Osso bucco with white beans, figs and cinnamon

A glorious winter braise with beef shin

Serves

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Osso bucco, or beef shin, is a delicious cut but requires time to become the tender result we want. Cut through the bone, you get a quality amount of meat and the marrow melts into the sauce. We love the addition of the white beans, to bulk up the meat and add further nutritious goodness into the braise.

Lazy Sunday Club

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Ingredients

1 cup dried cannellini beans
soaked overnight
3 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 kg Quality Mark beef shin
about 6 pieces
1 onion
finely chopped
4 garlic cloves
finely chopped
2 stalks fresh rosemary
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
dried
3 Tbsp Delmaine tomato paste
1 cup red wine
750ml beef stock
200g dried figs

Method

Drain the beans, then place them in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water.

Bring to a simmer, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface, then cook for 50-60 minutes until the beans are tender. Drain well.

Heat half the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, cinnamon and bay leaves, then cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes or until the onions are very soft.

Add the tomato paste, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

While the vegetables cook, heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat.

Working in batches and adding more oil if needed, add the beef shin, season with salt, then cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until well browned.

Remove to a plate while the remaining beef shin browns. When the meat has browned, add the red wine to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dislodge any stuck-on bits from the base.

Add the wine mixture to the saucepan with the vegetables with the beef shin and stock; you might need a little more stock if the beef is not quite covered (it should be only just covered).

Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, for 1 hour; the beef will not be completely tender at this stage.

While the beef is cooking, pour boiling water over the figs in a bowl, then stand for 10-15 minutes to soften.

After the beef has been cooking for 1 hour, drain the figs, then add them to the beef with the cooked beans.

Cook the braise for another 30-40 minutes or until the meat is very tender and nearly falling off the bone.

Using tongs, carefully remove the beef shin to a bowl, then skim any fat from the surface of the cooking liquid.

Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer for 15 minutes or until it has reduced and thickened to form a light sauce.

Return the beef to the pan to heat through. Taste, then season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Serve the braise with polenta or potato mash.