This barbecue beef shin recipe offers a smoky twist on the Milanese classic. Slow-smoked then braised, this meat dish is fall-off-the-bone delicious and loaded with rich flavor.
This smoked osso buco recipe takes the traditional Milanese dish to new heights by infusing the beef with smoke. While traditional recipes might use veal shank, we’ve gone for beef to create a more robust flavor that stands up to the smoke and absorbs the flavors of the braise.
Despite the change in meat, the recipe still features tender, fall-off-the-bone meat. The long, slow cooking process allows the connective tissues and melted bone marrow in the beef to break down completely to create incredibly tender beef with a rich, comforting flavor.
Osso Buco Explained
Originating from Milan, osso buco comprises beef cooked in wine and vegetables. The original recipe used veal and white wine, but our recipe swaps in beef shin (cut in the osso buco way) and red wine for a deeper finish. The vegetables are the traditional soffritto—diced carrots, onion, and celery—which provides a savory base from which to make the sauce.
Osso buco translates to ‘bone with a hole’, referring to the marrow-filled bone at the center of the shank. The beef shin is cut horizontally, approximately 1-2 inches thick, to reveal the bone at the center. As the beef cooks, the marrow softens and releases into the sauce, helping to make it glossy and rich.
The beef shin is a well-worked muscle with lots of connective tissue. Because of this, it needs to cook low and slow to allow the tougher tissue to break down and create a soft, melting bite.
Thankfully, the butcher largely handles the prep for this. Simply ask for six slices of beef shin, cut in an osso buco style. They should be approximately 1 ½ inches thick. The butcher will usually trim any additional fat, so all you have to do is flavor it.
Traditionally, osso buco is served over Risotto alla Milanese, an unctuous rice dish with butter, saffron, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s as delicious as it sounds, and the two are a match made in heaven. It’s also perfect over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
How to Smoke Osso Buco
Smoked osso buco is a recipe that offers complex flavors with minimal hands-on time. There’s a certain amount of prep to get everything ready, but once it’s cooking, you can sit back and relax.
1. Prep
With osso buco pieces, you shouldn’t need to do any trimming. Do not remove the thin membrane around each piece of meat—we need this intact to keep each slice of beef intact as it smokes.
Apply a thin layer of Dijon mustard to each piece of beef to act as a binder for the seasoning. Combine the dry rub ingredients and then apply liberally to the osso buco slices, making sure to cover all sides well.
2. Smoke
Fire up your smoker to 250°F (120°C). Once fully warmed up, place the beef on the grates and smoke for about 1 ½ – 2 hours, until the beef is tender and is at an internal temperature of about 135°F (57°C).
3. Braise
While the beef smokes, it’s time to make a braising liquid. First, fry the pancetta in a Dutch oven (or any large oven-safe pot) before removing and setting aside. Then, soften the celery, carrot, and onion to create the base. Follow that up with garlic and tomato paste to take the flavor even further, then deglaze the pot with red wine. Once the red wine has reduced by half, add beef stock, the cooked pancetta, and herbs.
4. Cook
Add the smoked beef to the Dutch oven with the braise, and cover the pan (either with a lid or tightly wrapped tin foil) and place it back in the smoker. Cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours, with the meat at an internal temperature of 200-203°F (93-95°C). Its connective tissue will have broken down and the meat will be coming away from the bone.
5. Rest
Remove the osso buco from the heat and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. As it cools, the meat will reabsorb moisture, keeping it tender while also letting the flavors of the sauce meld together.
6. Serve
While the meat rests, mix lemon, parsley, garlic, and salt to make a gremolata. This is a refreshing sprinkle that adds freshness to the rich dish.
Serve the osso buco over risotto, mashed potatoes, or polenta with a sprinkle of gremolata to finish.
Quick Tips
- Look for Marbling: Go for beef shin with a good amount of marbling. This fat will ensure the meat stays tender and flavorful throughout the long cook.
- Deglaze the Pot: When making the braising liquid, be sure to deglaze the pot thoroughly with red wine, scraping up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. These bits add incredible flavor to the sauce.
- Keep the Bone In: Make sure the bone remains intact during cooking. The marrow found inside will melt into the sauce, adding richness and depth of flavor to the dish.
- Don’t Skip the Rest: Let the osso buco rest for at least 10 minutes after smoking and braising. This allows the meat to reabsorb moisture and ensures it stays tender and juicy when served.
Smoked Osso Buco
Ingredients
- 6 slices beef osso buco approx. 1 ½ inches thick
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Rub
- 1 ½ tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Braising Liquid
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz pancetta diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 sticks of celery chopped
- 5 cloves garlic finely sliced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- salt and pepper
Gremolata
- ⅓ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 lemon zest of
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Fire up your smoker to 250°F (120°C)
- Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the osso buco slices, covering all sides evenly
- In a small bowl, the rub ingredients: salt, black pepper, and garlic powder
- Apply the rub to the osso buco, covering all sides evenly
- Once your smoker is at temperature, place the beef on the smoker grates and cook to an internal temperature of 135°F (57°C), about 1 ½ -2 hours
- While the beef is smoking, heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat
- Add the pancetta to the pot and cook until golden and crisp. Remove the cooked pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- To the Dutch oven, add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until softened, approximately 10-15 minutes
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes
- Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes until darkened
- Turn the heat up to medium and deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to mix
- Once the wine has reduced by half, add the beef stock, thyme, rosemary, and pancetta. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Once the beef has reached 135°F (57°C), remove it from the smoker and submerge it in the braise
- Cover the Dutch oven and place it back in the smoker at 250°F (120°C), and cook to a meat internal temperature of 200-203°F (93-95°C), about 2 ½ – 3 hours. The meat should be tender to the point that it is falling off the bone.
- When the meat is near done, mix the ingredients for the gremolata
- Season the osso buco braise with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the osso buco over mashed potatoes, polenta, or risotto with a few spoonfuls of sauce and a sprinkle of gremolata on top.
