Classic Italian cuisine focuses on delivering classically robust flavors with simple ingredients. Italian cooking has focused on combining a strong protein with a medley of vegetables and rich sauces throughout the ages to enhance the overall dish’s flavor profile. When done correctly, the memory of the perfectly executed Italian meal can stay in a person’s memory for years. One such staple of classic cookbooks is the classic veal, Osso Bucco! Chef Mario goes into detail with his take on this culinary classic.

What You’ll Need

When preparing the classics like a Veal Osso Bucco, you want to grab ingredients that respect the history of the dish but still leave a little room for experimentation when you get more comfortable with the recipe. For Chef Mario’s Veal Osso Bucco, you’ll need: 

Total Time- 2 ½ Hours

• Veal Shanks
• Butcher’s Twine
• White Wine
• Plum Tomatoes
• Baby Bella Mushrooms 
• Flour
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Garlic
• Onion
• Italian Mood Music (optional)
• NO STOCKS — the bone marrow from the veal helps season the broth and give it a unique richness
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

The key to the best veal Osso Bucco remains a combination of ingredients, time, and patience. Chef Mario has perfected his recipe over the years, kept true to the original recipe’s spirit, and added his twists to the dish.

What Sets Chef Mario’s Osso Bucco Apart

Chef Mario starts with a healthy dose of salt and pepper for his tied bone-in veal shank. After applying your seasonings, you’ll want to dredge your veal chops in a little bit of flour. The flour coating helps to seal in the natural veal juices during the cooking process. Get your shanks into a hot pan to get started searing them off. Four minutes per side should get the chops to the right temperature.

What helps set veal Osso Bucco apart from other traditional Italian dishes is the vegetable-based sauce that borders on a soup-like texture to deliver on the classic flavors. After you finish cooking the veal shanks, you deglaze the pan with white wine and start cooking the vegetables in the veal juices. 

A combination of peppers, baby Bella mushrooms, onions, and plum tomatoes will help give your Osso Bucco the depth of flavor you find in the traditional dish. Chef Mario likes to ramp up the spice a bit, adding crushed red pepper flakes to the dish.

Adding Your Twists

While veal Osso Bucco has remained a culinary staple over the years, that doesn’t mean that you can’t add your unique twists. As you start to get familiar with the recipe and how Chef Mario approaches flavor combinations and cooking techniques, you can then take the time and effort to put your unique twists on this culinary classic. Advancements in the kitchen come about by taking established recipes, finding ways to honor the classic flavors, and putting your creative spin on the meal.

With the help of Chef Mario and his spins on classic Italian cuisine, you can get inspiration for your upcoming events in the Philly area! Like, Follow, and Subscribe to Cooking with Mario to learn more about Chef Mario’s Italian cuisine approach! And don’t forget, Catering by Mario’s corporate caterers can also help Bucks County residents with restaurant catering!