ABOUT ROSE VEAL
Does Rose Veal Look or Taste Different?
Rose Veal is more tender and has a more delicate, subtle flavor than beef. It can be described as “lighter,” “gentler,” or “mellower” in flavor, yet it is anything but bland. Our Rose Veal simply has its own kind of pastured flavor, built from the animal’s diet of milk, pasture and a very limited amount of grain.
Rose Veal is, unlike conventional white-hued veal, a rosy-pink hue even when cooked.
How is Rose Veal Different from Conventional Veal?
Our delicious Rose Veal comes from animals raised outdoors on pasture, with plenty of room to graze and move around. They are never forcibly confined, as is common in conventional veal. Instead, these animals nurse from their mother until 6-8 months, and then enjoy a diet of grass and locally-grown grain (including hay and haylage, fermented grain). The 500 acre farm where they are raised includes 150 acres devoted to wildlife management.
COOKING ROSE VEAL
How do I Cook Rose Veal?
Our Rose Veal is much leaner than conventional confined veal. As such, take care not to overcook it. Cuts that will be hot-roasted or grilled, including Veal Chops, Rack of Veal and Veal Shoulder Roast, benefit immensely from a simple saltwater brine for 6-8hrs. Brine it in the morning, cook it that night
How do I Brine Rose Veal?
Don’t be intimidated! Brining is actually quite easy and makes your veal chops significantly more tender, succulent, and much more forgiving of overcooking.
Make enough brine to cover your meat. The volume of liquid needed depends on the vessel you are using, but the only important thing is that the meat is submerged and the weight of salt is correct.
For a 3.5% brine, use 35g salt in 1L water. For 5% brine, use 50g salt in 1L water. (We like a 3.5% brine, but if you like your meat a bit saltier, you can go up to 5%. When we refer to a "X percent brine", we are talking about the percentage of salt, by weight, relative to the amount of water.)
You can add other flavorings to the brine such as spices, herbs, or sweeteners.
For smaller cuts like chops, you'll want to brine about 8 hours. For a large whole muscle roast, you'll want to brine 12-16 hours. Brine the meat in the fridge. After brining, remove the meat from the liquid and discard the brine, then pat the meat dry with a paper towel.
Can I Follow Any Recipe for Cooking Rose Veal?
If you’re following a stewing or braising recipe, yes.
If you’re grilling or roasting over high heat, remember that this Rose Veal is lean and should be brined first. After brining, you can go ahead with any recipe for conventional veal. Meat from these pasture-raised calves is more similar to grass-fed beef or heritage pork than conventional veal, so you might try recipes for these meats as well.
Do you Have Recipes for Rose Veal?
We have wonderful recipes for Rose Veal which you can find here.