Selecting the perfect cut
All veal that is sold on the retail market has been inspected by provincial or federal government inspectors who visually inspect all veal calves before and during processing to ensure the highest standard of meat quality and safety.

Ontario produces both milk-fed and grain-fed veal, each with its own unique flavour profile. The milk-fed is light pink in colour, very tender with a subtle taste. Grain-fed veal is a darker pink, also very tender but with a mild beef flavour. In both cases Ontario veal tends to absorb the flavours it is cooked with making it the perfect canvas on which to paint your favourite seasonings and sauces.

Look for veal that is non-fibrous with a fine grain. Always look at the packaged date and the best before date when selecting veal from the meat case. Packages should be securely wrapped with no signs of leakage and should be cool to the touch and without any tears or punctures in the wrapping. Do not purchase any veal that looks “off-colour” i.e. grayish-green.

cuts chart

Food Safety best practices

Handling veal:

• Thaw meat in the refrigerator or microwave (at reduced power setting). Never defrost meat on the kitchen counter.
• Wash hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before preparing food.
• Keep raw meat from coming into contact with other raw foods such as fresh vegetables and salad ingredients during preparation.
• Use separate platters for raw and cooked food.
• Do not wait for leftovers to cool down. Store them in small, shallow, covered containers within two hours of cooking.

Guidelines:

• Rinse meat with cold water before cooking to rinse away any bacteria.
• Keep utensils and cutting boards used to prepare meat separate from those used to prepare fruits and vegetables.
• Be sure to thoroughly wash all utensils you use to prepare raw meat with hot, soapy water.
• Keep wood cutting boards clean by washing them every few days with a diluted bleach and water solution.
• Never leave yet-to-be cooked or already cooked foods at room temperature for long periods of time. A lukewarm temperature allows for bacteria to grow rapidly, thereby producing more toxins.
• Keep foods hot on the stove or in the oven until you are ready to serve them.
• Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible.
• When cooking large batches of food, such as stew, divide the leftovers into small batches that, once in the refrigerator, will cool to temperatures that limit the growth of bacteria.

Storing at home

Refrigeration:

• Refrigerate fresh veal in the meat compartment or in the coldest part of your refrigerator
• Store prepackaged veal in its original wrapping and use within two days
• If veal has not been prepackaged, remove market wrapping paper, rewrap meat loosely in waxed paper or foil (tightly in the case of variety cuts and ground veal), and refrigerate.
• Use ground veal, stew veal and variety cuts within 1 to 2 days, and all other cuts within 2 days.

Storing cooked veal:

• Veal can be refrigerated in a tightly covered container for 4 to 5 days or frozen up to three months.
• If there is hot gravy on the veal, do not store it in quantities larger than one quart. Drain off the gravy and allow it to cool separately. If the veal is stuffed, remove stuffing and store separately.

Freezing:

• Only freeze veal that is fresh and in top condition.
• Package veal into meal-size portions (chops/steaks/patties) using foil, plastic wrap or double thickness wax paper.
• Trim excess fats from cuts, and wherever practical, remove bones to conserve freezer space.
• Do not season ground veal before freezing as this can cause rancidity.
• Freeze gravy and stuffings separately from cooked veal.
• Wrap veal tightly in freezer wrap and label with name of cut, weight or number of servings and date, and freeze as quickly as possible, at -23 C (-10 F) or lower. Keep frozen veal at -18 C (0 F) or lower and use within recommended storage period.
• Avoid freezer burn by packaging frozen veal properly and using within three months of purchase.

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