Breast Fore Shank Background Veal is the meat of a calf up to one-year old. A white, tender, and very lean meat, veal is considered a delicacy by many chefs. But quality can vary depending on how the calf was reared. A hundred years ago, the finest veal came from calves raised on a diet of milk, eggs, and occasionally barley. Today, the best veal calves are raised on mother's milk.
Veal is rich in iron and phosphorus.
The widest variety of veal dishes come from France, where recipes range from stuffed breast of veal to bresolles to saddle of veal Orloff. There are many Italian recipes as well, including osso bucco, piccata, and saltimbocca. Of course, there's also the Austrian Wiener schnitzel and the very British veal and ham pie. What to look for Veal should be moist and appear white or slightly pink. The best cuts of veal are the rump end of the loin, the loin, the leg, the ribs and shortened best end of neck, and the filet.