What cut of veal is this?

[DanM]

The local grocer had a couple of packages of jarret de veau, or veal shank for half price. Clearly, this is not the case or the French have some strange cut of shank that does not include the bone. I am hoping someone here might be able to identify what cut this is. It is boneless and came in two pieces, weighed about 500g and are about 15cm long. Any help will be appreciated. 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Smithy
Corrected title spelling (log)

[rotuts]

Its my understanding that shank is a shin sort of meat :

 

two pics :

 

 

 

the shank is from the lower leg

 

both front and back as far as I can tell

 

the second pic notes the various muscle groups around that

 

shank bone.

 

hope you enjoy them !

 

pls post back on what you diode with them !

 

cheers

[chromedome]

Yeah, it looks like they've cut what would be called the calf muscles in a human (oh, the irony!) away from the bone and packaged them separately.

 

Kind of a bummer, when veal bones add so much to a braise.

[DanM]

Thanks. I have only seen it cut cross wise for osso bucco. Any suggestions on how to prepare it? Grill and cut into medallions? Veal schnitzel? 

[Shelby]

I agree with the above that they are the calf muscles.  Venison looks just like yours.  In venison there are very tough tendons running lengthwise through the meat  that I remove (I use this cut for making burger out of due to toughness).  Maybe in veal they aren't tough though?  

[rotuts]

@DanM

 

do you do Sous Vide ?

 

if not , please look into this

 

these cuts are tough , but probably w good flavor and plenty of

 

gelatin , which makes for fine sauce.

[chromedome]

17 minutes ago, DanM said:

Thanks. I have only seen it cut cross wise for osso bucco. Any suggestions on how to prepare it? Grill and cut into medallions? Veal schnitzel? 

 

Grilling wouldn't be your best choice, unless you're looking to work out your jaw muscles. A braise would be the traditional option, or (as Rotuts suggested) sous vide would be the non-traditional way to make it tender.

Schnitzel is an interesting suggestion, one I wouldn't have thought of. I'm guessing you'd have to hammer it pretty thoroughly, but if pork leg works I don't see why veal wouldn't.

[DanM]

Sadly, I have not replaced the sous vide side our move to Switzerland. Maybe braise in a pressure cooker to help break down the connective tissue?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I would cut them into thick medallions, lightly flour, sear and cook as osso buco, which your cut is but minus the "osso".    Chopped shallot or onion, garlic, carrots, thyme, VERY TINY KISS of rosemary, white wine and veal stock, or chicken stock + beef stock mixed.     Braise in oven at 275 for maybe 3 hours.     Test with carving fork for doneness.   Serve with pappardelle or  polenta.   

 

When will you be serving?     Is casual dress okay?

 

This cut at my local butcher, with bone, was 25.99/ pound the other day.   

[DanM]

37 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

I would cut them into thick medallions, lightly flour, sear and cook as osso buco, which your cut is but minus the "osso".    Chopped shallot or onion, garlic, carrots, thyme, VERY TINY KISS of rosemary, white wine and veal stock, or chicken stock + beef stock mixed.     Braise in oven at 275 for maybe 3 hours.     Test with carving fork for doneness.   Serve with pappardelle or  polenta.   

 

When will you be serving?     Is casual dress okay?

 

This cut at my local butcher, with bone, was 25.99/ pound the other day.   

 

We will serve around 7-7:30. Tickets to Geneva are your concern. Dress as you wish. Just a warning, we have three kids who just finished their first week of school.

[DanM]

Sorry for the delayed follow up. In the end, I did a simple braise in the pressure cooker with herbs and aromatics. In addition, I made a chantrelle cream sauce, roasted potatoes and courgettes with dill, and challah. The veal with buttery soft after 40 minutes in the pressure cooker. 

 

Thanks again for the advice!

 

Dan

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Sounds like you did quite nicely.      FWIW, this is a French cut, aka souris d'veau, called a "mouse" because of its shape.

 

And your cooking/seasoning is classic also.   Here, plated with mushrooms.

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)