Veal will be moist and flavorful when cooked to medium doneness (160 degrees) or faintly pink in the center. Veal cooks very quickly due to the low amounts of fat in the meat. Attention needs to be paid to this fact when preparing veal. If veal is overcooked the tenderness of the meat may be affected.

The following are the steps to a wonderful veal meal at home. 

Purchasing Veal

Look at cost per serving when purchasing veal. Most veal cuts have very little waste. Cuts that contain more bone and /or fat naturally yield fewer servings per pound. To determine cost per serving, first look at the number of servings per pound. Second, take the price per pound and divide by the number of servings per pound.

Select veal that is a delicate, creamy pink color with fat that is a milk white color.

Select packages of veal that feel cold to the touch, are securely wrapped with no signs of leakage.

Veal is available in the self-service meat case and the full service case. If the cut of veal is not available call the meat manager and request the particular cut you desire.

                                     Storage Tips

Unopened, pre-packaged veal may be refrigerated 1 to 2 days after purchase.

For longer storage, freeze veal in its original wrapping up to 2 weeks at 0 degrees or lower. For longer freezer storage (6 to 9 months), wrap veal in a moisture/vapor proof material such as aluminum foil, heavy duty plastic wrap or polyethylene film. You can also place veal in food-safe plastic freezer storage bags, be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. Store ground veal no longer than 3 months. For convenience, leave roasts whole; place smaller cuts such as chops or ground veal patties in meal-size packages.

Defrost veal in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Allow 4 to 7 hours per pound for a large roast, 3 to 5 hours per pound for a smaller roast, 12 hours for 1-inch thick chops. Gauge time for defrosting ground veal by package thickness. 

Cooking Methods

Veal can be cooked the same ways beef cuts are cooked. Methods for cooking veal include dry heat (such as roasting, broiling, panbroiling, pan-frying, stir-frying and outdoor grilling) and moist heat (such as braising or cooking in liquid). Tender cuts of meat cooked by dry-heat methods, result in tender and juicy recipes. Less-tender cuts must be cooked for longer periods of time by moist-heat methods in order to tenderize the meat, to keep it juicy and to develop flavor. Always remember that veal cooks much faster than beef and needs shorter cooking periods.

                                                    Roasting

Roasting is recommended for loin, rib, rump and shoulder roasts. To roast, place meat on rack in a roasting pan; do not cover or add water. Roast in a slow oven (300 to 325 degrees) until 5 degrees below desired doneness. Final meat thermometer reading should be: 160 degrees for medium doneness and 170 degrees for well done.

Broiling

Broiling or panbroiling is excellent for tender veal chops and ground veal patties. Less tender cuts such as the arm and blade steak can be broiled after marinating. To broil, place veal on rack of broiler pan. Position thinner cuts 3 to 6 inches from the heat. Broil to medium (160 degrees) or well done (170 degrees).

Panbroiling

Panbroiling is a faster and more convenient method than oven broiling for cooking thinner steaks or chops. To panbroil, place veal in a preheated heavy skillet. Cook cutlets and other thin cuts over medium-high heat, uncovered and without water.

Panfrying

Panfrying is best for ground veal and small or thin cuts. Panfrying differs from panbroiling in that a small amount of fat is added first or allowed to accumulate during the cooking.

Braising

A moist-heat cooking method such as braising is suitable for less tender cuts of veal such as the shoulder and breast. To braise, slowly brown veal on all sides in a small amount of heated oil in a heavy pan. Pour off drippings and add a small amount of liquid. Cover tightly and cook at a low temperature on top of the range or in a 300 degree oven until fork tender.

Grilling Veal

• Almost any veal cut that can be broiled can also be grilled.
• Grill veal cuts over medium temperature coals.
• Use well trimmed veal to avoid flare-ups.
• Use tongs to turn the veal. A fork will pierce the meat, allowing flavorful juices to escape.
• Determine the doneness of chops or steaks by making a small slit near the bone and checking for desired color, or faintly pink for medium doneness.

Degree of Doneness

The degree of doneness can easily be determined by measuring the internal temperature using a standard meat thermometer or quick recovery/instant read thermometer. Veal should be cooked to 160 degrees for medium and 170 degrees for well done. 

Leftovers

Leftover, cooked veal should be wrapped or covered and refrigerated within an hour after cooking. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Tightly wrapped, veal can be frozen up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Veal is a naturally lean meat. On average, a three-ounce cooked , trimmed serving has 166 calories, 5.6 grams of total fat, 1.6 grams of saturated fat and 100 milligrams of cholesterol. Nutrition