Loin of Veal

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5 to 6-quart (4.7 to 5.7 L) heavy Dutch oven with lid
• •Round of baking parchment cut to fit the pot
• •Small saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Rimmed metal tray suitable for broiling
• •Kitchen twine

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the quasi

   Pat the veal completely dry. Leave its thin, soft fat cap in place, trimming only hard surface tendon or thick excess fat, then tie the joint at 1-inch intervals if the butcher has not done it. Season all over with the salt and pepper and leave it for 30 minutes while you prepare the aromatics. Mix the gelatin into the cold stock and let it stand for 5 minutes; omit it only when your stock already sets firmly in the cold.

   A dry joint browns; a damp one steams against the pan and leaves you with a pale fond. Blot it again immediately before cooking if the salt has drawn moisture to the surface.
2. 2

   Brown without scorching

   Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Render the lardons in a 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat until their fat runs and their edges turn golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Lift them into a bowl, leaving the fat behind. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, increase the heat to medium, and brown the veal on every side, beginning with the fat cap, for 10 to 12 minutes in all. Let each surface become a deep hazelnut colour before turning it. If the butter darkens too quickly, lower the heat and move the joint to a cooler part of the pot. If the fond turns black, lift out the meat, wipe the pot clean, add fresh butter, and resume. Ça se rattrape, but scorched fond must never enter the gravy.

3. 3

   Build the braise

   Transfer the browned veal to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pot, followed by the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and take patches of gold. Pour in the wine and scrape the pot floor thoroughly, dissolving every good brown trace into the liquid. Boil until the wine is reduced by half. Add 2 cups of the stock, the rendered lardons, and the bouquet garni, then bring the liquid only to a gentle simmer.

4. 4

   Braise at a tremble

   Return the veal to the pot with its fat cap facing upward. The liquid should reach roughly one-third of the way up the joint; add some of the reserved stock if needed, but do not submerge the meat. Lay a round of baking parchment directly over the joint and liquid, cover tightly, and place the pot in the oven. Braise for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, basting once halfway through, until a thin skewer enters the thickest part with little resistance and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 to 165°F (71 to 74°C). The liquid should barely tremble. If it bubbles hard, reduce the oven by 25°F (15°C) and add 1/4 cup of cool reserved stock; fierce heat tightens the veal and clouds the jus.

5. 5

   Reduce the jus

   Lift the veal onto a rimmed metal tray and cover it loosely. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan without pressing the vegetables, which would make the jus cloudy, then skim away excess surface fat. Boil steadily until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups and nappant (able to coat the back of a spoon), 12 to 20 minutes. Reserve 3 tablespoons of this unbuttered jus for glazing. Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of chilled butter into the rest, a small piece at a time. If the sauce looks oily, put 1 tablespoon of cool stock into a clean saucepan and whisk the broken sauce into it gradually. Ça se rattrape. If it is too thick, loosen it with reserved stock; if thin, reduce it before adding the butter.

6. 6

   Glaze under broiler

   Heat the broiler and place the tray so the veal will sit about 6 inches from the element. Brush the joint with half the reserved unbuttered jus and broil until the surface shines and begins to bronze, 60 to 90 seconds. Brush again and return it briefly for a second coat. This is the home equivalent of the salamander: quick, close heat that sets the glaze without recooking the centre. Watch without leaving the stove, because a glossy glaze becomes burnt sugar in moments.

7. 7

   Carve and sauce

   Let the glazed veal settle for 5 minutes, remove the twine, and carve it across the grain into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Spoon a shallow pool of the warm jus onto an oval platter, arrange the veal over it, and coat the centre slices with a little more. Bring the remaining jus separately so everyone can claim another spoonful. Never apologize at your own table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher specifically for the quasi, the boneless chump end of the veal loin, and have it tied into an even joint. Keep a thin fat cap. A peeled veal tenderloin is a different cut and is too delicate for this braise.
• •Homemade light veal stock is splendid here, but the home equivalent is unsalted chicken or veal stock strengthened with gelatin. Gelatin supplies body, not flavour, so begin with stock that already tastes good and contains little salt.
• •The joint should sit above most of its liquid. Submerging it gives you boiled meat and a diluted sauce; one-third coverage, parchment, and a tight lid produce both gentle cooking and a concentrated jus.
• •Serve with pommes purée, buttered noodles, or a plain gratin of seasonal roots. A rounded Chardonnay or a supple light red has enough freshness for the veal without bullying its pale, concentrated gravy.

Advance Preparation

• •The veal may be tied and salted up to 12 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator, then blot the surface dry before browning.
• •For service the following day, complete the braise but stop before reducing the jus or glazing the joint. Strain the liquid, settle the veal into it, cool promptly, cover, and refrigerate. Remove the set fat, then reheat the covered joint gently at 300°F (150°C) until it reaches 165°F (74°C); reduce the jus and glaze immediately before carving.
• •Leftover veal keeps for up to 3 days under its sauce in the refrigerator. Reheat slices gently in a covered pan with enough jus to keep them moist, without letting the sauce boil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 360g)