10/02/2026
Melt-in-your-mouth braised veal shanks simmered low and slow in a rich white w**e tomato reduction, topped with buttery bone marrow and fresh citrus gremolata ✨ The ultimate classic Italian comfort feast!
Ingredients:
* 4 thick-cut bone-in veal shanks (or beef shanks, tied securely with kitchen tw**e)
* 1 can (400g) crushed or diced Italian plum tomatoes
* 1 cup pearl onions (peeled, left whole)
* 1 cup rich beef or veal broth
* ½ cup dry white w**e (or extra broth with a dash of lemon juice)
* 1 medium carrot + 1 celery stalk (finely diced)
* 4 garlic cloves (minced)
* 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp unsalted butter
* 2 bay leaves + 3 sprigs fresh thyme
* Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
* All-purpose flour (for light dusting)
For the Fresh Gremolata Topping:
* 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
* 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 small garlic clove (grated finely)
Method:
* Pat the veal shanks dry, season generously with salt and coarse black pepper, and dust lightly with flour on all sides.
* Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat.
* Sear the shanks for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crusted, then transfer to a plate.
* In the same pan, add pearl onions, diced celery, carrot, and minced garlic; sauté for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
* Pour in the white w**e to deglaze, scraping up all the caramelized browned bits from the base.
* Stir in crushed tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs; bring to a gentle simmer.
* Return the shanks to the pan, nestling them down into the savory sauce so the marrow bones face upright.
* Cover tightly with the lid and braise at 160°C (325°F) for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat is fork-tender and succulent.
* In a small bowl, toss together the lemon zest, chopped parsley, and grated garlic for the gremolata.
* Scatter the bright gremolata generously over the bubbling shanks right before serving alongside saffron risotto or creamy mashed potatoes!
Save this for your next cozy weekend feast! 🥩🍋🍅🍷✨