Meat · Beef

Veal cutlet

Pale, mild, tender meat from young calves; here thin cutlets (escalopes) for schnitzel and scaloppine.

Also called: veal, veal escalope, veal leg cutlet, kalbfleisch

Around the world: Kalbfleisch (de) · vitello (it) · veau (fr)

A kind of beef

What it is

Veal is meat from young cattle. It is pale pink, fine-grained and milder than beef, with very little fat. This record is the thin, boneless cutlet or escalope cut from the leg, which is pounded thinner and cooked in minutes. Pork or chicken escalopes are the usual alternatives.

How it’s used

Wiener Schnitzel
Scaloppine with lemon or marsala
Saltimbocca with prosciutto and sage
Veal parmigiana
Rolled and stuffed (involtini)

Characteristics

Taste: Delicate and mild.
Texture: Very tender and fine.
When cooked: Cooks in a minute or two per side; overcooking quickly toughens it. Pound evenly between sheets of film before breading.
Sold as: fresh, frozen
Cooking uses: Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying
Common in: Austrian, German, Italian, French, Swiss

Kinds in our pantry

Veal shank (cross-cut)

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep sealed on the bottom shelf of the fridge and cook within a day or two, or freeze.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Food-safety guidance for whole cuts of beef, lamb, veal and pork is 63 °C (145 °F) in the centre followed by a 3-minute rest; slow-cooked cuts are taken far higher for tenderness.
Store raw meat sealed on the bottom shelf of the fridge and keep separate boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat food.