁
I have a Dutch oven instapot – is the cooking time different than a regular instapot?
is it a pressure cooker or a dutch oven that has controlled temperatures?
Ok, people, I got one word to add to this great recipe: polenta. Made with a bit of heavy cream, water added as needed, pinch of salt, and shredded mozz.
I did this tonight with pork shanks – Amazing!
I substituted about 20 cherry tomatoes for the passata, and served it over wild rice – even the fussy teenager loved it.
I intend to make the Osso Buco, but is there any way to “jump to recipe” so that I can print it out without having all the commentary?
when you scroll down to the recipe, there’s a small print button on the top right of the recipe card. click on that! if you don’t want to print the photos, deselect the recipe photos it will print as a recipe card :)