Lunch / Dinner
Oxtail Osso Bucco with creamy polenta
Osso Bucco is traditionally made with veal shanks, but this version utilizes oxtails, an underused, yet more affordable cut. Haven’t had oxtails before? They’re a rich and highly flavorful bone-in cross cut from the tail of a cow or calf with marrow in the center, like veal shanks. Overall, they have very little meat, since oxtails consist of mainly bone, cartilage, and connective tissue. But the meat is gelatin-rich due to the high amount of collagen, so cooking them low and slow yields tender and flavorful meat. Thus, Oxtail Osso Bucco is rich, savory, and comforting. Creamy Polenta is the perfect complement for soaking up every bit of the delicious sauce. And don’t forget the finishing touch, the Orange Gremolata. It’s refreshing and cuts through the richness while adding a pop of color, rounding out the dish.
Ingredients
FOR THE CREAMY POLENTA:
Test Kitchen Tips
After dredging the oxtails in flour, transfer them to a cooling rack until ready to use. This prevents the flour from becoming gummy.
If the sauce is too thick, add more broth to reach your desired consistency.
Make the polenta just before serving osso bucco.
Instructions
Season oxtails with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour; shake off excess.
Brown oxtails in oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, about 3–4 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
Add onion, celery, and carrot to pan; sauté until onion softens, 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; sauté until beginning to brown, 2 minutes.
Deglaze pan with Marsala, scraping up any brown bits. Cook until Marsala reduces by half. Add broth, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary; bring to a boil. Return oxtails to pan, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 1 hour.
Carefully flip oxtails and simmer, covered, until meat is nearly falling off the bone, 1–1½ hours more; season with salt and pepper. (If sauce is too greasy, skim the fat.)
Combine parsley, zest, and garlic.
Serve osso bucco with Creamy Polenta; top with Orange Gremolata.
For the Creamy Polenta
Boil broth and milk in a saucepan.
Whisk in cornmeal; reduce heat to low, and continue whisking for 5 minutes.
Off heat, stir in Parmesan and mascarpone; season with salt and pepper.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 404
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 736mg 30%
Carbs 24g 8%
Protein 38g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.