Veal, composite of trimmed retail cuts, separable lean and fat, cooked

Cooked veal, the lean, tender meat that comes from young cattle, is the base for dishes like veal scaloppine, veal parmesan, osso buco, and Wiener schnitzel. Because it's naturally lean and mild, cutlets are typically pounded thin and pan-fried quickly over high heat, while tougher cuts like shanks are braised low and slow, as in osso buco, until the meat falls off the bone. It pairs classically with lemon, capers, white wine, sage, and prosciutto, as in the Roman dish saltimbocca, and its mild flavor takes well to breading and frying without becoming heavy.

Buy veal from a butcher, look for pale pink, fine-grained flesh, and refrigerate for use within a couple of days or freeze; thin cutlets cook in just a minute or two per side, so watch closely to avoid toughening the meat. A 3-ounce (85g) cooked serving has 231 calories per 100 grams, about 196 calories for the serving, with 30.1 grams of protein, an especially high 60% DV, and 11.4 grams of fat. Sodium is modest at 87 milligrams per 100 grams, making veal a lean-leaning protein to build a meal around, especially in dishes finished with a light pan sauce rather than heavy breading, since the meat itself carries little added salt.