This Slow Cooker Osso Buco recipe is super flavorful and tender. Serve it over noodles, creamy polenta or mashed potatoes for the most delicious and amazing dinner.
Do you want to know one of the best feelings? Forgetting that you put something yummy in the crockpot, going about your business, then walking in the door being greeted by deliciousness!!! That’s definitely happened to me before.
Because we’re all stuck at home for the time being, we’re not going to be “surprised” by this dish, since we’ll likely be smelling it and drooling all day. But what we will be surprised at is how easy and simple this dish is to make in the slow cooker.
And how amazingly delicious it is!
Osso Buco is such a stunner of a dish. With its rich gravy, falling off the bone meatiness, and topping of zesty, garlicky, gremolata.
It’s tough to beat this one!
What is Osso Buco?
- Osso Buco is slow cooked beef or veal shanks that are simmered in tomato sauce. You can also use beef shanks in this recipe.
How to Make Osso Buco
There are two keys to this recipe – browning the meat before it goes in the crockpot, and reducing the sauce before serving.
Be sure to get a nice brown on your veal shanks before they go into the slow cooker.
To make things easy, you can brown up your shanks the night before you plan on serving them. Then, that morning, place them in the your slow cooker along with the other ingredients. Turn the heat to low and cook for 6-8 hours.
All you need to do when you get home is fix some creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, noodles or rice, reduce your sauce, and prepare a quick gremolata of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic.
Trust me, you don’t want to skip the gremolata. A sprinkle of this zesty, garlicky herb mixture adds the perfect touch of brightness at the end.
How Long to Slow Cook Osso Buco?
- Cook Osso Buco in the slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Tips for Making Slow Cooker Osso Buco
- For a thicker sauce, mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add that to your reduced sauce mixture and heat until sauce is thickened to your liking.
- You can also prepare this dish using beef shanks rather than veal.
Osso Buco Wine Pairings
- I paired this Osso Bucco with a delicious Syrah.
- This would also pair wonderfully with a rich Italian wine such as a Chianti Classico, Barbaresco or Barolo.
What to Serve with It
- Creamy Polenta
- Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Arugula Salad
- More → 20+ Sides for Osso Buco
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More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken // Taco Lettuce Wraps
- Slow Cooker Lamb Curry
- Slow Cooker “Better Than Botox” Bone Broth
- Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
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Slow Cooker Osso Buco Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 1 1/2 – 2 inch thick veal shanks (about 2-1/2 lb.)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup dry vermouth ( or white wine)
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3/4 cup bone broth (or chicken stock)
- 1 red onion (chopped)
- 1 carrot (peeled and diced)
- 1 stalk celery (diced)
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 3 Tablespoons parsley (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic (minced or grated)
Instructions
- Put the flour in a wide, shallow dish. Season the veal shanks all over with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour; shake off the excess flour.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, and when it foams, add the shanks to the skillet. Cook until golden, turning once, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a slow cooker.
- Add the wine to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and pour the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes and their juices, chicken broth, onion, carrot, celery, and thyme. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours—the meat will be very tender and almost falling off the bone.
- Transfer the shanks to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the sauce from the slow cooker into a large skillet. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic to make a gremolata. Serve the veal shanks topped with the sauce and the gremolata.
Osso Bucco is such a special dish, and yours looks so perfectly done.
Thanks SO much Christine – It’s one of my favorite dishes to prepare in the chilly season!
We recently found this cut of beef from our local meat woman, and have tried a few other recipes. This is by far the best and the only way we will be cooking it from now on! Thanks so much for sharing it, just Yumm!!
You’re welcome Angela!
I’ve made it a few times now… I add sliced mushrooms when cooking, then save carrots and mushrooms to add to the sauce… my mother in law loves it!!!! and I have you to thank you for it!!
if in a hurry, you can make this in the instapot… 50 min in pressure cook mode, the rest of the recipe remains the same.
Platings and pairings is the best… ever!!!!
Can one make this ahead by a day or two and if so, best way to reheat for how long? Will it still be as good?
Hi Ellen – You can make this up to three days ahead of when you plan to serve it. To make ahead, first prepare your osso buco as directed above. Allow to cool slightly and then place in the refrigerator.
When you plan to serve, scrape off any solidified fat that may rise to the surface. Bring the gravy and osso buco to a boil on the stove, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
Hope that helps!