Italian · main

Ossobuco alla Milanese

Name: Ossobuco alla Milanese
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 cross-cut veal shanks (about 1 lb each); 1/2 cup flour; 1 onion, diced; 2 stalks celery, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup dry white wine; 2 cups beef; 1 cup tomatoes, crushed; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; zest of 1 lemon; 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced; 2 cloves garlic, minced (for gremolata); salt to taste; 1/4 tsp black pepper

Ossobuco alla Milanese reads richness 8.7, umami 8.4 and citrus 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 2 hr 10 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.9 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
Sour & Bright — 5.3 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 8.9 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 8.7 · Umami 8.4 · Citrus 4.5 · Allium 4.0 · Sweetness 2.5 · Fruity 2.5 · Earthy 2.5 · Sourness 2.4 · Salinity 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Floral 2.0 · Herbaceous 1.9 · Bitterness 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.2 · Nutty 0.9 · Heat 0.6

What's in it (16)

4 cross-cut veal shanks (about 1 lb each)
1/2 cup flour
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef
1 cup tomatoes, crushed
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (for gremolata)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper

Time & effort: about 2 hr 10 min (30 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 139.2 kcal, 14.8 g protein, 7.7 g fat, 3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Flour and brown veal shanks on both sides in butter and oil, then set aside and sauté the soffritto.
Return the shanks, add wine and broth with tomatoes, and braise covered over gentle heat for 1.5-2 hours until the meat pulls from the bone.
Finish by scattering over gremolata of minced lemon zest, garlic, and parsley; serve with saffron risotto.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Albóndigas en Salsa — Spanish
Lamb Kleftiko — Greek
Osso Buco-Style Braised Beef Shanks — Italian
Braised Beef Shank Osso Buco with Gremolata — Italian-American
Greek Braised Lamb and Orzo One-Pot — Greek

Keep reading: what richness, umami, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.