Restaurant Style Pork Osso Buco Recipe

When it comes to comfort food, Pork Osso Buco is at the top of my list. This amazingly delicious, tender, soul-warming dish is perfect for the colder months but can be enjoyed any time of the year.

 

If you’ve never heard of Pork Osso Buco, it’s a dish that originated in the Lombardy Region of Italy in the 19th century.

Originally made with veal shanks, pork has become a popular version of this classic Italian dish.

What is a pork shank?

The Pork Shank comes from the front forearm of the pig. This is a tough cut of meat, due to how pigs develop muscles living in the woods. This in turn gives the meat an incredibly rich flavor that is well worth the extra time it takes to cook.

If you don’t see them at your grocer, ask your butcher. He may have them in the back or may be able to order them for you.

What Ingredients do I need to make Pork Osso Buco?

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Pork Osso Buco. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Traditionally red wine is used to make Pork Osso Bucco, while white wine is used to make Veal Osso Bucco.

How do I make Pork Osso Buco?

The first step is dredging the pork shanks in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper.

Add vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven (6-7 quarts) (or a large skillet) over medium-high heat. Sear the pork shanks for about 2 minutes on each side.

Once seared on all sides, remove the pork shanks from the pan and set aside until needed.

**Discard the oil if it’s burnt and start with fresh oil, but don’t clean out the pan. We want all those tasty bits stuck to the pan for the sauce

The next step is adding the mirepoix (celery, carrots, and onions) and garlic to the pot. Let the vegetables cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until they have all been lightly cooked.

CHEF DENNIS TIP:

Never add uncooked vegetables to liquid and boil them. Vegetables will never develop the depth of flavor they will achieve by searing them prior to adding liquid to the pot.

After lightly cooking the vegetables, add the red wine to the Dutch oven. Turn the heat down and scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan.

**This process is called deglazing.

After deglazing the pan, add the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs to the pot.

Allow the mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes

Add the seared pork shanks back into the pot of tomato sauce. Cover and place into a preheated 325-degree oven and let the pork shanks braise in the sauce for 3 hours.

After three hours, the pork shanks will be fork-tender and incredibly delicious. As you can see there is a good amount of fat that has been cooked off.

Gently remove the pork shanks from the pan and skim off most of the fat. Mix the remaining fat into the sauce. This fat will add an incredible amount of flavor, so don’t take it all out. Fat is what gives the sauce its rich flavor.

Spoon the finished tomato sauce onto a serving dish or casserole and place the pork shanks on the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a plateful of my Pork Osso Buco? I know your family will love how ah-mazingly flavorful this dish is, and you’ll love how easy it is to make!

Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.