Osso Bucco

I love lamb.  I love everything about those fluffy four-legged critters.  They're so cute and cuddly.   Did you know that a lamb stays a lamb until its first birthday?  It then transform into sheep.  Now, don't get me started on SHEEP!  As a celtic musician, I know enough Scot's out there to know too much about sheep...and I worry about them.  The sheep, not the Scot's.

But going back to the cuteness factor of lamb, how many of you out there remember Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop?  I LOVED Lamb Chop as a small child. I had a stuffed Lamb Chop toy and carried it around everywhere.  Lamb Chop was my hero, as was Shari Lewis...until now because as I write this I have a sudden epiphany... Lamb Chop is the source of LAMB CHOPS!! Shari Lewis, how could you!!  Had I the wherewithal to understand Lamb Chop was a lamb chop at the time, I'm sure I would have boycotted her show and her puppets.

A few years went by..

Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop finally worked their way out of my consciousness and I had eaten and enjoyed many lamb chops (thanks mom!!).  I was a teen growing up in urban Canoga Park, California.  Ironically, farms were right down the street from our house.  My friend Tom lived on one of those farms.  His family owned chickens, goats, horses, and lambs.  Or maybe they were sheep as I never asked their age.  I loved everything about Tom's family farm.  We built houses in walnut trees, chased chickens, rode horses, and one day, we peered into one of the work rooms and saw Tom's father getting ready to butcher one of the lambs.  Talk about being a confused adolescent.  I loved lamb chops but I couldn't bear seeing one slaughtered.  No, that was it for me...no more lamb chops.

Until a few years later again..

I was in my 20's and ordered Osso Bucco at a restaurant not realizing it contained lamb shanks  And it was FABULOUS!!  Fall-off-the-bone tender and in a perfect trifecta of sauce from veggies, spices, and wine. I just couldn't get enough.  Lamb chops were once again fair game for dining.

Which brings me to today.  As I mentioned before, there are some in my household that do not approve of my indulgence with certain animals so I rarely cook them.  This includes lamb.  Here's a recent conversation at home regarding lamb:

Me: But sweetie, I love Osso Bucco with lamb shanks and sometimes dream about them.
Wife: Fine, you can dream about them but you can't cook or eat them in my presence.
Me:  But they're so good.
Wife: Either them or me.
Me:  I would never eat you.
Wife: Grrrrrrrrrr

So, I've taken to Turkey Drumsticks as my Osso Bucco surrogate.  I know, it's not quite the same but it keeps the peace in my house and comes very close to satisfying my desire for that perfect fall-off-the-bone-with-trifecta-sauce.

I'd like to now share with you a recent Turkey Osso Bucco recipe:

Here's what you are going to need:

• 1 1/2 TBS Sea Salt
• 2 TSP Ground Cumin
• 2 TSP Chipotle Chile Pepper
• 1 TSP Ground Coriander
• 1 TSP Garlic Powder
• 1 TSP Onion Powder
• 2 or 3 Turkey Legs
• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 2 Medium Carrots, Chopped
• 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
• 2 Dried Chili Peppers
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 3 Garlic Cloves, Coarsely Chopped
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth (Low Sodium if possible)
• 1 Bottle Beer (I used IPA but you can use anything you like)
• 2 TBS Butter
• 2 Limes, Halved

Cooking this dish requires the turkey legs to be seasoned over night.  Once seasoned, the real party can begin.

• Combine Sea Salt, Cumin, Chile Pepper, Coriander, Garlic and Onion Powder into a rub mixture.

• Spread rub mixture over the turkey legs and place in the refrigerator overnight.

• On day 2, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove turkey from refrigerator and allow to stand for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
• Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Brown turkey legs in dutch oven on all sides.

• Remove turkey legs to a plate and let stand while you prepare the trifecta.

• Chop the carrots and onion and saute them in the turkey leg drippings in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  This will take about 10 minutes.

• When the carrots and onions are in their happy place, stir in the garlic and saute for an additional 2 minutes.

• Parties getting started now.  With the carrots, onions, and garlic all happy, it's now time to add the dried chile peppers and cinnamon stick.  Saute for an additional 5 minutes making sure all the brown bits are stirred up.  You should smell the cinnamon after a few minutes.

• Stir in the broth and beer.  I highly recommend taking a big swig of the beer before dumping into the mixture.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

• The turkey legs can now join the party.  Place them in the mixture.

• Cover the turkey legs with parchment paper.  Place the lid on the Dutch oven making sure it is a tight fit.  Then place in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for up to 2 hours.

• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes.  During this time, preheat the broiler with an oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.  
• After standing for 30 minutes, discard the parchment paper from the Dutch oven.

• Carefully remove the turkey legs and place them on a lightly greased rack.  Place them in the broiler for 3-4 minutes per side until the skin crisps.  When done, remove them to a serving platter.

• The remaining liquid in the Dutch oven has had time to settle
• Skim off the fat that may have accumulated at the top of the mixture.  
• Pour the liquid through a strainer into a medium sauce pan discarding all the solids from the trifecta sauce you are about to create.
• Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce reduces slightly.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Squeeze the lime over the turkey breast followed by a healthy helping of sauce.

Congratulations!!!