This is the best slow cooker Ossobuco beef recipe where it comes out fork tender. One of our favorite Crockpot recipes with vegetables is an easy to make this popular beef with a bone tender in a red wine sauce.
This slow cooked beef ossobuco recipe is amazing. You may have had this pulled beef at an Italian restaurant with potatoes and want directions to make it homemade at home yourself. In a rich sauce this one pot meal cooks all day with very little prep on your part.
What is Osso Buco?
Ossobuco is a traditional Italian dish your family is going to love. The name translates to Beef Shank with Bone, referring to the marrow-filled bone at the center. Typically made with cross-cut slices of veal or beef shanks that are braised with vegetables, broth, wine, and herbs until tender and flavorful.
When done you can enjoy the fall off the bone meat as is, inside tacos or made into another dish. You won’t need to know How to Cook Bone Marrow because it will cook perfectly in the process of everything at the same time. That is great separately spread on toast as a spread.
We have shown you in the past How to Cook Pork Shank. This meat is cut from the beef shank in slices, a cross section if you will. You could in fact use this same recipe with a slice of this from a pig to make something similar but with a different texture of flavor of meats.
How to Make the Sauce
Cornstarch or flour can be used for the outside of the meat before you sear it in a pan to add a nice browning element to it, keep in the moisture, and thicken the sauce too.
Olive oil will be needed when you pan fry the protein initially. Beef broth will help you create a sort of stew like liquid to help it cook and get tender. Half dry white wine could be substituted if you prefer. Red wine will add depth of flavor to the sauce but could be substituted for more broth or beef stock
Vegetables to Add
Onion should be sliced or diced if you prefer. Carrot should be peeled and sliced into dials or small pieces for added flavor and texture. Celery can be sliced for more veggies in there. Minced garlic we add to just about every dish we make here
Some like to add the flavor of a bay leaf in there too. I am not a huge fan but an option for sure. You will also need a skillet or Dutch Oven, spatula and tongs to get this done. The steps are similar to our Braised Oxtail Recipe if you have tried that. Another beef with a bone in it we love.
How Long to Cook Osso Buco in Slow Cooker
Well you will need to brown it first in a pan to lock in the juices which will take about 15 minutes or so. Beyond that you will need to cover with lid and cook for 6-8 hours or until it is fork tender and fragrant. Larger and/or thicker pieces may take longer but this is typical.
Can you cook this on high?
I do not recommend this because a higher temperature just dries it out if you ask me. Instead I would make Instant Pot ossobuco instead to go faster. Under high pressure you can get that same fall apart YUM a lot faster if you don’t have the time for this one (the ideal go to).
Side dishes that are popular with this on the side would be a creamy polenta, slow cooker risotto alla milanese, over mashed potatoes or rice is an easy one. Jump to recipe and let us know your thoughts!
Also called Beef Shin, we hope you realize just how delicious this inexpensive cut of protein is and make it more often.
How do you know when osso buco is done?
You want this meat to be so tender you can pull it off the bone with little to no effort. Using a fork gently pull and if it separates like pulled pork it is ready to be enjoyed! If it takes effort it needs more time, the longer it slow cooks or is braised the more tender it will become. Serve with the sauce it’s been cooking in for dinner on top of some polenta!
Ossobuco Beef Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
- 1 pan to brown first
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. osso buco
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup red wine, or beef broth
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
Instructions
- Blot meat with paper towels. Put cornstarch on a plate and coat all sides of meat with it. (this will help with browning).
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil. When hot add meat and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker when achieved.
- Add a bit more oil to skillet and add all vegetables to soften together for about 5 minutes. Transfer to Crockpot when done.
- Add red wine, broth and all seasonings. Cover with lid and cook for 6-8 hours or until it is fork tender and fragrant.
- Serve with vegetables on plate with some of the sauce on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
