Venison Osso Buco with Miso Braised Leeks and Mushrooms

Miso Braised Leeks

My favorite way to prepare leeks is to braise them, and I think that miso pairs perfectly with the aromatic oniony flavor. You might think the venison shank is the central part of this recipe, but it’s the miso braised leeks. They are the star of the dish.

The miso braising mixture combines miso, apple cider, beef broth, tomato paste, maple syrup, tamari, and apple cider vinegar for a sweet, lightly sour, umami broth.

Miso Braised Leeks and Mushrooms

When you chop your leeks for this recipe, you want to include the leek tops along with the bulbous part of the leek. Since the osso buco is braised for so long, the leek tops become tender and delicious too.

I also included a mix of mushrooms in this braise. We like to shop at the Asain Supermarket in Baton Rouge, which has a lovely selection of affordable mushrooms. It’s honestly the only place I like to buy mushrooms.

We went with a type of enoki mushroom called seafood mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and baby portobello mushrooms.

Usually, I’m not a fan of shitakes because I find them tough and chewy, but in the long braise, they soak up all the flavor and become the most tender, flavorful mushroom.

Feel free to use any mushrooms you enjoy in this recipe.

Braised Venison Shank

You can use any shank meat in this recipe, but I suggest using venison or bison for the best flavor.

Venison is a very lean meat, and you need more fats when searing it so it doesn’t burn. Even though you rub the shanks in butter, you still need to heat a high smoke point oil in your dutch oven before searing it. I suggest avocado oil.

Venison Osso Buco with Fermented Lemon Gremolata

What is osso buco? It’s a classic Italian dish usually made with veal shank, braised with vegetables, white wine, tomato, and broth, and topped with an herbaceous mix called gremolata.

As people often do, I’ve taken creative liberties and put my unique spin on osso buco. Traditional recipes usually include tomatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. I chose to use mushrooms and leeks. My braising liquid is also unique, incorporating miso.

Now, the bone marrow from the shank bone is a prized part of osso buco; thus, people will actually fight over it. I prefer to scoop it out and mix it into the braised liquid, so everyone gets some in their portion.

One of the defining parts of the dish is the topping called gremolata. It’s a green sauce similar to chimichurri, made with parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Instead, I used fermented lemon rind.

The gremolata lightens up the richness of this recipe so nicely. And the fermented lemon really sends the gremolata over the top.

Venison Osso Buco and Miso Braised Leeks Served with White Cheddar Grits

Osso buco is usually served with risotto or polenta. But, in the true spirit of making this recipe entirely my own, here, I chose to go with jalapeno cheddar grits.

However, feel free to serve the osso buco over risotto or polenta instead. Also, you can serve this over white rice or enjoy it with a slice of crusty sourdough bread. I highly recommend the cheddar grits though.

More Recipes to Try

• Slow Cooked Pork Roast with Sauerkraut Potatoes and Carrots
• Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie with Sourdough Biscuits
• Venison Cranberry Sauerkraut Meatballs with Apple Sage Orzo

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Venison Osso Buco with Miso Braised Leeks and Mushrooms

Try my unique take on venison Osso Buco cooked with miso braised leeks; braised venison shank, slow cooked with mushrooms and leeks in a miso apple cider braise. Serve over white cheddar jalapeno grits for a delectable meal.

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• Prep: 45 minutes
• Cook: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 venison shanks
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temp
• 6 tablespoons miso, divided in half
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 bunch green onions, finely minced
• 3 large leeks, chopped and washed
• 6 cups mushrooms, chopped and washed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups hard apple cider
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Fresh sage
• Fresh rosemary
• 2 cups grits (for grits)
• 6 cups water (for grits)
• 2 teaspoons salt (for grits)
• 2 tablespoons butter (for grits)
• 1/3 cup fermented jalapeño brine (for grits)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (for grits)
• 1 cup parsley, fresh and chopped (gremolata)
• 1 tablespoon fermented lemon rind, minced (gremolata)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil  (gremolata)
• 1 garlic clove, minced (gremolata)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pat the venison shanks dry and sprinkle with salt. Let the shanks rest for 10 minutes
3. In small bowl combine the butter, 3 tablespoons miso, black pepper, garlic, and green onion
4. Rub both venison shanks with the butter mixture on all sides.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large cast iron dutch oven (at least 5.5 quarts). Sear both sides of the shanks. About 2 minutes each side
6. In a large bowl whisk together the tomato paste, maple syrup, beef broth, hard apple cider, 3 tablespoons miso paste, vinegar and tamari.
7. Remove the shanks from the dutch oven. Place the shanks on a plate, be careful the dutch oven is still very hot.
8. Deglaze the dutch oven with the beef broth apple cider mixture and bring it to a simmer.
9. Add the chopped leeks and cook until they are wilted.
10. Add the mushrooms to the pot. Nestle the shanks in, making sure they are in the liquid.
11. Add in a rosemary sprig and fresh sage sprig.
12. Cover and braise for 3 hours in the oven until vegetables are tender and meat shreds easily with a fork.
13. Meanwhile, make the grits. In a medium pot bring the water to a boil. Add in the salt and butter.
14. Once the water is boiling, continuously stir while slowly adding in the grits.
15. Bring the grits back up to a boil then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover.
16. Cook for 15, taking the lid off to stir every 5 minutes.
17. Once the grits are cooked, add in the cheese and Jalapeño brine.
18. Cook for ten more minutes with the lid off until the grits thicken.
19. Allow the grits to cool slightly for ten minutes, as they cool they will thicken even more.
20. Prepare the gremolata by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.
21. Remove the braise from the oven, remove the sage and rosemary spring, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
22. Serve hot with cheddar cheese grits, top with gremolata.

Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist

Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.

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