Osso Buco & Barley Stew
Servings 6 Serves
Calories 545kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1–1.4 kg beef osso bucco on the bone, patted dry
- ½ cup plain flour all purpose
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 200 g button mushrooms
- 6 carrots peeled, sliced diagonally into ½″ pieces
- 3 celery stalks sliced into ½″ pieces
- 12 baby potatoes cut in half
- 1 yellow onion large
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ cups dry red wine full-bodied — Shiraz, Cab Sauv, or Merlot
- 5 cups good-quality beef stock `homemade or low sodium
- 1 tbs[ dijon mustard
- 1½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh
- ¾ cup pearl barley
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh parsley to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 325°F.
- Pat the osso buco dry with paper towel. Season generously with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the osso buco well on all sides (4–5 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes until lightly caramelised (7–8 minutes).
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to deepen colour and flavour.
- Pour in red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce by half.
- Add beef stock, Dijon mustard, thyme, bay leaves, and barley. Stir to combine.
- Return osso buco and any juices to the pot, nestling the meat into the liquid.
- Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for 2½–3 hours, or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and barley is cooked through.
- Remove meat to a plate. Scoop any marrow from the bones into the sauce and stir through for richness.
- If a thicker sauce is desired, simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes after oven cooking.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or polenta.
Notes
- Servings: Makes 6 generous servings, or up to 8 if served with sides.
- Wine: Use a full-bodied dry red wine (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot) for best flavour.
- Stock: Homemade beef stock will give the richest flavour, but low-sodium store-bought works well.
- Barley texture: For firmer barley, add it halfway through oven cooking instead of at the start.
- Vegetable cut size: Cut carrots and celery thicker (about ½″–¾″) so they hold texture after long cooking.
- Thicker sauce: Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes in the oven, or simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes at the end.
- Marrow tip: Stir the bone marrow into the sauce before serving for extra richness.
- Make ahead: This stew tastes even better the next day. Cool completely before refrigerating.
- Freezing: Remove bones, cool completely, and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Leftover transformation: Use the cooled stew (bones removed, meat shredded) as filling for a golden puff pastry pot pie. Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 25–30 minutes until pastry is golden.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 920mg | Potassium: 1450mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g