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RECIPE

ITALIAN PORK SHANK OSSO BUCO

 

 

HOW TO MAKE PORK OSSO BUCO

Last Sunday evening and I was finishing cooking and photographing this amazing Osso buco.  Osso buco is an Italian dish made generally from veal shanks and it’s prepared as stew in tomato sauce and white wine. The meat cut for Osso buco is the lower part of the veal leg, which is called: the shank. I have decided to go with pork version of Osso buco this time, because it’s much more tastier, then the veal version.

 

The pork version is in my opinion much more tastier and it cooks much faster. Osso buco might sound very fancy and difficult meal to prepare, but in reality it is very easy to make and it has one big plus, because it’s cooked as one pot meal.  Which is amazing, you don’t need to use multiple pots or pans to get to tender and juicy meat. This pork shanks are served over simple rice in this recipe, but you can use creamy polenta, risotto or orzo, even mashed potatoes goes well with it 🙂

 

PREPARATIONS

With all the preparations, it will take you less then 2 hours to have this meal on the table and most of the time it will be sitting in the oven and cooking itself.  Meanwhile, when your pork shanks will be cooking on their own in the oven, you can prepare this delicious, yet another Italian classic TIRAMISU.  Tiramisu is one of the quickest desserts to pull together & you can find the recipe on my blog here.

 

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE PORK OSSO BUCO

 

For 4 portions, you will need about 8 slices of pork osso buco (because pork shanks are smaller then veal one), make sure to get each shank 1 inch thick and 4 inch large. I am showing on my picture only 6 pork osso buco, because I have been preparing this meal for 2 adults (2 shanks each) and 2 children (1 shank each) 🙂

 

I like to use my cast iron pot a.k.a dutch oven, when cooking one pot meal. It is my favorite method of cooking. If you would like to use oven safe skillet with the cover, it works perfectly fine as well. Especially, when you are cooking only for 2-3 persons. Once you have to prepare meal for 4 & plus persons, i would recommend to use larger cast iron pot.

 

HAVE ALL YOUR INGREDIENTS ON HAND

Always get all the ingredients ready in advance and at your reach, so the cooking process goes smoothly. Chop in advance onions, garlic and get ready seasoning, herbs, orange juice, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, etc. All my recipes are written in order what ingredients we will be using first. So if you follow properly, you know what’s next 🙂

 

In a large skillet or cast iron pot, heat the oil over high heat. Season pork shanks from both sides with salt and pepper. Brown the mean on both sides (approximately each side 2-3 minutes). Set the meat aside and add garlic and onions in cast iron pot, saute for 5-10 minutes or until onions are lightly golden. Add the chicken stock, orange juice, tomatoes, oregano and basil, and stir well with wooden spoon. Add seasoning: salt and pepper.  Now add the pieces of browned meat, cover it and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

 

Check in midway if the meat is well covered in the sauce  & move a bit the meat, so it doesn’t get stick on the bottom. If sauce is reducing quickly and you find that it’s too thick, add a cup of water and return it back to the oven. Bake it until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily. Mine was done exactly in 1 hour and  30 minutes. If you happen to purchase larger shanks, then the cooking time might be prolonged for another 30 minutes. When the bone is detached from the meat, it is done.

 

COOKING TIPS

Pork is cooking very fast and it might happen, that your meat will literally fall apart from the bone, but if you do not want this to happen and want to keep the shape of the pork shanks, then before going to brown the meat, use kitchen string to tie around each pork shank, this will help to hold it together. And will look more aesthetically on your plate 😉

 

Some of you might like to have more vegetables in this pork stew, so you are more then welcome to add few diced carrots or celery stalks or whatever vegetable you have on hand. It is totally optional and all up to you 🙂

 

RECIPE

ITALIAN PORK SHANK OSSO BUCO

Preparation time: 30 minutes⭐baking time: 1 hour & 30 minutes⭐servings: 4 persons

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 (2.2 lb.) pork osso buco slices, each 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can (4 cups)  tomato puree
• 2 tsp dry basil
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• for garnish chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 160˚C (325˚F).
2. Season pork shanks with salt and pepper all over. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat, and brown meat on both sides.
3. Set the meat aside and dd garlic and onions, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onion is lightly golden.
4. Add tomato puree , chicken stock, orange juice, basil and oregano.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until meat is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
6. To serve, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and accompany with rice or creamy polenta. Enjoy it!

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