Braised Stuffed Breast of Veal

What possessed me to make a stuffed breast of veal?

I honestly do not know for sure. I was craving a stuffed something lately and I did the Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Loin last year, I stuffed a bunch of shrimp, I did a ton of chicken and I even stuffed a hamburger with French Onion soup ingredients.

I think I did a breast of veal over 15 years ago and if I remember correctly I made a pocket in a whole breast with ribs between the meat and the rib bones and placed the stuffing in the pocket. This time I wanted a boned breast, stuffed, rolled and tied with the bones on the side so I could make homemade stock.

I found a recipe for Stuffed Breast of Veal Genovese on the Internet and took some ingredients from that and added a few of my own.

This was easy to stuff and tie and once in the oven, it roasts like a pork shoulder, low and slow for 4 hours. The only thing I had to do was add water to the pan halfway through.

I asked the butcher to bone the breast and roll and tie it, so that it retains the roll shape and would be easier to re-roll (like a jelly roll cake).

Stuffed Breast of Veal
makes enough stuffing for 1 (3lb) breast of veal

• 2 ciabatta rolls, crusts removed
• 2 Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/4 cup cooked spinach, chopped
• 2 eggs, slightly beated
• Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
• 2 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese, grated
• salt & pepper

1. Tear the bread into pieces, place in a bowl, add water to cover and leave it soak for 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze out.
2. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Spread the filling to 2" of the end and roll meat. Tie every 2" and push any stuffing back into the meat.
4. In a large roasting pan, pour 1 cup water, cover tightly with foil and bake for 4 hours at 325°.
5. Add another cup of water halfway through.
6. Internal temperature should reach 190°.
7. Remove from oven and place on a cutting board and tent with foil. Let meat rest for at least 20 minutes.
8. Slice into 1" slices and serve with a gravy made with veal stock, homemade or carton.

This was very tender but took a little work to cut off the fatty parts. It was hard to distinguish where the fat was because the veal fat is the same color as the meat, unlike beef, which is easy to see where the fat is.

I think if I was to do this again, I would use less stuffing or roast the veal on the bones and bake the stuffing on the side like you would with a turkey. I admit that the fat on the outside, melted into the meat, but the fat on the inside did not and although The Nudge ate his, I was put off by it.

As for the stuffing, I would use this recipe to stuff just about any roast, it had tons of flavor.
The sauce, was to die for (if I say so myself) and after simmering my homemade veal stock for 4 hours to reduce, I think I ended up with 2 cups and that was just enough for my sauce (recipe here).