Looking for an easy restaurant-quality recipe that you can make for a romantic night in or just because? Try this recipe for Pan Fried Veal Chops with White Wine Sauce. We enjoy this dish a few times a year. I have made it for friends and family as well who all love it.

This sponsored post is part of an ongoing series with Veal Made Easy and The Beef Checkoff Program.

I always say that when you are at a restaurant and see a proper bone-in veal chop special, order it. Before it sells out! Let me show you how to make a veal chop at home in case you missed out.

Table of Contents

What is veal?

Veal is nutritious, nutrient-rich meat which is more tender than beef, harvested from calves typically 22-24 weeks old, weighing 550-600 pounds.
Veal calves, for the most part, are a byproduct of the dairy industry (dairy farmers sell male calves since they are in the business of producing milk which male cows can not do).
In my opinion, veal is delicious, it is more tender than beef and picks up the flavors used in its preparation.

I have been on a number of immersive veal farm tours in four states I have talked in-depth with multiple veal veterinarians, veal farmers and top people in the beef / veal industry at farm shows, on farms and at industry annual meetings.

I have spent time with veal producers, responsible for 70% of the U.S. production. I've even spent time understanding the processing / harvesting end of the industry. Questions are welcomed.

My family and I enjoy pan-fried and grilled veal chops (like Pan Fried Veal Chops with White Wine Sauce), using ground meal in recipes, veal cutlets and more! If you have not opened your mind to veal or just have never had it for whatever reason, I invite you to try it.

What does veal taste like?

Veal has a delicate taste and is very tender. Most cuts of veal cook quickly. In my opinion veal cutlets and ground, veal easily picks up the flavor of the sauce you are making with it or from the ingredients used in the method of preparation.
A veal chop is amazingly tender like filet mignon. It's juicy and full of flavor. Osso Buco is a memorable dish made with veal shanks that's even better the second day. When you come across it on a menu (or veal chops for that, matter), order it!

Delicious Pan Fried Veal Chops in a White Wine Sauce. How to cook veal chops.

The key to a good cook when it comes to veal or any protein is a hot pan with hot oil (or fat) before you add the meat. You want to heat that sizzle when the meat hits the pan.

In the ’70's and ’80s American veal farmers adopted the European way of raising their animals. That way of raising veal livestock all changed 20 or so years ago and continues to evolve with a focus on animal care and comfort. Let me clear up a few myths for you and share some of what I know:

Veal farming facts

Contrary to popular belief, today’s veal is raised in airy barns, full of light and fresh air. The calves have plenty of room to move about and buddies to play around with. Some farms I visited have outdoor access if the calves feel like going outside, they can. There are even some farmers that raise pasture-raised veal.
Practices such as castration, dehorning, and tail docking are not necessary in the raising of veal. Additionally, hormone implants are not permitted for use in veal production.
Where does the “veal is raised in tiny crates or tiny houses and they can’t move about for the duration of their lives” come from?
You do in fact see hutches when you drive by dairy farms, and some ice cream stands on farms house calves…Those, however, are where “baby” dairy cows are being housed for the earliest parts of their life.
When a cow is born, unlike humans, they are born with zero immunities. Human babies pick up immunity from their mother’s placenta, while cows do not SO for that reason the first 6-8 weeks of their life both female dairy calves and male veal calves are in individual areas.
On veal farms, those individual areas may have a partition which after 6-8 weeks is removed. On many farms after that period, the veal calves are moved to larger group pens which house 15-30 calves. It comes down to the individual farmers and their way of caring for their animals.

Pan Fried Veal Chops with White Wine Sauce Recipe — Serve Veal Chops with sides such as polenta cakes, asparagus, artichoke gratin, potatoes, grains or a simple arugula salad.

How to make veal chops

It's easy! Start with 2 or more gorgeous chops weighing ¾ of a pound or so each OR use veal loin chops or top loin chops.
Marinate them simply in garlic-infused olive or grapeseed oil seasoned well with salt and pepper. You can choose to add fresh minced herbs to the marinade and/or in the pan sauce.
Next, it's all about a hot pan when it comes to cooking good cuts of meat like these veal chops. Heat your pan, add just a bit of oil or no oil since the chops have already been marinating in oil. When the chops hit the pan you want to hear a sizzle. Lower the temperature and cook your chops till they reach an internal temperature of 125-145, depending on your preference.
Remember once you remove them from the pan they will continue to cook some as they rest. As they rest you deglaze the pan and make the wine sauce.

Cooking Veal Chops Tips

The trick when cooking a nice veal chop like this is to use a digital thermometer, so you know when your chop is done. Then you can allow it to rest properly while you make the sauce.
Allow your meat to sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so for some of the chill to come off to allow for more even cooking.
Since veal easily picks up the flavors you add to it, I like to marinate it typically with garlic, thyme, and rosemary.

Is veal healthy for you?

Veal is a high-quality protein, a 3-ounce serving of cooked trimmed lean veal is approximately 150 calories and its a good source of key nutrients including vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, niacin, riboflavin, zinc, selenium, and choline. Learn more about veal nutrition here on the Veal Made Easy Website.

What to serve with bone in veal chops

Polenta cakes, mashed or roasted potatoes, smashed potatoes, asparagus, rice, couscous or green beans, creamed spinach, etc. I always serve it with a simple Arugula & Parmesan Salad tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Learn a little about the modern-day veal industry by reading this post in full and by visiting the Veal Made Easy and Veal Farm websites (many recipes are there as well). AND please ask me any questions. As you can see from what I wrote above, if I can't answer your questions, I have access to the people who can.

Enjoy! XO - Colleen

Originally posted February, 2020. Updated May, 2024.