Even though veal is a more tender meat than its mature counterpart, the shoulder area still contains a lot of connective tissue and may be tougher than the rest. Veal shoulder does well with a slow-cooking method such as roasting or braising, which ensures that the tissues are broken down and the meat is as tender as possible. A veal shoulder consists of four rib bones and sections of the arm, blade and backbone.
Braising
Step 1
Rub the inside of a veal shoulder with salt and pepper and fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary. Fold the meat up and tie it together into a roast.
Step 2
Place a 6- to 8-quart pot on the stove over high heat with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Sear the veal shoulder on all sides until a golden brown crust forms. Hold it in place with tongs on each side so it won’t roll over.
Step 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Remove the roast and set it aside. Chop two onions, two leeks, three carrots and three celery stalks. Add them to the pot to cook until tender crisp.
Step 4
Add 1/2 cup red wine and 2 cups veal stock to the vegetables. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom with a spatula. Set the veal shoulder back into the pot and let it cook covered for 35 more minutes on low heat.
Roasting
Step 1
Cut the veal shoulder down the center but not all the way through so that it opens like a book.
Step 2
Create a stuffing out of 2 cups fresh bread crumbs, 1/3 cup dried apricots, 1/3 cup cranberries, 1 diced onion, 1 clove minced garlic and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle in dried spices of choice, such as cumin or cinnamon.
Step 3
Press the stuffing into one side of the veal shoulder, then fold the other side over and tie it together with kitchen twine.
Step 4
Sear the veal shoulder on all sides over high heat. Set it into a roasting pan. Place the pan into a 325-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 2-½ hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees.
Tips and Warnings
- Baste the roasted veal every 30 minutes or so with the pan juices to increase moisture. Cut the meat off the shoulder into small pieces or cubes, and make a stew if you don’t want a larger roast.
Things You'll Need
- Veal shoulder
- Salt and pepper
- Kitchen twine
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- Pot
- Tongs
- 2 onions
- 2 leeks
- 3 carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 cups veal stock
- Spatula
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup dried apricots
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 clove garlic
- Spices
- Roasting pan
- Meat thermometer
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