Slow braising turns a tough pork shank into a tender, delicious meal called Pork Osso Bucco.
Osso bucco is a staple Italian dish of braised meat, with the word ossobuco meaning “pierced bone” or “bone with a hole”, specifically a veal shank. This dish can also be made with pork, lamb, or beef, hence this delicious recipe for pork osso bucco.
Some people shy away from cooking dishes like osso bucco because they seem labor-intensive. Well, I’m here to debunk that myth! With only 30 minutes of preparation time, you are just a few hours away from a restaurant-quality meal at a fraction of the cost and with little effort.
Slow-braising your meat after the initial browning and sautéing of the vegetables eliminates any extra hassle. In fact, the longer the pork cooks, the more tender it becomes! So, set your timer for 2 hours for an initial tenderness check then, check again every 15 to 30 minutes until it reaches your desired tenderness and enjoy.
Is Pork Osso Bucco Healthy?
Pork osso bucco is a delicious main course that can be on the lower end of fat and sodium (depending on the ingredients you use and how you prepare it). If you’re looking to reduce fat, you can remove the skin and any excessive fat on the meat before you brown the pork shanks. If you’re on a low-sodium diet, make sure to skip the salt (don’t worry, it will still taste divine)! Lastly, pork shanks are a high-protein meat. If you didn’t know, there are about 26 grams of protein per 100 grams. And if you want to up your nutrition even more, add some delicious vegetables as an accompanying side dish.
How To Make A Bouquet Garni
A bouquet garni is a French term for an assortment of fresh herbs tied together with string and added to a soup, stew, or other dish during cooking. The herbs used depend on the dish being prepared and add an extraordinary depth of flavor to the meal.
To make the bouquet garni for this dish, cut a 6-inch piece of kitchen twine and place it on a cutting board or work surface. Take a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and 1 large bay leaf and lay them together on the twine. Tie the twine securely around the herbs and add it to the pot as instructed below. You can also tie the bouquet garni in cheesecloth, making it easier to remove at the end of cooking.
FAQs & Tips
Once cooked, allow your osso bucco to come to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a covered pot over low heat. You can also freeze leftovers in freezer bags or airtight containers for up to 3 months. I recommend removing all fat and bones before freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the oven or a pot on the stove.
A pork shank is from a pig’s front forearm. Its toughness is due to the muscle development. Slow-braising helps to break down the muscle fibers into tender meat.
You can use the leftover oil and any rendered fat as long as it is not burnt. If the oil is burnt, pour it out and add 2 tablespoons of fresh oil, but do not scrape out the burnt bits on the bottom of the pot. You want to leave that for when you are deglazing the pan to add intense flavor to the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Slowly-braised pork osso bucco creates a delicious sauce that goes great with potatoes, rice, quinoa, or vegetables. Some of my favorite side dishes for this meal include Fried Green Beans, Sautéed Broccolini, Basmati Rice, Instant Pot Quinoa, and Whipped Potatoes. You can also serve this meal with a crispy Green Salad or Tossed Salad.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 pork shanks
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped into chunks
- 2 medium carrots chopped into chunks
- 2 celery stalks chopped into chunks
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 bouquet garni thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 325°F.
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Season the pork shanks with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat and sear the pork shanks until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
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In the same pot, add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
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Deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and bouquet garni. Return the pork shanks to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for about 2-3 hours until the meat is tender. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 164kcal (8%) Carbohydrates: 13g (4%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 5g (8%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 3mg (1%) Sodium: 139mg (6%) Potassium: 344mg (10%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 5g (6%) Vitamin A: 5390IU (108%) Vitamin C: 7mg (8%) Calcium: 101mg (10%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational
purposes only.
