With its tender flesh that literally melts in your mouth, its fine and refined taste and its irresistible pink glow, it's hard not to fall for Quebec Veal! Need inspiration to turn it into a star? Here’s a complete guide to special sauces and marinades tailored to enhance its fine and subtle aromas and allow you to enjoy it at its best!
Tasty pairings
Veal offers a truly palatable experience that can be enhanced with flavours such as garlic, dill, tarragon, sage, cilantro and oregano, or spices such as curry, mustard and paprika. Grilling veal will help bring out light notes of hazelnut that pair wonderfully with bay leaf, thyme, rosemary and sage. With their refreshing acidity that contrasts with the sweetness of veal, citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit are also perfect to awaken its aromas and make every bite sparkle with flavour.
Tasty sauces
There are two types of sauces that can accompany veal quite well – basting sauces, which will be brushed over the meat during cooking, and garnishing sauces, which will enhance the dish at the table. Obviously, some of them can work very well both ways!
Basting sauces
Jerk style sauce
1 can (796 ml / 28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
30 ml (2 tbsp) dark rum (optional)
5 ml (1 tsp) liquid smoke
5 ml to 5 ml (1/2 to 2 tsp) allspice, crushed
15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice
45 to 60 ml (3 to 4 tbsp) Sriracha sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
In a pan, mix 1 cup of vegetables broth or prepared concentrated veal stock and the sauce ingredients. • Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until desired consistency. Let cool before using. Use to brush a piece of meat to grill on the BBQ, such as a veal blade roast.
* It is preferable to prepare and refrigerate the sauce ahead of time. The aromas will develop further.
Teriyaki sauce
250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
60 ml (1/4 cup) soya sauce
30 ml (2 tbsp) water
A few drops of Sriracha sauce
In a small saucepan, mix all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce. Combine all the ingredients with a whisk, bring to a boil and cook until the brown sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Use to brush pieces of meat such as veal brochettes, cutlets or pavé steaks.
Garnishing sauces
Apple sauce
5 ml (1 tsp) concentrated veal stock
125 ml (1/2 cup) water
125 ml (1/2 cup) apple juice
30 ml (1 tbsp) white roux or corn starch diluted in a little cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring to a boil stirring constantly and let simmer over medium heat until desired consistency. Use to coat meat, especially veal cutlets.
Cranberry sauce
500 ml (2 cups) frozen cranberries
250 ml (1 cup) prepared concentrated veal stock
60 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup
5 ml (1 tsp) corn starch
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer over very low heat for about 25 minutes or until the cranberries are tender. Serve with veal cutlets or tenderloin.
Lemon sauce
45 ml (3 tbsp) cold butter, diced
60 ml (1/4 cup) French shallots, chopped
10 ml (2 tsp) garlic, chopped
80 ml (1/3 cup) white wine
30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
125 ml (1/2 cup) 15% whipping cream
In a saucepan, melt 15 ml of butter for the sauce on medium. Cook the French shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Gradually, add the remaining cold butter and whisk until melted. Salt and pepper. Serve with veal tenderloin medallions.
Baslamic sauce
250 ml (1 cup) Modena balsamic vinegar (to be reduced by half)*
250 ml (1 cup) demi-glace sauce
125 ml (1/2 cup) veal stock
A few drops of Sriracha sauce
* It is preferable to use good quality balsamic vinegar, otherwise a greater quantity of balsamic vinegar will be needed to obtain 1/2 cup.
Reduce the balsamic vinegar by half or until a syrupy texture is obtained. Pour 1/4 cup of the reduced balsamic vinegar into a skillet, add the demi-glace sauce, veal stock and a few drops of the Sriracha sauce, and then reduce until a syrupy consistency is obtained. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Use to accompany veal liver.
Marinades
A mix of oil, acid and flavouring in which the meat is left to macerate, marinades allow the flesh to be infused with deliciousness. First, mix all the necessary ingredients in a bowl. Then, in a dish, pour the liquid preparation over the meat and make sure to cover everything before leaving it to marinate in the refrigerator for the required time depending on the chosen type of marinade.
Mild marinades
These marinades require a marinating time of 30 minutes to 12 hours, depending on the thickness of the cut of meat.
1/4 to 3/4 inch thick: 30 minutes
1 to 1 1/2 inch thick: 1 hour
Shallot and wine marinade, Montréal style
60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
250 ml (1 cup) wine (white wine: fruity and vibrand or red wine: aromatic and supple)
125 ml (1/2 cup) French shallots finely chopped
5 ml (1 tsp) Montreal steak spices
Pepper to taste
Fresh herb marinade
60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
30 ml (2 tbsp) finely chopped chives
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped basil
5 ml (1 tsp) chopped tarragon
Porto and blueberries marinade
60 ml (4 tbsp) vegetable oil
125 ml (1/2 cup) blueberries
4 rosemary leaves
60 ml (4 tbsp) porto
30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh garlic, minced
30 ml (2 tbsp) ground pepper
Peanut marinade
1 piece (2.5 cm, or 1 inch) ginger, chopped
4 shallots or 1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
10 ml (2 tsp) coriander seeds
30 ml (2 tbsp) peanut oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce
30 ml (2 tbsp) honey
Maple and orange marinade
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
60 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup
15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
15 ml (1 tbsp) grain mustard
45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 shallots, chopped
45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
5 ml (1 tsp) crushed peppercorns
Rasberry and basil marinade
125 ml (1/2 cup) raspberries
30 ml (2 tbsp) raspberry vinegar
60 ml (1/4 cup) of orange juice
10 ml (2 tsp) orange zest
2 shallots, chopped
1 bouquet basil, chopped
75 ml (5 tbsp) olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Medium marinades
These marinades can also be used as mild marinades, but must be diluted with liquid (water, oil or wine).
1/4 to 3/4 inch thick: 15 à 20 minutes
1 to 1 1/2 po inch thick: 30 minutes
Turmeric marinade
60 ml (1/4 cup) canola oil
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
10 ml (2 tsp) turmeric powder
5 ml (1 tsp) pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
5 ml (1 tsp) honey
A few drops of Sriracha sauce, or 1 pinch of chili powder
Greek-style red wine marinade
250 ml (1 cup) oil
125 ml (1/2 cup) fruity and generous
red wine
30 ml (2 tbsp) balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 onion, diced, or 4 to 5 shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
45 ml (3 tbsp) steak spices
15 to 30 ml (1 to 2 tbsp) course ground pepper
5 ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
Variations
Buffalo style: add a few drops of liquid smoke.
Texas style: add salsa.
Preparation
Put all the marinade ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Cool before marinating the meat.
Strong marinades
Strong marinades are used to marinate meat quickly, but be careful, as they tend to cook meat if left to marinate for too long.
1/4 to 3/4 inch thick: 10 minutes
1 to 1 1/2 po inch thick: 20 minutes
Ginger and lemon marinade
500 ml (2 cups) brown sugar
250 ml (1 cup) water
30 ml (2 tbsp) corn starch
2 whole garlic cloves
15 ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1/2 lemon
30 ml (1/8 cup) ginger in pieces
5 ml (1 tsp) Sriracha sauce
Curry marinade
60 ml (1/4 cup) strong curry paste
60 ml (1/4 cup) brown sugar
45 ml (3 tbsp) soy sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) grilled sesame oil
Spicy lemon marinade
1 small onion coarsely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
50 ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
150 ml (3/4 cup) canola oil
15 ml (1 tbsp) steak spices
30 ml (2 tbsp) green peppercorn
5 ml (1 tsp) dried Espelette pepper (or 1/2 tsp chili and 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper)
Sesame marinade
10 ml (2 tsp) curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce
30 ml (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) sesame oil
45 ml (3 tbsp) lemon juice
A few drops of Sriracha sauce
Dry coating
This is a spice mix used to coat the edge of the steak or, in the case of a roast, to cover it completely. Breadcrumbs or flour may be added to the spice mix to reduce its concentration.
Before making grill marks on the meat, you should brush the grills well with oil so that the coating doesn’t stick to the grill.
Wet coating
Mix of spice and other condiments used to coat the edge of steak or cover a roast completely. Certain thicker marinades can be used as a wet coating.
Dijon mustard, pepper and shallot coating
Brush the meat with the Dijon mustard
Season with pepper
Roll meat in the finely chopped shallots
Tahini (sesame butter) and sesame seeds coating
Mix the tahini until it’s smooth
Brush the meat with the tahini
Sprinkle sesame seeds on the meat
Old-fashioned mustard and pepper coating
Brush the meat with the old-fashioned mustard
Season with pepper
Glazing
Glazing is a type of marinade that is also used when cooking meat to lacquer it. You apply several coats of glazing to the meat. Use glazing which has not been in contact with raw meat. Glazing is often composed of sugar, for example in the form of spiced honey, and other coatings, such as tahini. This operation is easier to perform on a spit.
Lemon garlic and honey glaze
125 ml (1/2 cup) honey
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Zest of 1/2 lemon
If you use this glaze as a marinade, you should add the juice of 1/2 a lemon to make a strong marinade.
Beer and molasses glaze
341 ml (12 oz) strong or red beer
125 ml (1/2 cup) molasses
Salt and pepper to taste
Pour the beer into a double boiler and reduce it to obtain 1. 50 ml (1/4 cup) of beer. Pour the molasses into the reduced beer and mix well. Cool before using.
If you use this glaze as a marinade, it will be strong.