Veal stew is one of the classic Sunday family second courses. Preparing the veal stew is simple, but there are some rules to get a perfect recipe. Veal stew with potatoes is the most classic, but you can also serve it with peas or with different side dishes that enhance the rustic but still delicate flavor of this ancient preparation. The stewed veal stew must be soft and succulent, so the first secret is slow cooking. Here are all the tips from Fine Dining Lovers for preparing veal stew.
Veal stew: which cut of meat to choose
Slow cooking is the first ingredient in veal stew. As with all meat-based recipes that require long cooking, a not too lean cut of meat must also be chosen for the veal stew. Lean cuts of meat, free of fat and connective tissues are not suitable for this preparation because they would return a dry and stringy dish, far from the characteristic softness of the classic veal stew. During cooking, the fat will give softness to the meat and the connective tissues, melting with prolonged heat, will give even more flavor to the stew. To prepare the veal stew choose:
- the part of the large muscle in the neck that has connective tissue and is ideal for slow cooking;
- the spindle, also called pulp or Trello, in addition to the succulence this part of the animal has the characteristic of being quite cheap;
- belly, it is the fattest part and therefore the tastiest and most succulent.
Veal stew: all the tips
There is no need for marinating: even if the marinated meat is always softer and juicier, no marinating is required for the preparation of the veal stew.
Potatoes: the classic combination of stew and potatoes makes this recipe even more enveloping and creamy thanks to the starch of the potatoes.
Don’t rush: if you have little time to prepare dinner or lunch, don’t choose the veal stew. This recipe takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare.
Aromas: aromatic herbs, which are too often underestimated, in the preparation of veal stew are essential to give perfume and aroma to the recipe. Rosemary is indispensable in a stewed stew.
The temperature: serve the hot veal stew, it’s comfort food!
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 800 g of veal pulp
- 1 carrot
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 small yellow or white onion
- 400 g of potatoes
- 1 glass of still white wine
- Flour to taste
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 liter of meat or vegetable broth
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Preparation:
- To prepare the veal stew, start with the saute.
- Cut celery, carrot, and onion into cubes and brown the vegetables in a pan with a drizzle of oil.
- Meanwhile, cut the meat into cubes and flour it lightly.
- Heat a little oil in a large pan and brown the meat very well.
- Add the wine and let it evaporate.
- At this point add the sautéed vegetables, stir, add the rosemary, and cover with the broth.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 minutes over low heat.
- Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into pieces.
- Add the potatoes to the stew and continue cooking for 1 hour.
- 10 minutes after cooking, season with salt and pepper.
- To taste, before serving, add coarse chopped parsley to give a little freshness to the dish.
