Cider Braised Veal Osso Buco
Yield
Serves 4
RECIPE Ingredients
- 6 pieces Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon, cut into ½-inch slices
- 4 Veal Osso Buco
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus ½ teaspoon thyme leaves, divided use
- 12 ounces hard apple cider
- 1 container Veal Demi-Glace
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided use
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1½ cups diced sweet-tart apple, we used the Fuji variety
- Mashed potatoes, for serving
Recipe notes
We slow-cooked our veal shanks in hard apple cider and onions for spoon-tender meat in a sweet, aromatic sauce. Finishing with smoky bacon and sautéed apples puts this recipe over the top, in the best way.
RECIPE Preparation
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp and rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside. Raise heat to medium-high.
- Season veal on all sides with salt and pepper. Sear in the bacon fat until nicely browned all over, working in batches if necessary. Remove veal to a rimmed plate or bowl, set aside.
- Lower heat to medium, add onions to the pan. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes; add garlic and 4 sprigs thyme, sauté about 2 minutes more. Return heat to medium-high. Carefully pour in cider, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in demi-glace, water, and soy sauce. Add veal back to the pan, nestling in the liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and lower heat to maintain just a simmer. Cook until veal is completely tender, about 2-3 hours, turning veal over once during cooking.
- Remove veal to a rimmed sheet pan or platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Raise heat to high and reduce cooking liquid by 1/3. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon flour until completely incorporated. Whisk butter mixture into the cooking liquid and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste sauce for seasoning and add salt/and or pepper, if needed.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining tablespoon of butter. Sauté apples and remaining teaspoon of thyme until just tender, season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in reserved bacon.
- Serve osso buco with mashed potatoes, bacon/apple garnish, and a generous spoon of sauce.
