Grilled Veal Steaks with Mojo Marinade

Veal steaks are so lean and tender, it doesn’t take much marinating or cooking time to make a very flavorful meal. This easy recipe uses a citrusy garlicky adobo marinade to season the veal filet for a juicy, savory main course. I used veal flank steak, but you can also use other cuts.

Types of veal steaks and other cuts

Loin and rib chops are some of the most familiar, popular cuts of veal steaks on the market. They’re lean, flavorful and good eating.

They cook relatively quickly and are best when simply prepared—something I love to do. In fact, one of the most popular veal recipes on this site is my Grilled Veal Chops with a simple but heady garlic and herb crust.

Other commonly used portions come from the calf’s breast or leg, cut into cutlets. Veal flank steaks are less popular, but every bit as tasty. Blade chops, veal shanks, shoulder roasts, and stew meat are equally flavorful but require longer cooking times (as illustrated in my veal osso buco recipe) because they come from tougher parts of the calf.

Ground veal is very versatile. It can be used to make super light and tender meatballs, blended with other ground meats for an awesome baked meatloaf with mushroom gravy, or a sophisticated veal and pork pâté.

Veal flank

I admit, I normally buy veal in “chop” form, but when I saw these cute little veal flank fillets, the food blogger in me won out, and I ended up with two veal flanks in my shopping cart—the two of them weighed one pound combined. I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but coming up with a game plan is part of the fun, right?

I discovered how petite they are after getting the veal fillets home and inspecting them more closely.

They were fine-grained, about ½” thick and perhaps 8-9 inches long. Something this delicate wasn’t going to need a long soak in a marinade, and I knew the steaks were going to cook pretty fast, too.

Rather than weighing down the delicate veal steaks with a heavy sauce, I opted for a light, citrusy marinade with a pungent dose of chopped garlic, chiles, cumin and herbs. Known as mojo criollo, this combination is a classic Cuban recipe that hits every part of your tongue but won’t overpower your protein—perfect for the veal.

The marinade only takes about 20 minutes to infuse the veal, so once you’ve got it soaking, you’ll want to heat your grill and make sure your side dishes are ready to go—because this meal will come together quickly.

Marinating the veal

1. Place the veal steaks in a zip-top storage bag and add about 3/4 cup of the mojo marinade. (Reserve about half a cup in a separate bowl for drizzling and dipping.)
2. Set aside for 20 minutes for the meat to soak.
3. Remove the veal flank steaks from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels. (If the veal fillets are wet, they’ll steam instead of grill.)

Grilling marinated veal

1. Heat the grill to a medium-high heat (about 400° to 450°).
2. Place the steaks on the grill, and don’t fuss with them… No poking, prodding or moving… Just let it grill.
3. Cook for 4-6 minutes before flipping and cooking an additional 4-5 minutes.
4. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for about 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a juicy bite.

I prefer a feint pink center for veal steaks but be careful not to go too rare. Veal can be very chewy when it’s too undercooked. If you prefer a more well-done veal fillet, add 2-3 more minutes to the cooking time.

The veal shrinks a bit when cooking, but you can figure that two flank steaks (about 1 pound of meat total) will feed 3-4 people, depending on appetites and what else you’re serving with the meal.

Cooking veal steaks on the stovetop

If you don’t have access to a grill, you can also pan-grill the steaks on a stovetop. Sear them in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or grill pan.

1. Heat the grill pan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes or until very hot.
2. Add a few teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat.
3. Ensure the veal flank steaks are patted dry before adding them to the pan. Sear on one side for 3-5 minutes, then flip and cook for 3-4 minutes or to the desired doneness.
4. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

How to slice the veal steak

As with beef flank steaks, you’ll want to slice the fillets across the grain.

To determine where the grain lies, look at the natural lines in the meat (not the grill marks). The photo above shows what I’m talking about.

The veal’s natural grain runs in long lines along the fillet. The key to a tender (easy-to-chew) steak is to break up those lines by slicing 90° against the grain.

Cut the grilled veal into ½” slices and transfer to a serving platter. I like to drizzle the sliced veal fillets with a bit of extra mojo criollo, but you can also serve it on the side for dipping.

Veal has a unique flavor that tastes milder than beef and doesn’t feel as heavy. This grilled veal flank steak recipe makes a tender, juicy and flavorful meal that’s out of the ordinary.

My tasters love how the mojo infuses the meat, and dragging a piece through the reserved sauce emphasizes those garlicky citrus flavors.

What goes with veal steaks?

• Black Bean and Rice Salad
• Turmeric Pearl Couscous with Pine Nuts
• Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes
• Braised White Beans with Kale and Tomatoes
• Browned Butter Sea Salt Mashed Potatoes
• Mashed Cauliflower with Garlic
• Simple Green Salad with Vinaigrette

More grilled favorites you might like:

• Cilantro Lime Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Caribbean Grilled Yellowtail Snapper
• Bourbon Marinated Grilled Flank Steak
• Grilled Rack of Lamb with Garlic Herb Crust
• Grilled New York Strip Steak
• Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Pork Chops soaked in this pork chop brine

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