How is Grain-fed Veal Different than pale veal?
Le Québécois Means Flavor

Grain has iron. Iron gives meat flavor. Grain-fed calves eat grain. Pale Veal calves don’t eat grain; most drink milk-replacer formula that is intentionally engineered to be low in iron so the meat color is pale.

What this means is that Le Québécois grain-fed veal has great flavor that stands on its own and doesn’t have to be heavily sauced like pale veal. It’s a win-win because you can serve tastier meat and keep your food costs down by using less sauce.

Le Québécois is Naturally Rose-colored AND More Tender

Forget the myth, created by a successful marketing campaign in the 70s, that veal has to be pale to be tender. Before that, all veal was rose colored because it naturally had iron in its diet. Color has NOTHING to do with tenderness. It just means that there’s iron in the meat, which is a healthy thing.

Le Québécois needs to be cooked differently

Le Québécois cooks differently. Chefs should make small adjustments to their techniques to cook grain-fed veal properly. Here are some basic rules:

  • Never overcook. Cook most cuts to 145 – 155 degrees internal temperature for medium-rare to medium.
  • Use less sauce. Le Québécois has great flavor.
  • Don't cut raw portions thicker than 2 inches. 1 ½ inch thickness is perfect for chops.
  • Sear or grill thick cuts first to lock in flavor and juices, then finish in the oven.

Le Québécois Cuts are Larger

Grain-fed calves are raised in group corrals where they can move around, unlike pale-veal calves, most of which are raised in individual crates where their movement is limited to sitting down and standing up in place. Since grain-fed calves can move around, their muscles develop to be larger than pale-veal calves. It also leads to a moister textured meat.

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