Slow-Cooker Beef Shank Osso Buco with Lemon-Parsley Gremolata

Ingredients

• For the shanks:
• 4 cross-cut, bone-in beef shanks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch ground cloves
• For the gremolata:
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated zest from 1 or 2 lemons
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. For the shanks: Blot the shanks well with a paper towel. Spread 1 cup flour on a plate. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper, coat it in the flour, and tap away anything extra. Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Set in the meat and leave it alone until the first side is deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes longer. Move the shanks to a slow cooker.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables have started to soften, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, and cook until the mixture smells fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Pour in the wine, using a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
3. Pour everything from the Dutch oven into the slow cooker, then add the stock, vinegar, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and ground clove. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook on low until the meat is tender, about 6 hours.
4. Take out the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and discard them. Skim the fat from the sauce, then ladle 1/2 cup of gravy into a medium saucepan. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour until the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining sauce to the saucepan. Set it over high heat and, whisking often, bring it to a full boil; cook until it thickens to a gravy-like texture, about 4 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
5. For the gremolata: Meanwhile, stir together the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic in a small bowl.
6. Set the shanks on a platter and spoon the sauce over them. Finish with the gremolata and serve.