Ingredients

• 4 meaty veal shanks
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 stalk celery, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 strips orange zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes with juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

Equipment

• 6 to 7 quart Dutch oven with lid
• Tongs
• Shallow dish for dredging
• Parchment paper
• Slotted spatula

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 300 degrees F so it is fully preheated before the shanks go in for their long, gentle braise.
2. Pour the flour into a shallow dish (a pie plate is perfect) and season the veal shanks all over with salt and pepper. Roll each shank in the flour, then pat and shake off the excess so you get a thin, even coat that browns cleanly rather than a gummy crust.
3. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide 6 to 7 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and the oil shimmers, add the shanks flat side down, working in batches if they crowd the pot. Brown well, turning once, about 5 minutes per side, until both flat faces are deeply caramelized for maximum flavor.
4. Transfer the browned shanks to a platter. Pour off the fat and wipe the pot with a damp paper towel, taking care to leave the tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom.
5. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the pot over medium heat. When the foaming stops, add the onion, carrot, celery, and fennel, season with salt and pepper, and cook about 6 minutes until softened but not browned, so the vegetables taste sweet.
6. Stir in the whole garlic cloves, orange zest, marjoram, and bay leaf and cook another minute or two until fragrant, which wakes up all the aromatics.
7. Pour in the wine, raise the heat to high, and boil about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until reduced by half so the raw alcohol edge cooks off.
8. Add the stock and tomatoes with their juice and boil about 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces to roughly 1 cup of concentrated, flavorful base.
9. Nestle the shanks back in bone side up and pour over any juices from the platter. Lay a sheet of parchment right on top of the meat, letting the edges hang over the pot by about an inch, then cover tightly with the lid.
10. Slide the pot into the lower part of the oven. Check after 15 minutes: if it is bubbling hard, drop the oven by 10 to 15 degrees so it stays at a gentle simmer. Braise about 2 hours total, turning the shanks and spooning juices over them after the first 40 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone.
11. While the shanks braise, stir together the minced garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl for the gremolata. Cover and keep in a cool spot until you need it.
12. When the veal is falling-apart tender, remove the lid, sprinkle over half the gremolata, and return it uncovered to the oven for 15 minutes to caramelize the tops a bit.
13. Carefully lift the shanks out with a slotted spatula, doing your best to keep them intact (they are very tender, so a few may break, which is totally fine). Arrange them on a platter without stacking and tent with foil to keep warm.
14. Set the pot on the stove and skim off any fat floating on top. Taste the sauce: if it seems weak, boil it 5 to 10 minutes over high heat to concentrate the flavor. Adjust the salt and pepper, and stir in a teaspoon or two of the remaining gremolata if you want more brightness.
15. Spoon the sauce over the shanks and finish with the last of the gremolata. Serve one shank per person, or pull the meat apart to stretch it further for smaller appetites.