Ossobuco alla Milanese — braised veal cross-cut shank (the name means "bone with a hole") — is the paradigm of Italian collagen-rich braising. The veal shank's combination of bone, marrow, and heavily collagenous connective tissue produces a braising liquid of extraordinary richness and body when correctly cooked. The gremolata (raw lemon zest, garlic, and parsley applied at service) is not garnish — it is the volatile aromatic counterpoint that the richness of the braise absolutely requires.
- **The shank preparation:** Tied with kitchen twine around its circumference to prevent the meat from separating from the bone during the 2-hour braise - **The flour coat:** Lightly dredged in flour before browning — the flour produces a slightly thicker sauce from the dissolved browned flour and controls the surface's Maillard reaction - **Searing:** Must be thorough — every surface of the shank browned before the braising liquid is added - **The liquid:** White wine plus broth, with tomato — small enough amounts that the shank is not submerged but the bottom third is in contact with the liquid throughout - **The marrow:** At service, the bone marrow is scooped from the bone and spread on bread or eaten directly — it is one of the prizes of the dish and is not optional - **The gremolata:** Added at service, stirred briefly through the braising liquid. Lemon zest's limonene and the garlic's allicin cut through the gelatin-rich braising sauce's richness with precise, volatile aromatic compounds. Without the gremolata the dish is heavy; with it, it is complete Decisive moment: The tie — securing the shank before cooking. A shank that separates from its bone during braising loses the marrow directly into the sauce and cannot be served whole. The twine must be tied firmly but not so tight that it cuts into the meat during cooking.
Hazan