Delicious Osso Buco made with wild elk meat is slow cooked in a rich sauce. This is a great meal for cold days when you have time for the meat to cook until fall apart tender.
This Elk Osso Buco is a delicious version of the classic and is an elegant comfort food.
Wild elk meat
We live in a family of hunters and we have freezers (yes, more than one freezer) full of wild game meat. I often make traditional dishes but substitute game meat for the meat in the recipe.
This Elk Osso Buco is normally made with veal or beef shanks. Using elk works beautifully and this Osso Buco makes an elegant meal perfect for weekends or when you have extra time to let this slowly cook.
Osso Buco doesn't take a lot of hands on time, but it does take a lot of oven time. It's cooked, or braised for several hours at a relatively low temperature.
That slow cooking breaks down the meat so it's fork tender and the sauce that's developed is rich, delicious and so full of flavor.
Serve over creamy mashed potatoes and topped with gremolata! Gremolata is made with fresh parsley, lemon zest and garlic. It adds the perfect finishing touch to this osso buco.
Key ingredients
- Shanks - We've used elk shanks, but any large animal will work. Try moose, beef or even venison. The shanks are cut from the legs. You want the shanks to be between 2-4 inches.
- Chicken Broth - Use an unsalted broth, if available
- Red Wine - Use a dry, full bodied red wine. I like to use whatever I'm drinking. Try a cabernet, merlot or pinot noir. You could also use a red blend.
- Tomato Paste - Adds a richness to the sauce
- Veggies - Carrots, Celery, Onions and Garlic. Sometimes I also throw in a few diced morel mushrooms.
- Fresh Herbs - Rosemary and thyme. You can use dried if fresh aren't available.
Step by step directions
- Tie the shanks with butcher's twine around the center of each shank
- Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper
- Dredge in flour and shake off any excess
- Heat heavy dutch oven pot over medium high heat. Add oil. When hot, add shanks.
- Brown all sides then remove shanks and set on a plate
- Add additional oil to pot and add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds
- Clear an area in the center of the pan and add tomato paste. Stir just until paste begins to caramelize a bit
- Add red wine and with a spatula or wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow wine to simmer just until it begins to reduce a bit
- Add chicken stock, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf
- Return shanks to the pot. The liquid should come at least halfway to ¾ of the way up the shanks. You may need to add additional liquid depending on the size of your shanks and the size of your pot.
- Place in a preheated 315° oven for 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours until meat is fall apart tender. If it doesn't break away easily with a fork, cook for a longer time. Check halfway through cooking time to make certain there is enough liquid. It will begin to reduce, but don't let it go more than halfway below the shanks.
- Remove shanks and remove twine from shanks. Then lightly tent with foil.
- Remove rosemary and thyme
- Place dutch oven on a stove burner and simmer with the lid off for 10 minutes to allow liquid to reduce down, if needed. Sometimes the liquid is already reduced enough. Stir in freshly chopped parsley.
- Serve meat over a bed of mashed potatoes, polenta or egg noodles. Spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with a bit of gremolata or freshly chopped parsley.
Recipe tips
- Tying the shanks is optional. However, it does keep the meat intact and all in one piece.
- When searing or browning the shanks, do not overcrowd pan. Leave some space between each shank. Sear in batches if needed.
- Check pot halfway through cooking time. If needed, add additional chicken broth.
- Taste sauce before serving. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- Cooking time varies depending on the size of your shanks
Variations
- Add chopped morel mushrooms, either use frozen morels or rehydrated dried morels.
- Add a small can of chopped tomatoes when adding the chicken broth
- Use beef broth or wild game broth instead of the chicken broth
- Use a dry white wine instead of red wine
Serving suggestions
Serve with buttery mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or egg noodles. Top with freshly made gremolata and serve alongside roasted brussels sprouts or sauteed green beans.
More slow cooked recipes
If you love the richness and flavors that are developed when braising and slow cooking in the oven, you'll also want to check out these recipes:
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my wild game recipes!
Elk Osso Buco
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-4 elk shanks (about 3 inches high)
- salt
- pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 1 celery stalk (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
- gremolata (garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Tie the shanks with butcher's twine around the center of each shank2-4 elk shanks
- Sprinkle shanks with salt and peppersalt, pepper
- Dredge in flour and shake off any excess¼ cup flour
- Heat heavy dutch oven pot over medium high heat. Add oil. When hot, add shanks.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Brown all sides then remove shanks and set on a plate
- Add additional oil to pot and add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds4 cloves garlic
- Clear an area in the center of the pan and add tomato paste. Stir just until paste begins to caramelize a bit2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add red wine and with a spatula or wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow wine to simmer just until it begins to reduce a bit1 cup red wine
- Add chicken stock, rosemary, thyme and a bay leaf4 cups chicken stock, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 bay leaf
- Return shanks to the pot. The liquid should just cover the top of the shanks. You may need to add additional liquid depending on the size of your shanks and the size of your pot.
- Place in a preheated 315° oven for 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours until meat is fall apart tender. If it doesn't break away easily with a fork, cook for a longer time. Check halfway through cooking time to make certain there is enough liquid. It will begin to reduce, but don't let it go more than halfway below the shanks.
- Remove shanks and remove twine from shanks. Then lightly tent with foil.
- Remove rosemary and thyme
- Place dutch oven on a stove burner and simmer with the lid off for 10 minutes to allow liquid to reduce down, if needed. Sometimes the liquid is already reduced enough. Stir in fresh parsley.1 tablespoon parsley
- Serve meat over a bed of mashed potatoes, polenta or egg noodles. Spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with a bit of gremolata or freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
- Tying the shanks is optional. However, it does keep the meat intact and all in one piece.
- When searing or browning the shanks, do not overcrowd pan. Leave some space between each shank. Sear in batches if needed.
- Check pot halfway through cooking time. If needed, add additional chicken broth. Turn shanks in pot.
- Taste sauce before serving. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- Cooking time varies depending on the size of your shanks
- Add chopped morel mushrooms, either use frozen morels or rehydrated dried morels.
- Add a small can of chopped tomatoes when adding the chicken broth
- Use beef broth or wild game broth instead of the chicken broth
- Use a dry white wine instead of red wine
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
David @ Spiced says
I have to commend you on your wild game cooking abilities, Kathy! I have only cooked with elk once, and I'm sure I didn't do a very good job. (It was years and years ago now...) If I ever get my hands on elk shanks, you better believe I'll be making this recipe!!
Kathy says
Thanks! Game meat is so lean, so sometimes it can really dry out. Braising is a perfect way to cook a really tough piece of meat. It just becomes so tender and delicious.