Name: Braised Veal Shanks with Bacon-Parmesan Crumbs
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 2 3-3 1/2 pound veal shanks; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 6 ounces thick-cut bacon, finely chopped, divided; 12 whole cloves; 2 medium onions, peeled, quartered; 2 heads garlic, halved lengthwise; 1/2 bunch rosemary; 1/2 bunch thyme; 1/2 bunch sage, plus 2 tablespoons leaves; 4 bay leaves; 1 cup dry white wine; 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes; 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 1/2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs; 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan; You'll often see veal shanks cut crosswise into osso buco, but around the holidays, we like to braise them whole for a dramatic presentation. Call in advance so the butcher sets aside the entire pieces for you. There's no need to have them trimmed; the meat will shrink on the bones as it braises.

Braised Veal Shanks with Bacon-Parmesan CrumbsChristopher Testani

There's marrow in those bones! Scoop out the cooked marrow and whisk it into the braising liquid, or eat it on a crust of bread with salt. You earned it.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

55 Ways to Cook With Canned Whole Tomatoes
Dust off that can of tomatoes in the back of your pantry—you're looking at dinner.
23 Scary-Good Roasts for Halloween
Warm up after trick-or-treating with these frightfully delicious bone-in braises and roasts.

Skillet Gnocchi With Leeks and Bacon

An elegant, satisfying dinner in under 30 minutes.

Frijoles Peruanos (Peruvian Refried Beans)

Mayocobas, or canary beans, are the quick-cooking pantry ingredient you should know about.

Pasta Alla Mezcal

This marinara sauce is great tossed with any pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will leave you thinking, “Why didn’t anyone try this sooner?”

Pasta Carbonara With Pancetta

This classic carbonara traps crispy pancetta and all that silky sauce in big tubes of rigatoni.

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Maple Bacon Cabbage Wedges

Roasted cabbage wedges get cloaked in a salty-sweet glaze of maple syrup and Dijon mustard before getting topped with crunchy bacon.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Stacked Muffuletta Salad

This towering salad—built with the components of a muffuletta sandwich like mortadella and an olive dressing—is ready for a party.

Recipe notes

55 Ways to Cook With Canned Whole Tomatoes

23 Scary-Good Roasts for Halloween