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Wagyu Osso Buco with Gremolata & Mashed Sour Cream Parsnips

Slow-braised Wagyu Osso Buco with tender shanks, rich sauce, and zesty gremolata. Served over creamy mashed sour cream parsnips.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Osso Bucco
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 665kcal

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Chef's knife
  • Dutch oven or braising pot with lid
  • Tongs
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Measuring Cups & Spoons
  • Microplane or zester
  • Small Bowl (for gremolata)
  • Meat Thermometer (optional but helpful)

Ingredients

For the Osso Buco:

  • 4 pieces Wagyu beef shanks about 1.5–2 inches thick, with bone and marrow
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1½ cups beef stock
  • 1 14oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ⅛ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

For the Gremolata:

  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced or microplaned
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped

For the Mashed Sour Cream Parsnips:

  • 3 large parsnips peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep & Sear the Beef

  • Pat the Wagyu shanks dry and season with salt and pepper.
  • Optional but recommended: Use kitchen shears or a small sharp knife to snip through the tough outer membrane (silver skin or connective tissue) in a few spots around the edges of each shank. This helps the meat stay flat and prevents it from curling or pinching in as it braises.
  • Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
  • Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Sear shanks until deeply browned on all sides (3–4 min per side). Remove and set aside.

Build the Braise

  • Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté 8–10 min until softened and golden.
  • Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Deglaze with wine, scraping up browned bits. Let reduce by half.
  • Stir in crushed tomatoes, beef stock, sugar, and red pepper flakes.
  • Return shanks to the pot. Add thyme, rosemary, bay leaf. Liquid should come halfway up the meat.

Braise

  • Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
  • Cover and braise 2½–3 hours, turning shanks once, until meat is very tender.
  • Remove shanks gently, tent with foil.
  • Simmer the braising liquid uncovered 10–15 minutes to reduce. Skim fat if needed. Strain for a smoother sauce if desired. If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1/4 cup of cold water with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and add to the braising liquid.

Make the Mashed Parsnips

  • Boil parsnips in salted water until fork-tender (about 15–20 minutes).
  • Drain and transfer to a bowl.
  • Add sour cream, salt, and pepper. Blend with an immersion blender (or mash well by hand) until creamy and smooth.

Make the Gremolata

  • Mix lemon zest, garlic, and parsley in a small bowl.

To Serve

  • Spoon mashed sour cream parsnips onto each plate.
  • Top with a shank, spoon over the braising sauce, and finish with a sprinkle of gremolata.

Notes

Optional: serve with crusty bread to scoop up marrow and sauce.