Farmhouse Style Osso Buco

Ingredients

For the beef:

• 2 large Elkins Cattle Co Beef Shanks (about 3–4 lbs total, each roughly 2 1/2-3 inches thick)
• 1½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
• 2–3 Tbsp beef tallow or olive oil

For the braise:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 large carrots, diced
• 2-3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine (or white for a lighter flavor)
• 2 cups beef broth or bone broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for brightness)

For serving:

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Lemon zest or gremolata (parsley, lemon zest, and garlic mixed)
• Creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or risotto

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Preparation

1. Trim & prep the shanks

Our ECC shanks are generous — trim off any loose silverskin or dangling fat around the edges. Don’t remove the marrow bone or internal fat; that’s where the magic comes from.

2. Season & sear

1. Pat shanks dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
2. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
3. In a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt tallow or oil until shimmering.
4. Sear each shank on both sides (and edges) until deeply browned — about 5–7 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

3. Build the base

1. In the same pot, add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened, about 6–8 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until fragrant and darkened.
3. Pour in wine to deglaze, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Simmer 2–3 minutes.

4. Braise

1. Return shanks to the pot. Add broth, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and optional lemon zest.
2. Liquid should come about ¾ of the way up the sides of the meat — add more broth if needed.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to a 325°F oven.
4. Braise 2½–3 hours, flipping shanks halfway through, until fork-tender and nearly falling off the bone.

5. Finish

1. Remove the shanks and keep warm.
2. Skim excess fat from the surface of the sauce and reduce slightly on the stove if you’d like it thicker.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning (a splash of balsamic or squeeze of lemon can add depth).

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Serving

Serve each shank nestled on a bed of creamy polenta or mashed potatoes, topped with sauce, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a little lemon zest or gremolata.

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💡 ECC Tips

• The bone marrow enriches the sauce naturally — spoon a little over the top before serving for extra flavor.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully and deepen in flavor overnight.