Italian Slow Cooker Osso Buco

Name: Italian Slow Cooker Osso Buco
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 320 min
Ingredients: 4 veal shanks; Salt & Black pepper to taste; ½ cup of all-purpose flour; 1 small Carrot; 1 small Onion; 1 celery Stalk (optionally); 2 teaspoon of capers; 4-5 anchovies; 2 cups of tomato sauce; 1 cup of water or broth

So, the Autumn is over, and it’s time to make some delicious comfort food to warm up our souls. For today’s dish, I decided to share with you a delicious recipe of the traditional Italian Ossobuco “alla Milanese” that you can prepare in your slow cooker.

Jump to Recipe • Print Recipe

Osso buco with parsley on a white plate on a gray table.

From the Italian, Ossobuco translates “bone with a hole”. “Osso” means bone, and “buco” means hole.

In other words, Ossobuco is an Italian braised veal shank.

The combination of spices, vegetables, and meat makes Ossobuco a perfect meal for you and your loved ones.

Even though it seems like a complicated dish to make, it is not. It won’t take you a lot of time to prepare everything. Although the cooking will take some time.

But it’s worth it, I promise!

Especially when you will see how the meat coming off from the bones.

Ossobuco is a dish that is originally made from veal shanks. Sometimes people are using pork or lamb for the Ossobuco.

This comfort food will make you ask for more. Shanks are very tasty, and the smell is mouthwatering!

I get a lot of praise every time I make it. For garnish, you can make pasta, polenta (check how to make a creamy polenta), or risotto. Each garnish works wonderfully with the Ossobuco.

The spices in the recipe are quite light. They are there just to make the meat more flavorful. So even your kids will enjoy it.

I highly recommend you try this dish! It will leave you surprised that such a simple thing can taste so lush.

In This Post: show

What ingredients do you need for the Classic Italian Ossobuco?

4 veal shanks
Salt & Black pepper to taste
½ cup of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small Carrot
1 small Onion
1 celery Stalk (optionally)
2 teaspoon of capers
4-5 anchovies
2 cups of tomato sauce
1 cup of water or vegetable broth

How to Make the Classic Italian Veal Ossobuco

Take off the meat from the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking. This should be enough for the meat to reach room temperature.

Season the meat with salt and pepper to your taste.

Adding salt and pepper to veal shanks on a red plate.

After that, take a large bowl and pour the flour into it. Pass the meat through the flour on both sides.

After that, shake off the excess flour.

Handing with two hands a veal shank coated with white flour.

Next, we need to brown the meat. I used a multicooker, but a pan with a thick bottom is also perfect for this dish. Heat the pan, then pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add the meat to the pan and brown it well on both sides.

Two veal shanks coated with white flour in a black pan.

After the meat is well browned, take it out of the pan and place it on a plate.

Grate the carrot and onion or chop them into small cubes. I used a grater to save some time.

Chopped carrots, onions, capers and anchovies.

Without washing the pan in which you just browned the meat, add the onion, carrot (optional celery), capers, and anchovies.

Mixture of chopped carrots, onions, Chopped carrots, onions, capers, and anchovies.

Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables become soft and the anchovy fillets melt.

Now it’s time to pour the tomato sauce into the pan. Of course, you can use any tomato sauce from the jar or use just pilled tomatoes. I decided to use my own sauce. If you are interested in how to prepare it, see the recipe on how to make your own tomato sauce.

Holding a big white plate of basic tomato sauce.

After that, put the meat back into the pan.

Three pieces of veal shanks with tomato sauce.

Add a cup of water or broth.

Pouring water into osso buco in a slow cooker.

It is important to cover the entire surface of the meat with liquid. After that put a lid on the pan and let it simmer for about 3-4 hours.

In the end, you will get very delicious meat that falls off the bone on its own.

I also highly suggest you try this recipe near an Italian polenta. As usual, we have a recipe for how to make the best polenta with butter and parmesan.

Answering Your Questions:

Can You Freeze the Osso Buco?

Ossobucco is the type of food that takes a long time to cook but is worth every minute. That’s why a perfect idea would be to cook it in larger quantities and freeze it. It will not change its taste at all. And the moment you want to eat something tasty, you will always have it under your hand.

What is Osso Buco?

Osso Buco is a classic Italian dish made with veal shanks that are slow-cooked in a rich, flavorful sauce until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.

Can I use a different type of meat besides veal shanks?

Yes, you can use beef or pork shanks instead of veal, but the flavor and texture of the dish will be slightly different.

How long should I cook the Osso Buco in the slow cooker?

The Osso Buco should be cooked on low heat in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily falls off the bone.

Can I make this recipe on the stove or in the oven instead of using a slow cooker?

Yes, you can make this recipe on the stove or in the oven, but you will need to adjust the cooking time and temperature accordingly. Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours on the stove or in a 350°F oven for 2-3 hours.

Recipe Card: