Grilled Veal Chops with Garlic Herb Crust

Veal Chops can be expensive, so you when you’re cooking veal recipes, you want to be sure it’s one you can COUNT ON. These Grilled Veal Chops with Garlic Herb Crust are my go-to, hands down favorite, because they’re quick and easy to make with very little effort and the end result is truly spectacular.

What is veal?

Just to clear up any confusion… Veal is what we call meat from a baby cow. Not to be confused with lambs (baby sheep) or porcelet (suckling pig). Cows used for veal are typically male dairy cows, raised to 16 to 18 weeks and weighing up to 450 pounds.

Veal is classified as a “red meat” however, the flesh of uncooked veal is typically a light or pale pink color.

Because the young cows don’t have as much muscle as older cattle, the meat is more tender and mild in flavor than traditional beef steaks.

Are veal chops healthy?

They can be. Veal in general, is a healthy protein with Magnesium, Vitamin B-6 and Iron plus 27 grams of protein per 3 ounce serving and about 15 grams of fat, 6 from saturated fat. Veal has about 113 mg of cholesterol, which is 38% of RDV.

The veal chops we used were about 6 ounces each, including the bone.

Veal Chops – Calories

3 ounces of veal has about 240 calories.

Leaner cuts with less fat and marbling can make a difference. Choose veal that’s light pink and not deeply marbled (indicating that the calf was overfed).

Grass fed veal chops would be the healthiest choice.

Ingredients for veal chop marinade

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Tarragon
• Mint
• Lemon Zest
• Garlic
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil

 

How to cook veal chops and other cuts

• Veal loin and rib chops are perfect for dry heat preparations like grilling.
• Breast portions can have more connective tissue and do better for longer cooking, moist heat methods like braising.
• Leg meat is usually a happy medium between tough and tender, and can be roasted, grilled or stewed..
• Cutlets and scallopini usually come from leg meat and they do well in quick pan sautes.
• Veal shoulder is typically the least tender, but cook them the right way and you’re in for a treat.
• Use a moist heat and longer cook time for Shoulder Blade Chops, Shoulder Roast, and Veal Stew Meat or Osso Buco.

How to grill veal chops on a gas or charcoal grill:

Cooking the chops on an outdoor grill is my preferred method. Not only do you get that char-crusted sear on the meat, but it also allows you to add a hint of real wood smoke flavor.

Preheat your grill to a medium to medium high heat (about 450°F). For a gas grill, use the temperature gauge, for a charcoal grill use this method (which I picked up from Steve Raichlen of grilling and barbecue fame).

Once the charcoal has cooked down to embers and is no longer smoking, place your bare hand 3-4 inches above the hot coals and count… One Mississippi, Two Mississippi… etc. When it’s too hot to hold your hand over the flame, that indicates how hot the fire is (See chart below).

• Hot: Two to Three Mississippi
• Medium Hot: Four to Five Mississippi
• Medium: Six to Eight Mississippi
• Medium Low: Nine to Ten Mississippi
• Low: Eleven to Fourteen Mississippi

Four to five is where your grill should be for the veal chops.

How long should I grill veal chops?

Depending on how thick they are, veal chops don’t take a long time on the grill or in the oven. These 1 1/2″ thick chops got to the correct temperature in less than 15 minutes. The key is to make sure your fire isn’t too hot or too low, have a water bottle handy in case of flare ups, and don’t fuss with the chops on the grill. Let them cook. If your chops are thicker, you may have to reduce the heat and cook a bit longer.

How to grill veal chops with dry smoke

A dry-smoke grilling technique lightly infuses the meat with a subtle smoke, which, my husband, Scott, swears by for delicate veal chops.  Using dry wood chips in a smoker box instead of chips that have been soaked for an hour, creates a lighter smoke that just kisses the veal without dousing it in heavy smoke flavor.  Sublime. 

Best types of wood chips for grilled veal chops

Because the Veal has such a subtle flavor, you don’t want to overpower it with smoke flavor.

We find that oak, cherry and apple wood all provide a nice smooth flavor that’s noticeable, but not overboard.

• Others to try: pecan, peach.
• Avoid: hickory and mesquite.

Can I cook veal in the oven?

If you don’t have access to a grill, yes, you can cook it in the oven. It won’t have the light smoke flavor, but it’ll still taste great. Here’s how:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Place a nonstick grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stovetop and heat over medium high heat and let it heat up for about a minute.
3. Add the veal chops to the pan and cook for 3 minutes (without moving, poking or messing with them).
4. Use a pair of tongs to flip the chops and transfer to the oven to finish cooking. They should take another 10-15 minutes, but use an instant read thermometer to be sure you’ve cooked them to the right doneness.

Can you eat veal pink or medium rare?

Yes, In fact, it’s our preferred temperature. On chops like this, medium rare is light pink at the bone.

What’s the optimum internal temperature for veal chops?

For medium-rare, 145°-150° is the optimum temperature. We like to use a digital thermometer for more accuracy and I’ve mentioned before our deep appreciation for the Thermoworks Thermapen One  {affiliate link} because of its accurate instant read display and sturdy, uncomplicated design.

Residual cooking is real

Keep in mind that meat continues to cook after its been removed from the heat source, so taking the grilled veal chops off at around 142° usually produces a good result.

If you like your meat more at the medium temperature, leave it on to 145-147°, and then remove it from the grill.

I don’t recommend cooking veal rare, because it can be too chewy.

I’m also not a big fan of overcooking, but that’s semantics. I’m sure there are some who prefer well-done and since I’m not the food police, I won’t judge.

Yes-siree, no matter what the occasion, this grilled veal chop recipe is sure to please. The garlic, rosemary and herb crust enhances the mild flavor of the tender veal and that whisper of smoke is a wonderful accent.

What goes with grilled veal chops?

• Garlic Herb Flageolets (French Legumes)
• Simple Scalloped Potatoes
• Grilled Vegetable Tomato Mozzarella Caprese
• Spring Pesto Green Beans
• Tomatoes Provencal
• Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes
• Creamy Dijon Asparagus
• Warm Apple Butternut Farro

More veal recipes you might like:

• Garlic Wine Braised Veal Shanks
• Veal and Pork Country Pate
• Simple Rustic Osso Buco
• Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

Get Your Own Thermapen One for accurate temperature measurements and be the BOSS of your grill!

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