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Veal: the other; other white meat.
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Veal is the meat of young, usually male, calves that are by-products of the dairy industry. Dairy cows must calve before they begin to give milk. Calves that aren’t used in the dairy herds are used in today’s veal industry. Although veal may come from any calf under the age of nine months, most comes from calves slaughtered when they are eight to sixteen weeks old.
Veal is lighter in color than beef, has a more delicate flavor and is generally more tender. Young veal has a firm texture, light pink color and very little fat. As soon as the calf starts eating solid food, the iron in the food begins to turn the young animal’s meat red. Meat from calves slaughtered when they are older than five months is called calf. It tends to be a deeper red, with some marbling and external fat.
Veal’s mild flavor and low fat content makes it a popular meat, especially among those looking for an alternative to beef. Its delicate flavor is complimented by classic and modern sauces.
After slaughter, the calf carcass can be split down the backbone into two bilateral halves, or more typically, cut along the natural curvature between the 11th and the 12th ribs into a foresaddle (front portion) and a hindsaddle (back portion). The veal carcass yields five primal cuts: three from the foresaddle (the shoulder, foreshank and breast, and rib), and two from the hindsaddle (the loin and leg). The veal shoulder, rib and loin primal cuts both contain bilateral portions; that is, a veal loin contains both sides of the animal’s loin.
Formula-fed veal vs. Free-range veal
Most veal produced today is known as formula-fed veal. Formula-fed calves are only fed nutrient-rich liquids; they are tethered in pens only slightly larger than their bodies in order to restrict their movements. Preventing the calves from eating grasses and food other foods containing iron keeps their flesh white; restricting movement keeps their muscles from toughening. In recent years, controversy and allegations of cruelty have arisen concerning these methods.
An alternative to formula-fed veal is Free-range veal. Free-range veal is produced from calves that are allowed to roam freely and eat grasses and other natural foods. Because they consume feed containing iron, their flesh is a reddish pink and has a substantially different flavor than meat from formula-fed calves of the same age.
Opinions differ on which has the better flavor. Some chefs prefer the consistently mild, sweet taste of formula-fed veal. Others prefer the more substantial flavor of free-range veal. The two are interchangeable in recipes. Cost, however, may be the ultimate deciding factor when determining which to use. Free-range veal is more expensive than formula-fed veal because of its limited production.
Nutrition
Like beef, veal is a major source of protein as well as niacin, zinc, and B vitamins. Veal has less marbling than beef. When trimmed of any visible fat, veal is lower in fat and calories than comparable beef cuts. And it is leaner than many cuts of pork and poultry.
