So here's some advice. If you plan on making Osso Buco, you don't need to make it with Veal Shanks which cost $15 a pound. Use boned chicken breasts instead. And definitely make the gremolada because it adds incredible flavor to the meal.

Recipe?

http://www.newitalianrecipes.com/osso-buco.html

I'm curious why you chose chicken instead of beef or lamb shanks. I'm sure that lamb shanks would add their own flavor (having just had a heavily lamby lamb shank based dish), but I would think that beef would work out well.

I didn't use chicken. I used veal shanks which are darned expensive and hard to find. I will try with beef or lamb one day too.

Aaaah, I get it. Never cooked with veal.

We had osso buco last night. It was specially prepared for a party of 12 by my friend who owns a local italian restaurant.

Italian comfort food!

He ordered the veal from Sysco, his food supplier, as it is not available anywhere.

Nice thing about having a friend in the business is that he can get hard to find foods for special occasions.

I've had good Osso Buco with pork in the past, so that is another idea to try.

Thanks for sharing that recipe. We made that last night with Lamb Shanks. It was outstanding. The risotto was excellent too, but I think I’ll pass on the parmesan next time. The meal paired excellent with a Napa Pinot.

Mike,

Glad you liked it. My favourite part was the vegetables and gremolada.

Hey, who are you calling a bone hole?

Here's the recipe I use. Never failed me yet.

Osso Buco with Gremolata

6 pounds veal shank – Tied with vine
flour for dusting
¾-1 c olive oil
1/2 pound pancetta
2 T butter
3 med cloves garlic minced
1 c celery coarse chopped
1 c carrots chopped
1 med onion chopped
2 c white wine (Pinot Grigio preferred)
1 t dried thyme (or a few twigs fresh thyme)
1 t dried basil – or use fresh basil.
2 cans Italian style tomatoes (crush with your hands)
Sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Render pancetta in skillet and reserve fat. Set aside pancetta.

Salt, pepper and then dust veal shanks with flour. Heat 1/4 olive oil in large fry pan and brown shanks on all sides. Do in batches and avoiding crowding the pan. Set shanks aside on platter. Also, set aside the fry pan they were cooked in.

Using a heavy 12 qt stockpot, melt butter, add pancetta fat, garlic, celery, carrots and onion. Continue cooking over medium heat 7-8 minutes, stirring often.

Heat and deglaze the fry pan the shanks were browned in with 1 cup of white wine. Pour deglazed liquid into stockpot (still cooking on med heat). Add veal shanks, cooked pancetta, rest of wine, thyme, basil, remaining olive oil, any juices from platter shanks rested on, and tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and continue cooking on stove for 1/2 hour. Stir every 10 minutes, then move to oven and cook for at least 2 hours. Veal should be tender and come apart with a fork easily.

Spoon Gremolata (see below) over shanks, after they have been sauced. Serve alone with crusty Italian bread, or over rissotto or polenta.

Gremolata

2 T lemon zest (grated and then finely chopped)
2 med garlic cloves minced to a paste
3 t Italian parsley minced

Prepare 1 hour in advance. Combine in bowl. Add salt and pepper.