veal
Meat from a young calf, pale pink and much more tender and mild-flavored than beef from a mature animal, since the muscle hasn't had time to develop beef's fuller flavor or toughness. Used in classic European cooking (scaloppine, osso buco) and, in small amounts, added to a mixed-meat stew for a subtler layer of flavor alongside beef and pork.
Buying guidance
Less commonly stocked than beef or pork -- a well-stocked butcher counter or specialty market is more likely to carry it than a standard grocery store. Look for pale pink, fine-grained meat; a deeper red color suggests an older animal, closer to beef.
Substitutions
- Pork -- the closest easy substitute in a stew, milder than beef though not identical to veal's specific delicacy.
- Chicken (dark meat) -- a different flavor family, but similarly mild and tender.
- Omit and use more beef or pork instead -- fine in a mixed-meat dish where veal is one of several meats rather than the star.
Tips & common mistakes
Treating it like beef and cooking it to the same doneness can leave lean cuts dry, since veal has less fat marbling -- it benefits from either a quick sear to a lower doneness or a long, moist braise, with less margin in between than beef has.
Storage
Keeps refrigerated for a couple of days, tightly wrapped, similar to other fresh meat; freezes well for a few months.