This hearty winter dish is richer than traditional veal ossobuco, and merits a good red wine for the sauce and to serve it with. We take our recipe from Loukie Werle's Italian Country Cooking.
Ingredients
5 lbs sliced beef shank, each about 1 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta in one piece, cut into pea-sized cubes
2 large onions, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups beef or veal stock
1 bottle full-bodied red wine, preferably Chianti
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
Preparation
Place the beef in a large bowl and cover with the chianti, vinegar, 1 thickly sliced onion, and chili flakes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 275 F.
Remove the beef from the marinade, but do not discard the marinade. Dry the beef on paper towels. Tie the slices with kitchen string to ensure they won't fall apart while cooking.
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole. Add the pancetta and brown, then remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside. Turn the heat up to high, add the meat and brown on both sides. If the pan is not large enough to contain the meat in one layer, do this in two batches. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside.
Add the onions and stir over moderate heat until golden. Add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour and cook 3 minutes, stirring to coat and lightly brown the flour.
Return the beef and pancetta to the pan, cover with the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Add enough stock to just cover the meat, bring to a boil and cover with wet, crumpled parchment paper, and a lid. Bake for 3 hours, checking from time to time if the liquid simmers very gently, just the occasional bubble on the surface. Adjust the oven temperature, if necessary.
Remove the beef to a heated plate and boil the juices until they have thickened to a light coating consistency. Pour the sauce over the beef and serve in deep, heated plates.
