Slow Cooker Osso Bucco
Slow Cooker Osso Bucco is an easy way to create a delicious comforting dinner recipe. Sear the beef then simply set and forget!
Servings: 4
Calories: 285kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion skin peeled and diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 4 ribs celery top and tail trimmed and sliced into small pieces
- 4 bone in beef shanks Note 1
- ½ teaspoons salt Note 2
- ½ teaspoon black pepper also Note 2
- 2 tablespoons olive oil Note 3
- 800 grams/28 oz diced tomatoes this is 2 standard size tins, Note 4
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic Note 5
- 1 teaspoon oregano Note 6
- 2 beef stock cubes Note 7
- 1 cup/250 ml beef stock (beef broth) Note 8
- ¼ cup/60 ml red wine Note 9
- 2 dried bay leaves
To serve (optional):
- 2 tablespoons parsley stems removed, leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic chunky, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- polenta Note 10
Instructions
- Vegetables: layer the diced onion, chopped carrots and celery pieces into the slow cooker insert.
- Beef shanks: place the beef shanks on a clean, dry chopping board. Season each with salt and pepper then flip to the other side and season the 2nd side with salt and pepper.
- Sear: place a large frying pan onto the stove top, add the olive oil and turn the heat to high. Place the seasoned beef shanks into the hot pan and sear each side for 2-3 minutes. Once the beef has been seared, turn the heat off and transfer the shanks into the slow cooker, onto the trio of vegetables.
- Sauce: next pour the 2 tins of diced tomatoes of the top of the seared beef shanks and then dollop in the tomato paste. Next add the garlic and oregano then crush the beef cubes and sprinkle over the top. Pour in the red wine, followed by the beef stock and then place the bay leaves into the centre of the slow cooker.
- Cook: place the lid on and cook the dish. You can use either high heat for 3-4 hours or low heat for 7-8 hours. After the cook time is up, remove the lid from the slow cooker, turn the heat off and discard the bay leaves.
- To serve: serve in bowls with creamy polenta on the base and gremolata sprinkled over the top of the dish.
Notes
-
- Note 1 - Beef shanks: these are cross cut slices of beef with the bone in. The bone marrow is one of the reasons why this dish is so popular. It has a gelatinous texture and is simply sensational!! 😍👍.
- Note 2 - Salt and pepper: the salt and pepper is used to season the beef. We want to ensure that both sides of each shank are seasoned.
- Note 3 - Olive oil: we use the olive oil to sear the beef in a pan on the stove.
- Note 4 - Diced tomatoes: simply open the tins and pour their entire contents into the slow cooker. You can use crushed tomatoes as a substitue.
- Note 5 - Garlic: you can use 2-3 fresh garlic cloves finely chopped or store bought minced or chopped garlic. I like to use chunky chopped garlic like you see above for the conveinece.
- Note 6 - Oregano: or you can use dried Italian seasoning to the equivalent amount.
- Note 7 - Stock cubes: these get crushed and sprinkled over the top of the dish before we pop the lid on.
- Note 8 - Beef stock: beef stock or beef broth is the primamry liquid that creates the sauce for the beef. I think you get the best results from a good brand packaged stock but you can use cubes and water to make your own if you prefer.
- Note 9 - Red wine: alcohol doesn't evaporate in the slow cooker the same way it does on the stove top. For that reason, we use less wine than we would if we were cooking this dish on the stove top and oven.
- Note 10 - Bay leaves: for a depth of flavor in the osso bucco. We remove these before serving the dish.
- Note 11 - Polenta: read and follow the instructions on the packet to cook the polenta. It is a combination of the dried polenta, cold water, boiling water and then I add a sprinkle of salt and a couple of knobs of butter. These get stirred in as the polenta absorbs the water.
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1097mg | Potassium: 1270mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 6730IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 5mg