I LOVE slow cooked food – and this is definitely one of my all time favourites! Mushroom Osso Buco – the veal will be so tender you won’t believe it, and the sauce! So rich and inviting, it’s like a big hug of meaty mushroomy goodness.
I know it’s actually spring here in Australia – so not really slow cooked comfort food weather – but I don’t care…this tastes so good we eat it all year round.
Perfect for what I like to call a “Freezer Batch Up” – just double the quantity and freeze the rest in plastic ziplock bags for another meal. Just take out of the freezer the night before to defrost, then heat in the oven or on the stove-top, pair with some mashed potato (I mixed some wholegrain mustard into my mash) or mixed through your favourite pasta and you’re done! Too easy!
The notes for this recipe also include instructions for making a cartouche – which is a circle of baking/parchment paper which you place on top of the dish as it goes in to the oven. This keeps the meat moist during the cooking process without the need to take it out of the oven and turn it.
By the way, the photo pictured here is actually from a batch I froze previously and then heated on the stove-top for our dinner (and photos!) that night. Doesn’t look any worse for freezing does it! I bet if I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t even know!
Lee-Ann ♥
Suggested Sides:
Mustard Mashed Potatoes – Pimp Your Mash!
Mushroom Osso Buco
Slow cooked tender veal with a super delicious mushroom and thyme sauce/gravy.
Ingredients
- 6-8 pieces veal osso buco (about 1.5kg or 3.3pounds)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 11/2 cups dry red wine
- 1 leek trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves crushed/minced
- 500 g / 1.1 pounds button mushrooms quartered
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/4 cup plain / all purpose flour
- 2 tsp fresh thyme 1/2 tsp dried
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Pre heat oven to 150C.
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Remove as much fat as possible from the veal.
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Dust veal in flour, and reserve left over flour.
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Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole dish, and fry veal in batches until brown and remove to a plate.
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Add leek and carrots to dish and fry over medium heat for 1-2 mins. Add reserved flour and fry for 1 min.
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Add mushrooms and fry for 2-3 mins.
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Add tomato paste, garlic and thyme and fry for a further 1-2 mins.
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Add wine and simmer for 3-4 mins or until reduced slightly - making sure to scrape any brownings from the base of the dish as you go.
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Add stock and bring to boil. Add back the veal and any juices.
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Make a cartouche (a fancy name for a circle of baking paper! - see my notes) from baking/grease proof paper to sit on top of veal - this keeps all of the meat just submerged and moist for the whole cooking time.
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Bake with lid on for 2 hours.
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Remove veal from sauce and remove any fat and bones. Roughly shred/chop meat.
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Meanwhile simmer sauce on stove top for 5 mins to thicken.
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Add back meat and serve with mashed potato or pasta.
Recipe Notes
The actual amount of meat in the pieces of osso buco will vary greatly - depending on the amount of bone. I try to buy pieces with only small centre bones. Here in Australia it is also a relatively cheap cut of meat, but cooked long and slow you can't beat it for flavour and tenderness.
This is also great just stirred through pasta - makes a great easy second meal for the freezer or lunch the next day.
TO MAKE A CARTOUCHE - just fold a large square of baking paper (at least as large as your lid) and fold into quarters. Then take the lid of your pot and turn it upside down. Place your folded square of baking paper on the underside of your lid (the top - at the moment) with the folded point roughly in the centre, then trim your folded square to match the edge of your lid. Unfold, and you're done!
*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*
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