Veal hind shank cut is ideal for using in the dish Osso Bucco. Photo / Manja Wachsmuth
Veal hind shank cut is ideal for using in the dish Osso Bucco. Photo / Manja Wachsmuth
Kem Ormond is a features writer for NZME community newspapers and The Country.
OPINION
Have you ever opened a cookbook and decided to make Osso Bucco and wondered where you were going to find some veal shanks?
I can remember seeing veal in the local butcher shop window when I was young but it has been a long time since I have seen veal displayed anywhere (apart from some parts of Europe where it is immersed in their culture) and a long time since I have cooked any.
I wanted to know more about veal and why such delicate and tasty meat has never really hit it off in this country for whatever reason, so I had a chat with Alan McDermott from Pearl Veal in Collingwood.
I learnt a thing or two, from availability, health benefits, animal welfare, and greenhouse gas footprint, right down to the processing and packaging of the product.
Veal production has come a long way from the reputation it once had, and I feel it probably won’t be long till it starts to get noticed.
McDermott is a veal supplier, and since 2020 has partnered with a group of 15 dairy farmers who are committed to a better approach to managing their surplus dairy calves.
The diet these calves are raised on is simple; colostrum, plenty of fresh whole milk, a touch of hay, and ample pasture, until they are weaned at 3 months and reach a weight of at least 110kg.
After being weaned from milk, they then spend the next 7-9 months grazing on fresh pasture, reaching a weight of approximately 300kg during this period.
Sunshine, grass, and a warm calf shed if the day is cool, their diet is free from milk powder, antibiotics, and growth promotants.
They do not eat grain, Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE), GMOs, or any other hard-to-pronounce ingredients from their diet.
Veal roast. Photo / Manja Wachsmuth
With an emphasis on efficiency and sustainability, veal that has been raised on whole milk and pasture has a comparably low gross greenhouse gas footprint among other red meats.
Pearl Veal asked AgResearch to complete a Life Cycle Assessment of veal fed on whole fresh milk and pasture.
Results revealed a remarkably low gross emission of 13.9kg of C02 per kilogram of product.
The assessment took into consideration all the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with growing the pasture, including fertiliser and fossil fuels.
It also considered all the animal emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, as well as the processing and transportation emissions.
Veal is incredibly tender, succulent, and lean, with a beautiful rose colour and a delicious yet delicate flavour.
It can be used in the same way that we use chicken, beef or lamb and can be put on a barbecue, roasted, made into a tasty tartare, stewed, pan, or stir-fried.
It is becoming a firm favourite with chefs around the country and now finding a veal dish on menus is becoming easier.
The demand for veal is not only driven by taste, but with no saturated fat and easily digestible due to the tenderness and lower fat content, it is becoming an option for health-conscious diners.
Pearl veal calves spend 7-9 months grazing on fresh pasture. Photo / Pearl Veal
Most of McDermott’s veal is sold to New Zealand chefs with online sales delivered to the customers via courier.
Next year he is hoping to focus on the local markets and making veal more easily obtainable from retail outlets that take sustainability and ethical farming seriously while also expanding into more export markets.
Maybe now is the time to put veal on your menu again, try some of those wonderful European dishes that veal is so well known for and look after your health at the same time.
