A short history of osso buco

Osso buco, or ossobuco as it’s sometimes written, literally means “bone with a hole”. While the early history of this dish is uncertain, it’s thought to have originated in Lombardy during the early 19th century. It wasn’t included in Italian cookbooks until much later, however, becoming famous beyond its homeland when it travelled with emigrants to the new world. This much-loved dish caught the world’s attention when it was included in recipe books outside Italy, including Art Culinaire Moderne by Henri-Paul Pellaprat and Italian Food by Elizabeth David.

Osso buco is the perfect combination of simplicity and luxury. While it may have a relatively low cost and involve very little preparation, you get to enjoy a tender and comfortable culinary experience. It was originally a seasonal dish to be enjoyed in winter, warming the household and boosting the mood of everyone within smelling distance. Osso buco has been through many changes over the years, with lemons and tomatoes added to some recipes and global variations adding flavours from Asia, the Americas, and beyond. 

Fantastic osso buco recipes

Having escaped the culinary confines of northern Italy, old-fashioned osso buco recipes are still relevant today, but chefs worldwide continue to push the boundaries with new herbs, spices, and other ingredients.

At Provenir, we respect authentic flavours and modern combinations in equal measure. 

The following osso buco recipes highlight two of many ways to enjoy this amazing dish:

Osso Buco Inspired by Asian Flavours

The nutritional benefits of slow cooking 

Osso buco should always be enjoyed slowly. It takes a while for the delicious flavours to emerge from this cut, with patience leading to maximum tenderness and taste. Slow cooking also offers a number of nutritional benefits, especially when you include bones. The nutrients in red meat remain more stable when cooked slowly, and they’re also more likely to be reabsorbed as the meat changes form over time. 

If you cook meat in a liquid at low heat, you can reduce the number of cell-damaging compounds known as AGEs (advanced glycation end products). This offers a number of health benefits, with AGEs linked with inflammation, diabetes, kidney disease, and even Alzheimer’s. Cooking slowly also leads to more tender results, and as a bonus, it helps to improve yields as meat shrinks less. When you cook slowly with bones, you get access to extra nutrients. The bones in osso buco meat are full of vital micronutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and magnesium.

The benefits of grass-fed beef

At Provenir, we believe in the benefits of grass-fed meat. Not only is it packed with B vitamins, it also has lots of vitamins A and E, along with other antioxidants. Grass-fed beef also has significantly lower levels of saturated fat compared to grain-fed beef, which makes your food taste better and is also great for your health. If you want to enjoy delicious, ethically-produced beef or veal with friends and family, grass-fed meat is a fantastic choice. 

Along with grass-fed meats and ethical farming practices without hormones or antibiotics, we also believe in paddock-to-plate eating. This simple food philosophy is about learning lessons from the past to ensure sustainable processing and minimal transportation. When you source meat locally, animals benefit from less stress and you get to enjoy more tender meat for a truly wholesome food experience. 

The Provenir difference

At Provenir, we have the perfect osso buco meat for your next dish. We provide exceptional quality meat through small-batch farming and ethical on-farm practices, so you can be assured of top-quality every step of the way. We are the only online butcher in Australia that brings grass-fed beef direct from the farm to you. Please browse our great selection of products or take a look at our recipes for creative meal ideas.