This Crock Pot osso busso recipe brings a little taste of Italy to your home, with minimal work. Tender, slow cooked beef shanks fall off the bone, while white wine and heirloom tomatoes bring their signature brightness to the dish.
Course Entree
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30minutes
Cook Time 8hours
Total Time 8hours30minutes
Servings 4servings
Calories 413kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
2largebeef shanks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dredging*(about 1/2 cup)
5tablespoonsolive oil, divided
1wholeleekchopped
2tablespoonswater
1cloveof garlicminced
2largeheirloom tomatoespeeled and diced
1sprigof fresh thyme
1wholebay leaf
1 1/2cupsItalian dry white wine
1 1/2cupsbeef stock
1tablespooncold butter
1tablespoonflour**
More salt and pepperfor seasoning
4cupscooked quinoa(see below)
Freshly chopped Italian parsleyfor garnish
Instructions
Dry both shanks with a paper towel, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake to remove excess.
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high flame, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Sear all sides of the shanks until they are a deep brown, being careful not to let them burn. Place side by side in the ceramic crock of a slow cooker and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water, cooking until the leeks are soft, making sure to scrape the tasty bit of browned meat from the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and cook for another minute, then add tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and white wine. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
Add beef stock and once the sauce begins to bubble, turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the shanks in the crock pot, and cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours.
After 6-8 hours has passed, remove shanks from the crock pot and set on top of a mountain of quinoa. Turn the slow cooker’s heat to high. Using your hands, mix 1 tablespoon of cold butter with 1 tablespoon of flour, turning it into a paste (also known as beurre mania). Add the beurre mania to the sauce in the slow cooker and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Ladle sauce over shanks and quinoa. Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley.