Osso Buco Style Beef Short Ribs

Name: Osso Buco Style Beef Short Ribs
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 270 min
Total time: 315 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 8 pieces beef short ribs -- bone-in and boneless mix; 3 tablespoons flour -- use sweet rice flour for gluten-free; Salt & freshly ground pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil -- plus more (, as needed); 2 tablespoons butter; 1 whole onion -- diced; 3 ribs celery -- diced; 3 large carrots -- cut into 1/2" discs; 1 pound crimini mushrooms -- thick sliced; 1 medium red pepper -- chopped; 6 cloves garlic -- minced; 2 whole bay leaves; 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley -- finely chopped; 6 sprigs fresh thyme -- leaves and stems; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup dry Marsala wine; 2 cups organic beef stock ((homemade is ideal)); 14 ounces stewed tomatoes -- Lucini San Marzano -- crushed by hand (, with juices); 1/2 cup Israeli couscous ((optional) -- uncooked -- for gluten-free use Streit's GF Israeli Couscous)

Published January 3, 2017. Last updated November 5, 2018 by Judy Purcell 27 Comments

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Osso Buco Style Beef Short Ribs and Mashed Cauliflower

Succulent beef short ribs and tender vegetables gently braised in Marsala is worth every minute of oven time. Osso Buco Style Beef Short Ribs served over a low-carb side of Mashed Cauliflower is amazing guest-worthy comfort food.

Oh, and if you happen to have leftovers, you’ve got a delicious head start in making Beef and Vegetable Soup.

Want to make it look just like the photos? Check out this Roasted Asparagus Recipe for an additional side dish.

Restaurant magic at home.

We first tried beef short ribs, osso buco style, at one of our favorite restaurants, Paravicini’s Italian Bistro. It was one of the best Italian dinners we have had.

We asked how it was prepared because my husband suggested I try to make it at home (no pressure, right?!). Owner, Franco Pisani, shared that time was the secret—it must be cooked low and slow 4-6 hours, he said.

Unfortunately, the exact recipe was not forthcoming and most osso buco recipes suggest only 2 to 2 1/2 hours, so I had to wing-it.

The classic recipe is made with veal shank, but I took a more economical approach with a mix of bone-in and boneless beef short ribs to recreate the magic we experienced at the restaurant.

As it turned out, Mr. Pisani was right—low and slow delivers braised beef perfection, so don’t get in a hurry.

Do you love hearing Italian? Listen how to pronounce osso buco here.

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Osso Buco Style Beef Short Ribs

Beef short ribs and vegetables gently braised in Marsala wine and tomatoes until tender and succulent.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time4 hrs 30 mins

Total Time5 hrs 15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 Servings

Author: Judy Purcell

Ingredients

8 pieces beef short ribs -- bone-in and boneless mix
3 tablespoons flour -- use sweet rice flour for gluten-free
Salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil -- plus more , as needed
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole onion -- diced
3 ribs celery -- diced
3 large carrots -- cut into 1/2" discs
1 pound crimini mushrooms -- thick sliced
1 medium red pepper -- chopped
6 cloves garlic -- minced
2 whole bay leaves
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley -- finely chopped
6 sprigs fresh thyme -- leaves and stems
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup dry Marsala wine
2 cups organic beef stock (homemade is ideal)
14 ounces stewed tomatoes -- Lucini San Marzano -- crushed by hand , with juices
1/2 cup Israeli couscous (optional) -- uncooked -- for gluten-free use Streit's GF Israeli Couscous

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Position oven rack low in the oven, heat oven to 300°. Trim beef ribs of excess outer fat, careful to leave meat attached to the bone. Dry meat with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour on all sides.
In a large Dutch oven or oven safe pot with a secure lid, heat the butter over med heat. Sear the ribs on all sides, adding more olive oil as needed. Reserve browned ribs on a platter.
Add onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper, and garlic to the pot and cook until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Raise the heat and add the wine to deglaze the pan.
Return the ribs to the pot and add the stock, and tomatoes. Stir to incorporate and make sure the meat is mostly covered. Bring it to a simmer, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Secure a lid on the pot and place in the preheated oven; cook for 4-41/2 hours.
Optional: Once ribs are fall-apart tender, remove from the oven and turn oven off. If desired, carefully skim any pools of fat on the top with a spoon and discard.
Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Stir-in couscous, replace lid and return to the oven (still off), for 10-15 minutes.
Serve over Mashed Cauliflower (as shown) with a side of skillet-seared asparagus.

Notes

It is important to use dry Marsala wine for this recipe rather than sweet Marsala.

Nutrition

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Mashed Cauliflower

Cauliflower mashed until creamy with a pat of butter as a delicious low-carb replacement for mashed potatoes.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 Servings

Author: Judy Purcell