# The Simplest Method to Create Incredibly Tender, Succulent Beefy Bone Marrow Osso Buco
How frequently do you get past the pasta selections on the menu at a decent Italian restaurant? We typically never do. Yet if osso buco catches my eye on the menu, I always make space to order it. How can you resist a slowly braised, melt-in-the-mouth beef shank in a rich, bone marrow-infused tomato sauce? Occasionally, they even provide a small spoon for the bone marrow. If it’s available, it’s often the highlight of the menu.
You can prepare it at home in just an hour using the Instant Pot, inexpensively and effortlessly. It’s ideal for special events but simple enough for a weeknight meal as well. If you lack an Instant Pot, a few hours of slow cooking will suffice.
## What is Osso Buco?
Osso buco is an Italian cuisine featuring veal shank braised over an extended period in a white wine sauce infused with bone marrow, originating from Lombardy. The lengthy braising process dissolves the connective tissues in the shank, resulting in tender, fall-apart meat. It has exceptional flavor because the cut of shank comprises a complex muscle rich in connective tissue that disintegrates effortlessly. Since it’s slow-braised on the bone (Osso Buco translates to “bone with a hole”), the bone marrow enhances the sauce, imparting a remarkable depth and richness.
Traditionally, this recipe excludes tomatoes since they are a crop from the New World, but nowadays, nearly everyone includes them. This variation we’re preparing today elevates it further with a fresher-tasting passata tomato sauce rather than conventional canned tomatoes, though if you don’t have passata, a high-quality canned tomato will work just as well.
## How to Prepare Osso Buco
1. **Sear your beef shanks thoroughly on both sides.** Utilize the Instant Pot’s sauté setting on high for 2-3 minutes per side while using a splatter shield on top to reduce mess.
2. **Sauté your aromatics.** Move the beef shank to a plate to catch the juices, then add the aromatics and sauté until soft and translucent, approximately 2 minutes.
3. **Deglaze with wine.** Pour in the wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot with a wooden spoon or spatula. Allow the wine to cook until reduced by half, at least 2 minutes.
4. **Braise.** Incorporate the beef shank, passata, and herbs into the Instant Pot and braise on high for 1 hour. You will end up with exquisitely tender, fall-apart meat.
## Instant Pot Osso Buco
Traditionally, osso buco requires an all-day braise, but if there’s one area where the Instant Pot excels, it’s significantly reducing braise times for such dishes. In my view, it’s the best method available. If you lack one, you can prepare this by simmering until tender on the stovetop – it will just take longer, around 4-6 hours. Alternatively, you can brown the meat and aromatics in an oven-safe pan or Dutch oven, then transfer it to a 250-300ºF oven for 4-6 hours. If utilizing the stovetop or oven, occasionally check to ensure your liquid levels are sufficient.
## Crock Pot Osso Buco (or Stovetop as Well)
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, a crock pot is the next best alternative. The crock pot doesn’t reach a high enough temperature to brown the meat, so some initial cooking on the stovetop is still necessary, but it’s equally simple:
1. **Sear your meats** in a large skillet over high heat. Move to the crock pot and set to high.
2. **Sauté the vegetables** in the same skillet until soft, around 2 minutes.
3. **Pour in the wine** and reduce, taking about 2 minutes.
4. **Incorporate passata.** After it’s heated, transfer everything to the crock pot and slow cook for 5-6 hours.
5. **Lower the heat** to low after 2 hours.
6. **Enjoy!**
If a crock pot isn’t available, you can simmer in the skillet – just reintroduce the shanks, partially cover, and set to the lowest heat. Check every hour, adding water or passata as necessary.
## All the Flavor Without the Hassle
Typically, there are many more ingredients and steps involved in this dish, but here it has been simplified to the essentials, allowing the flavors to shine on their own. Prior to drafting this recipe, we