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Published December 10, 2015 | Last Updated July 24, 2021 By Barbara Bianchi 28 Comments

Slow Cooker Pork Osso Buco

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Osso buco is super easy to make in a slow cooker, and the meat is so tender and juicy, that it literally falls right off the bone.

Slow Cooker Pork | Osso Buco | Slow cooker recipe | gluten free recipe | paleo recipe

Have you ever tried a new food and fallen absolutely in love with it? Then wondered how on earth you had gone all your life without ever tasting it before? That’s what happened to me when I made pork osso buco for the first time.

Several days ago John stopped at our local Whole Foods on his way home from work. He was browsing the meat section when he noticed an unusual cut of organic meat priced very cheaply.

We always prefer buying organic as it means humanely raised livestock with no antibiotics. Unfortunately, it’s usually priced very high, so this was basically a steal.

“Have you ever had pork osso buco?” he asked me over the phone.

I hadn’t, and even though John’s father owned an Italian restaurant when he was a kid, John realized that he had never tasted osso buco before either.

It turns out that osso buco is super easy to make in a slow cooker. And the meat is so fork tender and juicy, that it literally falls right off the bone.

close up of finished meat

Just look at that. Mmmm. Am I making you hungry? This would be perfect for a special holiday time dinner.

Osso buco is a traditional Milanese dish, typically made with veal. However, my daughter Nicole is studying Italian, and she informed me that “osso buco” just means bone with a hole. It refers to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut shank of meat.

I decided to prepare my pork osso buco the traditional way, braised in a white wine and vegetable broth.

Braising means first searing the meat, and then letting it simmer in a covered pot for several hours on the stove until the meat is soft and succulent and gently falls away from the bone when cut with a fork.

The braising process can be quite time consuming so I decided to use a slow cooker for the second step as it can be left unattended. (If you are looking to invest in a high-quality slow cooker, I recommend this one by Hamilton Beach).

The morning that I planned to make the osso buco, I had been invited to a Christmas party brunch, so I got up early to prep the osso buco.

Slow Cooker Pork | Osso Buco | Slow cooker recipe | gluten free recipe | paleo recipe

Instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

My pork shanks were tied with twine. I did not remove the twine until the very end of the cooking process when I was ready to serve them.

First, I dredged the shanks in flour (I used coconut flour to keep this recipe paleo friendly) and seasoned them with salt and pepper.

Then I seared them in butter on the stove until the meat was golden (you can sear them in oil if you are dairy-free). This tenderizes the meat and adds an incredible depth of flavor.

Once the pork was seared, I put it in the slow cooker. I deglazed the skillet by adding wine and scraped up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. I poured that wine over the pork in the slow cooker.

Those browned bits add even more flavor to the dish.

Next, I diced plum tomatoes in a shallow bowl and added them with their juices to the slow cooker along with bone broth (I had homemade bone broth in my fridge, but you can use gluten free store bought broth), diced garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. I also added some sage, oregano, and a bay leaf.

All that was left to do was pop on the cover and set the slow cooker on low for 7 – 8 hours.

After a lovely time with some special friends, I returned home to the most wonderful aroma of osso buco simmering in the slow cooker.

I made some risotto which is the perfect accompaniment to this traditional Italian meal (I recommend the risotto from Lundberg Farms Arborio. It is eco-farmed and gluten free).

If you’re following a low-carb diet you may want to serve seasoned cauliflower rice.

When it was time for dinner, I also made a gravy to accompany the osso buco along with a special gremolata topping.

First, I strained the juices from the slow cooker into a skillet (I mashed the veggies through the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible). Next, I skimmed the fat off the top of the gravy that was in the skillet. 

Finally, I simmered to reduce for about 10 minutes and seasoned with salt and pepper. Then, just remove from the heat and stir in butter (you can skip this step if you are dairy free), and voila! A beautiful gravy ready in minutes.

And at last the gremolata! This is the traditional accompaniment to ossobuco alla milanese. It may sound really fancy, but gremolata is just chopped parsley tossed with lemon zest, garlic, and capers. And is amazingly delicious, I might add.

zesting a lemon

Pro tips and recipe notes

  • To make the lemon zest, you will need a microplane. Grate only the outer layer of the skin, rotating the lemon for just the zest and not the white pith which can be bitter.
  • For dairy-free options, sear meat in oil instead of butter and eliminate butter from your gravy.
  • If you are following a low-carb diet you may want to serve seasoned cauliflower rice.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Slow Cooker Pork | Osso Buco | Slow cooker recipe | gluten free recipe | paleo recipe

And dinner is ready! Gluten free, paleo friendly, and scrumptious to the last bite.

Enjoy! Have a happy and healthy week, friends!

P.S. If you make this recipe, share your snap on Instagram and tag #glutenfreehomestead. I always love seeing your photos.

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Spice Rubbed Pork Roast – This savory roast with its rich basting sauce makes a wonderfully satisfying dinner.

My Secret For Juicy Grilled Pork Chops (With Chimichurri Sauce) – Fire up the grill and get ready to dig into the tastiest pork chops topped with zesty chimichurri sauce.

Want to save this recipe? Pin it!

Slow Cooker Pork | Osso Buco | Slow cooker recipe | gluten free recipe | paleo recipe | low-carb | Holiday dinner recipe

 

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4.88 from 8 votes

Slow Cooker Pork Osso Buco

Osso buco is super easy to make in a slow cooker, and the meat is so tender and juicy, that it literally falls right off the bone. Please see my notes for dairy-free options.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword how to make gremolata, osso buco, pork shank, slow cooker ideas
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 467kcal
Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork shank osso buco tied with butcher's twine
  • 2 tablespoons of butter for searing the pork or coconut oil if you prefer
  • 1 stick of butter for gravy optional
  • * 1 onion diced
  • * 1 stalk celery diced
  • * 1 carrot peeled and diced
  • * 1/4 cup coconut flour.
  • * 4 cloves garlic minced
  • * 3 plum tomatoes diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • * 1 cup bone broth homemade or store bought
  • * 1/2 cup white wine
  • * 1/4 teaspoon sage
  • * 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • * salt and pepper to taste
  • For gremolata:
  • ½ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 organic lemons washed and dried
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup capers

Instructions

  • Rinse meat under cold water and dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour to a shallow dish. Dredge seasoned pork in the flour.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. When the butter foams, add the pork to the skillet. Cook until golden, searing the meat for 4 minutes on each side and transfer to your slow cooker.
  • Deglaze the skillet with the wine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and pour into the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes and their juices, bone broth, onion, carrot, garlic, celery, sage, oregano and a bay leaf. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Transfer the shanks to a plate, cover and set aside. Strain the juices from the slow cooker into your skillet. Mash veggies to extract liquid as much as possible. Skim the fat off the top of the gravy.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in one stick of butter.
  • For the gremolata:
    Zest the skin of both lemons. Add lemon zest, garlic, and capers to parsley and toss in a small bowl.
  • Serve topped with gravy and gremolata.

Notes

  • To make the lemon zest, you will need a microplane. Grate only the outer layer of the skin, rotating the lemon for just the zest and not the white pith which can be bitter. The zest is milder than the juice and a bit floral.
  • For dairy-free options, sear meat in oil instead of butter and eliminate butter from your gravy.
  • If you are following a low-carb diet you may want to serve seasoned cauliflower rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcal
did you make this recipe? We want to see! Take a pic, and tag @glutenfreehomestead on Instagram.

Nutrition-Label-Embed-Osso buco

  • About the Author
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About Barbara Bianchi

Barbara loves to bring fun into the kitchen and healthy food to the table. She also enjoys drinking coffee, eating a little chocolate, reading a good novel, going for walks and spending time with her family and friends.
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Filed Under: Dinner, Egg free, Italian, LOW CARB, Most Popular Recipes, Nut free, Paleo, Pork, Recipe, Recipes with dairy-free option

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. K. Lee Banks says

    December 11, 2015 at 12:09 am

    5 stars
    Oh, this looks wonderful! Your pictures of the food make my mouth water! I like pork tenderloin for special dishes like this, but never thought of using this cut of pork. As always, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      December 13, 2015 at 8:52 pm

      Hi K. Lee, Thank you. They’re really good. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Marla says

    December 14, 2015 at 3:56 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Barbara & Nicole,
    This pork recipe looks absolutely delicious & I love how a slow cooker makes it so tender & juicy. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      December 15, 2015 at 3:04 pm

      Thank you, Marla. And thanks for sharing. I appreciate that. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says

    December 14, 2015 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Barbara,

    I loved reading this post because I have much to learn about my new slow cooker. For some crazy reason, I have resisted buying one for ages but I found a really nice one on sale and couldn’t resist and now a whole new world has opened up to me, lol.
    This is a beautiful recipe and cooked so perfectly! Thanks for a great dish!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      December 15, 2015 at 3:09 pm

      Thanks Robyn. I think you’re going to love your slow cooker. Mine is going all the time for stews like this one, short ribs like this and not to mention bone broth!

      Reply
  4. Hil says

    December 14, 2015 at 9:31 pm

    Thanks for linking up at Bloggers Spotlight Link and Pin-It Party! Your post was pinned to our group board. Check back on Thursday night to see our featured posts and link up for next week.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      December 15, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      Terrific! Thanks. I’ll be there.

      Reply
  5. Raia says

    December 16, 2015 at 4:57 pm

    Sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing it at Savoring Saturdays! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Cynthia says

    February 11, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    Hi Mae! I have got to get to that 2nd batch of stock so I can at least make something of concequense…hehe :)Hi Stef! It definitely is a top wedding present in my book…I am also looking forward to my experiments of the KA kind :)Hi Marketman! The giver is indeed the best of the best…my best friend and maid of honor actually 🙂 Thanks for the broth tip! Sounds delicious! And cost effective (thank you!)…For fabada and lentejas I usually buy the ham bone of the Jamon Serrano in Alba’s…not so cost effective but also delicious 🙂

    Reply
  7. c modglin says

    March 11, 2016 at 8:43 am

    I worked for whole foods for 8 years in two different regions. Please be aware that organic does not assume humanely raised meat. Buying from a local farmer that can tell you how the animal was raised is a more sustainable approach

    Reply
  8. Lisa Clark says

    December 17, 2016 at 10:55 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight with pork from Butcher Box. It was WONDERFUL!! Recipe is now on my favorite list.

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      February 5, 2017 at 5:02 pm

      Hi Lisa, I just noticed this sweet comment that you left me in December. I’m so glad that you enjoyed the pork osso buco recipe. Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know and for the stars too. I hope you’re having a great weekend!

      Reply
  9. Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade says

    February 6, 2017 at 9:57 am

    I’ve never tried to make osso buco, but this looks fabulous. I love meat that falls off the bone. There’s just nothing better than that flavor

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:35 pm

      Thanks so much, Karyl. Best of all, the slow cooker does all the work!

      Reply
  10. Sean says

    April 13, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    5 stars
    Sauce great, beef shanks, hard as rocks. I even put them in the slow cooker for 7 hours. I had some wagyu grass fed beef shanks and did everything I usually do but these suckers needed a good knife to get thru them. I have had more tender chuck roast. Thoughts? I couldnt find pork so made these hockey pucks. It was strange as I have made with beef, veal and pork and never had this happen.

    Reply
    • Barbara Bianchi says

      April 13, 2020 at 6:56 pm

      Hmm I’d love to help troubleshoot this. I’m glad that you enjoyed the sauce.

      I see that you had grass fed beef. Grass fed is great in so many ways. But unfortunately grass fed is a lot leaner than grain fed and can be tough. You’ve made this before and didn’t have a problem so hopefully it will be just this time.

      Did you sear them?

      It’s possible that an extra hour or two in the slow cooker would help, but I can’t say for sure.

      Reply
      • Barbara Bianchi says

        April 13, 2020 at 7:26 pm

        Sean,
        The only other thing that might work is soaking them in a salty brine for an hour before beginning the process, but honestly the slow cooker method should have done the trick. (I haven’t brined beef shanks.)

        I used a combination of short ribs and shanks in my Beef Provencal, but I shredded the meat like pulled pork and cooked it on the stovetop. Very different.

        Reply
      • Sean says

        April 13, 2020 at 11:09 pm

        I agree. Grass fed is just not good to work with for tender meat. I wish I could find pork shanks but unfortunately all I can find are online and way over priced. 15 bucks a shank seems a bit excessive. I appreciate the reply though and everything else was spot on.

        Reply
        • Barbara Bianchi says

          April 13, 2020 at 11:18 pm

          You’re very welcome and thank you for the stars. 😊

          Reply
  11. Vera says

    February 6, 2021 at 5:14 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic! I only used 1/4 stick of butter for the gravy because it tasted rich enough at that point. The Gremolata is key because it balances out the richness of the meat/gravy and adds a nice freshnesss to the dish.

    Reply
    • Barbara Bianchi says

      February 6, 2021 at 6:49 pm

      Woo hoo! I’m so glad to hear this, Vera. You made my day. 😊 Thanks so much for coming back and telling me. I love gremolata too. And thanks for the stars. 💕

      Reply

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Hi! We’re Barbara & John. Whether you’re looking for delicious easy to follow gluten-free and low-carb recipes, strength training tips, strategies to beat chronic fatigue, or just because you want to feel good, you're in the right place. Read more here. 

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