Aug 19, 2021

Pork Ossobuco

Fall-off-the-bone pork ossobuco recipe that will make any evening meal a special occasion.

Ossobuco (or osso buco, or osso bucco) can be made with beef, veal, chicken, turkey, or as in this case, pork. I have chosen pork as it is more economical. In general, pork shank is a less expensive cut of meat, but it will still deliver the wonderful flavour of this ossobuco recipe.

The traditional meat used to make ossobuco is veal shank; however this is a more modern variant that includes tomato and is not garnished with gremolata (a mixture of lemon zest, fresh minced parsley, and minced garlic).

Serve over polenta, orzo, potatoes, rice, risotto, quinoa, or couscous accompanied by other vegetables of your choice.

TERMINOLOGY: The combination of onion, carrot, and celery sautéed together on low heat is called a mirepoix. It is a technique used in French cuisine and is the flavour base to many sauces, stocks, soups and stews. When tomato paste is added to darken the mirepoix, it is called a pinçage. Though ossobuco is Italian in origin and wouldn't normally use this technique, I prefer the sweeter vegetable flavour that is produced by creating the mirepoix.

TIP: If you require a gluten-free dish, swap the all-purpose flour with cassava flour.

Ingredients

(Makes 4 servings)

1 cup all-purpose flour (or cassava flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
4 slices pork shank, ~ 1-inch or so thick
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1.5 cups (375 ml) white wine
1, 19oz. can (540 ml) San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 cup (250 ml) vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.

On a plate, or in a large shallow bowl, add the flour, salt and ground black pepper, then mix well to combine. Coat both sides of each piece of pork in flour, shaking off any excess. Set pork aside.

In a Dutch oven (or other deep, stovetop and oven-safe cookware) over medium-high heat, heat the extra virgin olive oil and butter until it starts to bubble. Braise the pork shanks ensuring both sides of the meat are well browned. Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and set aside on a plate or bowl.

Into the same Dutch oven, over medium-low heat, add the onion, carrot, and celery to create a mirepoix. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for an additional few minutes, stirring well. Add the thyme, oregano, and rosemary, mix, then incorporate the tomato paste and Dijon mustard. Raise the temperature to medium-high, then add the white wine and deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven. Allow the wine to simmer for a few minutes in order to evaporate the alcohol.

Return the meat to the Dutch oven along with the crushed tomatoes, stock, and bay leaf. Bring the contents of the Dutch oven back to a simmer.

Once simmering, cover and place the Dutch oven into the centre of the oven. Cook for 1 hour then lower the oven temperature to 325°F / 165 °C and cook for an additional hour.

Before serving, taste for seasoning and add salt and or pepper if required.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: