How to Cook Veal Chops

Co-authored by Alex Hong and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 22, 2020

If you've purchased veal chops, you'll need to know how to prepare this expensive cut of meat. Fortunately, there are several ways to cook these flavorful chops. Sauté the chops and serve them with herbed butter and a quick pan sauce. Or marinate them in herbs and grill them for a slightly smoky flavor. You can also bread the chops in a breadcrumb mixture. Sauté the breaded veal chops until they're crisp and golden brown.

Ingredients

Sautéed Veal Chops with Rosemary Butter

1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 g) minced fresh rosemary, divided
1 teaspoon (1 g) chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 pinch salt
4 12-ounce (340 g) veal rib chops, each about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick
4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil, divided
1 4-inch (10 cm) long fresh rosemary sprig
1 garlic clove, flattened
3 tablespoons (45 ml) dry white wine
3 tablespoons (45 ml) chicken broth

Makes 4 servings

Grilled Herb-Marinated Veal Chops

2 pounds (907 g) veal chops, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested
1 1/2 tablespoons (2.5 g) fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (2.5 g) fresh tarragon leaves chopped
2 tablespoons (5 g) fresh thyme leaves chopped
1 tablespoon (2.5 g) fresh mint leaves chopped
1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) olive oil

Makes 4 servings

Breaded Veal Chops

1 egg
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
Ground black pepper to taste
¾ cup (70 g) fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon (3 g) chopped fresh sage
4 5-ounce (141 g) veal rib chops, each about 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thick
5 tablespoons (70 g) butter
1 lemon

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Sautéed Veal Chops with Rosemary Butter

1
Mix together an herb butter. Place 1/4 cup (56 g) of unsalted butter at room temperature into a small bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon (0.5 g) of fresh minced rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon (0.2 g) of chopped fresh thyme, and 1 pinch of salt. Mix until the herbs are incorporated.^{[1]
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2
Wrap and chill the herb butter for at least 2 hours. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Scoop the herb butter into the plastic wrap and spread it into a 1 1/2 inch (3.8 cm) round log. Wrap the butter log in plastic and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.^{[2]
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- You can make the herb butter up to 1 week before you sauté the chops.
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3
Season the veal rib chops. Lay four 12-ounce (340 g) veal rib chops in a large dish or baking sheet so they're in a single layer. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the olive oil evenly over the chops. Sprinkle the rest of the 1 1/2 teaspoons (0.8 g) of fresh chopped rosemary and 3/4 teaspoon (0.6 g) of fresh chopped thyme over the chops. Season the chops with salt and pepper. Use your fingers to rub the seasonings and oil into the meat.^{[3]
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- If you want to season the veal chops ahead of time, you can season them and cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the chops for up to 1 day. Bring the chops to room temperature 1 hour before you're ready to sauté them.
4
Sauté the rosemary sprig and garlic for 2 minutes. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil into a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Put one 4-inch (10 cm) long fresh rosemary sprig into the oil along with 1 flattened garlic clove. Stir the garlic and rosemary occasionally as it sautés. Cook them until they're fragrant. This should take 2 minutes.^{[4]
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- The skillet should be at least 12 inches (30 cm) wide.
5
Sauté the veal chops for 2 minutes. Take the rosemary sprig and garlic out of the oil and discard them. Turn the heat up to high and lower the chops into the skillet. Sauté the chops for 2 minutes without moving them.^{[5]
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- The chops will develop a browned crust on the bottom.
6
Turn and sauté the chops for 2 more minutes. Use tongs to gently turn the chops over. Sauté them until they're browned and crisp on the other side. This should take another 2 minutes at high heat.^{[6]
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Check the temperature of the veal chops. Insert a meat thermometer horizontally into the center of the thickest veal chop. The chops are done once they reach a temperature of 130 °F (54 °C). If they're done cooking, move the chops to a plate.^{[7]
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- If they're not finished cooking, sauté them for 2 more minutes and check the temperature again.
EXPERT TIP

Alex Hong
Executive Chef & Restaurant Owner
Alex Hong is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Sorrel, a New American restaurant in San Francisco. He has been working in restaurants for over ten years. Alex is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and has worked in the kitchens of Jean-Georges and Quince, both Michelin-starred restaurants.

Alex Hong
Executive Chef & Restaurant Owner

Our Expert Agrees: Because it's so lean, veal can be challenging to cook. It's very similar to pork, in that sometimes you'll touch it and it will feel perfect, but you'll cut into it and it's a little undercooked. Take the time to check the temperature, and you'll see a better result.
8
Make a simple pan sauce. Carefully pour off and discard the drippings in the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium-high and pour in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of dry white wine. Stir and cook the wine for 30 seconds before you pour in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of chicken broth. Stir and cook the sauce for 30 more seconds.^{[8]
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9
Pour the sauce over the chops and serve them with the herb butter. Drizzle the pan sauce over the sautéed veal chops. Take the herb butter out of the refrigerator and cut it into 4 even slices. Set 1 slice of butter over each chop and serve them immediately. The butter will begin to melt into the meat.^{[9]
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- For a dry white wine, consider using a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or a muscadet.
- Store leftover veal chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Grilled Herb-Marinated Veal Chops

1
Combine the herb mixture. Get out a small bowl and place 4 minced garlic cloves into it. Zest 1 lemon and add the zest to the bowl along with:^{[10]
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- 1 1/2 tablespoons (2.5 g) finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon (2.5 g) chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- 2 tablespoons (5 g) chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon (2.5 g) chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
2
Season the veal chops in a baking pan. Lay 2 pounds (907 g) of veal chops in a baking pan so they're in a single layer. Drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil evenly over the chops. Stir the herb mixture to combine it and sprinkle half of it over the chops. Rub the oil and herbs into the chops.^{[11]
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3
Turn and season the other side of the veal chops. Flip the chops over and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon (13 ml) of olive oil over them. Sprinkle the rest of the herbs over the chops and use your fingers to rub the seasonings into the meat.^{[12]
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4
Marinate the seasoned veal chops for at least 6 hours. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and put the veal chops in the refrigerator. Chill the chops for at least 6 hours or overnight.^{[13]
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5
Preheat the grill and set the chops out at room temperature. Remove the chops from the refrigerator and let them sit out for 30 minutes. Heat a gas grill to high or heat a chimney full of briquettes for a charcoal grill. Dump the hot coals directly into the grate. If you want a smoky flavor, add a handful of your favorite wood chips right onto the gas burner or on the hot briquettes.^{[14]
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6
The temperature of the grill should reach about 450 °F (232 °C).
7
Arrange the chops on the grill and gook them for 5 to 6 minutes. Once the wood chips start to smoke, lay the chops on the grill. They should be directly over the heat source. Grill the chops for 5 to 6 minutes, if you want medium-done chops.^{[15]
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- For rarer chops, cook them for 3 to 4 minutes. For well-done chops, try grilling them for 6 to 7 minutes.
8
Turn and grill the chops for another 5 to 6 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chops over and grill them on the other side until they're done. For medium-done chops, this should take 5 to 6 more minutes. ^{[16]
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9
Rest and serve the grilled veal chops. Transfer the chops to a serving platter and lay a piece of aluminum foil over the meat. Rest the meat for 3 minutes and then serve the chops while they're still hot.^{[17]
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- You can store the breaded veal chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Breaded Veal Chops

1
Beat the egg with salt and pepper. Crack 1 egg into a shallow bowl or dish. Add ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt and ground black pepper to taste. Whisk or beat the egg with a fork until it's combined with the seasonings. Set the mixture aside.^{[18]
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2
Mix the breadcrumbs with the sage. Pour ¾ cup (70 g) of fine dry bread crumbs into another shallow bowl or dish. Stir in 1 tablespoon (3 g) of chopped fresh sage. Place the dish next to the dish with the seasoned egg mixture.^{[19]
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- If you prefer rosemary, thyme, or your favorite seasoning, you can substitute it for the fresh sage.
3
Pound the veal rib chops to an even thickness. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Place four 5-ounce (141 g) veal rib chops in a single layer on the plastic. Lay another piece of plastic wrap over the ribs. Take a rolling pin and pound the chops until they're all about 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thick.^{[20]
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- If you don't want to pound the chops, you'll just need to add another minute of cooking to each side of the chop.
4
Dip the chops in the egg and coat them in the breadcrumbs. Take 1 veal chop and cover it in the beaten egg mixture. Lift the chop up and let the excess egg drip off it. Lay the chop in the breadcrumb mixture and turn it over to coat the other side. Shake the chop so excess breadcrumbs fall back into the dish. Repeat this for each chop.^{[21]
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5
Sauté the chops in butter for 4 minutes. Melt 5 tablespoons (70 g) of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Lay the breaded chops in the butter and cook them until they're golden brown on the bottom. This should take 4 minutes. Avoid turning or moving the chops while they sauté.^{[22]
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- The skillet should be at least 12-inches (30 cm) wide.
- For an Italian version of breaded veal chops, use olive oil to sauté the chops instead of butter.
6
Turn and sauté the chops for 3 more minutes. Use tongs to flip the veal chops over. Cook them until they're golden on the other side. This should take 3 minutes.^{[23]
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7
Check the temperature of the chops and serve them. Insert a meat thermometer horizontally into the center of the thickest veal chop. For a medium-rare chop, cook it until it reaches 130 °F (54 °C). For a well-done chop, cook it until it reaches 160 °F (71 °C).^{[24]
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- If they're not finished cooking, sauté them for 2 more minutes and check the temperature again.
8
Serve the breaded veal chops. Transfer the cooked chops to serving plates and garnish them with wedges of lemon. Consider serving the chops with arugula salad, pasta, potato salad, or schnitzel.^{[25]
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- You can store the breaded veal chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The breading will soften the longer it's stored.
9
Finished.