CHOOSING AND BUYING VEAL

In Ontario, consumers have the choice of purchasing and cooking with grain-fed veal

or milk-fed veal. Each type has its own distinct flavour and texture. Look for veal with a fine grain. Milk-fed veal should be creamy pink in colour and

grain-fed veal should be reddish-pink in colour. Any fat cover should be milky white. Always look

at the packaged date or the best before date when selecting veal from the meat case. Veal that

is spoiling can appear to have a greyish-green colour. As well, packages should be securely

wrapped with no signs of leakage. Packages should also be cool to the touch and without any

tears or punctures in the wrapping.

For more cooking tips and recipes, visit;www.ontariovealappeal.ca

Keep this brochure with all your

favourite recipes for handy reference. Using this

guide will help take the mystery out of cooking

with veal and give you and your family many

more meal choices to enjoy.

TENDERIZING FLAVOUR TIPSSIDES AND SEASONINGS Dry Rub:

Apply herbs and spices to the outside of the meat before roasting, grilling or frying. Rub a little bit of oil (olive or vegetable) on the veal first so that the rub will stick.

Marinate:Soak the meat in a mixture of oils, herbs and acidic ingredients such as juices, vinegar or wine. Marinating can also tenderize the meat before cooking.

Crust or bread:Coat veal in a variety of herbs, ground nuts, breadcrumbs or other crust ingredients.

Sauce or glaze:Top cooked veal with a blend of flavours while adding moisture to the dish. This can include gravies prepared from drippings, prepared sauces, or adding glaze to the veal in the last phase of cooking.

Stuffing:Fill veal with an assortment of vegetables, herbs, nuts, cheeses, rice or seasoned bread cubes.

Wines and liqueurs:Chardonnay and other white wines, Marsala, Madeira, Cognac, Vermouth and Brandy.

Fruits and juices:Citrus juice and zest, blood orange, kumquat, apple, cranberry, plantain and dried apricot.

Herbs, spices and flavourings: Fresh thyme, sage, anise, rosemary, fennel and basil. Infused oil, truffle oil, wood smoke, soy sauce and salsa verde.

Vegetables:Fresh and dried tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant, squash, artichoke, leek, shallot, onion, potatoes and peppers.

Other ingredients:Prosciutto, crab, lobster, mushrooms, capers, pine nuts, pecans, brie, feta, mozzarella, bacon and pancetta.

Marinating is the most popular way to tenderize meat and enhance its flavour. There is usually an acid in marinades, so any dish used to soak them should be glass, glazed, or stainless steel. Remember to refrigerate any foods in their marinade if the marinating period is longer than one hour. Marinating for 12 hours or more cuts the cooking time by approximately one third. Allow about half a cup of marinade for every pound of meat.

Other methods of tenderizing meat include grinding, cubing or delicating, which mechanically breaks down the meat’s connective tissue. Pounding meat, as directed in some recipes, achieves the same results. This can be done using a meat mallet—place the veal between two pieces of plastic wrap when pounding to keep your preparation area clean.

Veal offers a world of tasty possibilities

just waiting to be discovered. You can do more than veal

parmigiana! Veal is deliciously versatile and its leanness

and lack of internal marbling make it wonderfully low fat.

In order to enhance its delicate flavours, make sure you

follow cooking times and temperatures closely.

www.ontariovealappeal.ca

VEALGUIDECOOKING

™ “VEAL APPEAL” and the “ONTARIO VEAL APPEAL Smile Logo” are trademarks of the Ontario Veal Association.

†

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ROTISSERIEThis is a form of roasting. As with other dry-heat methods, low to moderate temperatures should be used. Veal cuts should be as uniform in shape and thickness as possible. Insert the spit though the center of the roast lengthwise, fastening the meat securely so that it does not slip. Insert a meat thermometer. Cook veal to the desired degree of doneness. Meat cooked on a rotisserie is self-basting, but it may be basted occasionally for added flavour and colour. Sweet basting sauces should not be applied until the last half hour of cooking as they will burn and blacken the roast.

Alternatively, if you would like to cook your veal roast on the BBQ but don’t have a rotisserie, you can turn on only one BBQ burner and place the roast on the side that is turned off to cook the roast. This method will cook the roast while preventing it from burning. Be sure to keep the lid down to keep the heat in.

BROILINGVeal steaks and chops should be at least three quarters of an inch thick. Trim excess fat from the meat and slash the edge of fat at two inch intervals so it won’t curl during broiling. Preheat broiler, place the meat on the rack then place the pan in the broiler. Steaks, chops and patties three quarters to one inch thick should be two to three inches from

the heat; cuts one to two inches thick should be three to five inches from the heat. Broil

meat until top is browned. Season top if desired and turn. Broil until

desired degree of doneness; cut slit near bone and check colour

to test doneness.

PAN-FRYINGBrown the meat on both sides in a skillet, over medium to medium heat, using a little oil. Add a little cooking oil only if the cut is low in fat or if veal is

coated with flour or bread crumbs. Season

if desired, and continue cooking over medium-

low to medium heat, turning occasionally until

done. Do not cover or crispness will be lost.

BRAISING This works well for chops, steaks and roasts. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, in a little hot oil, brown the meat on all sides; spoon off drippings. Season meat and add a little liquid. Cover the pan tightly to keep in the steam and simmer the meat over low heat. Add any vegetables just long enough before meat is done to cook them. Meat is ready when it is fork tender.

STEwINGFor browned stew, in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, in a little hot oil, brown the pieces of veal on all sides, a few at a time, removing them as they brown. Veal may be coated with flour before browning as this will help retain the juices of the meat and thicken any liquid used. When all pieces are browned, return meat to the pan, for a light stew, omit flouring and browning. Add liquid just to cover the meat. Season, if desired, cover, and simmer (don’t boil) until the meat is fork-tender. Add any vegetables just long enough before the meat is done to cook them. When done, remove both meat and vegetables to a warm dish and keep hot. If desired, thicken the remaining liquid to make a gravy or sauce.

ROASTINGPreheat oven to 325°F (160°C) for most veal cuts. Season veal if desired and place fat side up on a rack in an open roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer and roast veal to desired degree of doneness. Roasts continue to cook after they are removed from the oven, so you may wish to stop cooking when the thermometer reads about five degrees below the desired temperature. When roasting veal, an extra layer of fat may be required to prevent the veal from drying out. The use of an oil rib or adding slices of bacon will help ensure your roast remains tender and moist. Do not add liquid or cover.

GRILLING OR BARBECUINGVeal should be cooked over medium heat to prevent charring on the outside before the center is cooked. Rub the grill with oil to prevent meat from sticking. Cook veal chops, kabobs and roasts to medium doneness (centre will be slightly pink). Ground veal burgers and other recipes using ground meat must be cooked to well done. The juices should be clear and the meat will be a brownish colour throughout with no pink showing. Avoid frequent turning of the meat. Use tongs, not a fork to avoid piercing the meat and releasing the juices. To avoid cross contamination, always place cooked food on a clean serving plate, not the one that held the raw meat.

COOKING METHODSType of Cut weight

(lbs)

Meat Thermometer

Reading

Approximate cooking time

(hours)

Oven Temperature

Leg Roast 5 – 8 160°F (71°C) 2 – 3 1/4 325°F (160°C)

Loin Roast 4 – 6 160°F (71°C) 2 – 3 325°F (160°C)

Rib Roast 3 – 5 160°F (71°C) 1 3/4 – 3 325°F (160°C)

Shoulder Roast 4 – 6 170°F (76°C) to 180°F (83°C)

2 3/4 – 4 325°F (160°C)

Remove meat from the oven when the internal temperature is five to ten degrees below desired doneness, as the meat continues cooking after being removed.Plan on one-quarter to one-third pound per serving when meat is boneless; one-third to half a pound per serving when meat has the bone in. Plan to have extra servings ready for hearty appetites or for leftovers.

GUIDELINES FOR ROASTING VEAL

Once veal is taken off the heat, be sure to let steaks and roasts rest before carving to avoid losing the flavourful juices. Follow these guidelines on how long to let the meat rest:Steaks – wait one to two minutesRoasts – wait ten to fifteen minutes. Keep covered.

TIPS

CARVING VEAL

Braise BBQ Broil Roast Panfry Cook in liquid

Leg

(Rou

nd) Boneless Rump Roast l l l

Leg Cutlet l l l

Round Steak l l l

Top Round Steak l l l

Sirloi

n

Boneless Sirloin Roast l

Sirloin Roast l

Sirloin Steak l l l l

Top Sirloin Steak l l l l

Loin

Boneless Loin Roast l

Butterfly Chop l l l l

Kidney Chop l l l

Loin Chop l l l l

Loin Roast l

Top Loin Chop l l l l

Rib

Boneless Rib Chop l l l l

Boneless Rib Roast l

Crown Roast l

Rib Chop l l l l

Rib Roast l

Short Ribs l l l

Shou

lder

Arm Roast l l

Arm Steak l l l

Blade Roast l l l

Blade Steak l l l

Boneless Shouler Arm Roast l l l

Boneless Shoulder Eye Roast l l l

Fore

shan

k an

d Bre

ast

Boneless Breast Roast l l l

Breast l l

Cross Cut Shank l l

Riblet l l

Shank l l

Othe

r

Cubed Steak l l

Cubes for Kabobs l l

Ground Veal l l l

Veal for Stew l l

Most tender cuts of veal are best cooked by dry heat, roasted, cooked on a rotisserie, broiled, grilled or pan fried. Less tender cuts should be cooked slowly in moist heat, braised, pot roasted or cooked in liquid. In general, cuts from the loin and rib are the most tender, while cuts from the shoulder and leg are less so.

HELPFUL HINTS

Always use a sharp knife.Place roast or steak on a wooden cutting board to prevent slipping.For best results, carve meat into slices by cutting across the grain. This is usually the same direction as the strings that tie the roast are going.

•••

† These cuts of meat are lean. Choosing leaner meats is part of healthy eating. The Ontario Veal Association financially supports the Health Check™ education program. This is not an endorsement. See www.healthcheck.org

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