Introducing veal to your baby’s diet provides a great source of iron, zinc vitamin B12 and other nutrients to support growth and development. When prepared properly veal is soft, mild and easy for babies to digest. Follow this guide to learn tips for choosing veal, cooking methods and recipes to make flavorful veal dishes your baby will love.
Selecting the Best Cuts of Veal for Baby
Focus on the most tender veal cuts that will be easy to chew and swallow:
- Veal cutlets – Thin sliced leg meat that can be cut into cubes or strips
- Veal scaloppine – Also sliced from the leg and pounded thin
- Ground veal – Has a soft texture good for purees or pasta sauce
Avoid larger cuts like chops or shanks which will be tough for babies Stick to the tender cuts
Safe Handling and Cooking of Veal for Baby
Proper food prep is key when cooking veal for babies:
- Choose organic, antibiotic-free veal when possible
- Wash hands and cooking area thoroughly before prepping veal
- Use a clean knife and cutting board to avoid cross-contamination
- Cook veal to an internal temperature of 160°F to kill bacteria
- Refrigerate cooked veal within 2 hours and use within 3-4 days
These food safety tips reduce risk of illness.
Cooking Methods by Age
The cooking technique you use depends on your baby’s age and stage:
6+ months
- Bake or simmer veal cutlets until very tender. Puree with breastmilk or water.
- Sauté ground veal and puree with broth for an iron-rich meal.
8+ months
- Dice cooked veal cutlets into small chunks for finger food.
- Bread cubed veal into nuggets. Cut nuggets into thin strips for grabbing.
- Skewer veal/veg cubes onto baby-safe wood or silicone skewers.
Toddlers
- Make simple veal and pasta bakes with small pasta shapes.
- Bread veal into mini schnitzels or parmesan.
- Lightly season and grill or pan fry veal strips or mince.
Delicious Veal Recipes for Baby
Once comfortable with veal prep, try out these nutritious recipes:
Veal and Sweet Potato Puree
- Steam veal and sweet potato, then puree with breastmilk and cinnamon.
Veal Bolognese
- Simmer ground veal in a classic meat sauce. Toss with small pasta or serve over spiralized veg “noodles”.
Veal Meatballs
- Mix ground veal with breadcrumbs, egg and herbs. Shape into mini meatballs and bake.
Veal and Apple Nuggets
- Coat cubed veal and diced apple in breadcrumbs. Bake into snack-sized nuggets.
Creamy Veal and Carrot Soup
- Puree sautéed veal and carrots with broth and a splash of cream.
Veal Banh Mi Strips
- Marinate sliced veal in soy, lemongrass and garlic. Grill and serve in mini baguette rolls.
Tips for Transitioning Baby to Table Foods
As baby becomes a toddler, keep these tips in mind:
- Gradually introduce seasonings like garlic, herbs and spices. Go mild at first.
- Offer a variety of textures – soft, ground, minced, diced, strips.
- Pair veal with nutritious sides like vegetables, fruits, whole grains.
- Cut foods into manageable sizes – long thin strips, small dices or minced.
- Watch for choking hazards like chunks, hard vegetables, tough meat.
- Cook veal thoroughly but not too dry – aim for pink but no red.
- Let toddler self-feed finger foods to develop motor skills.
- Offer small portions and let toddler request more if still hungry.
- Be patient with messiness – it’s part of learning!
With patience and creativity in the kitchen, veal can provide babies and toddlers with a tasty, nutritious meat choice as they transition to table foods. Try introducing veal early to take advantage of this iron-rich food. The whole family will love discovering new veal dishes together!
How to cook baby’s first meat
FAQ
Can you give baby veal?
Can babies eat veal?
What is the best way to cook veal?
How do you cook meat for babies?
How long do you cook veal in the oven?
Cook the veal at 325 °F (163 °C). Cook for the veal in the oven for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the size of your veal cut. Avoid overcooking the meat by checking its temperature at the 1.5 hour mark, and every 15–20 minutes after. Insert a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to get an accurate reading. Finished.
How do you cook veal in a frying pan?
Sear the veal in a heavy pan to brown it. Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of cooking oil in a heavy pan. Using tongs, place the veal in the oil. Sear it for 1–2 minutes until it is browned, turning it halfway through. Add liquid to the pan and cover it. Remove the pan from heat. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of broth or water to the pan.
Is veal a good cut for a beginner?
Some cuts, such as the chop from the loin or rib of the calf, will have some fat, which makes it an ideal cut that’s perfect for beginners. However, even then, its fat content won’t save it should you happen to overcook the meat, and it’s best to cook veal until it is medium rare.
How do you cook veal cutlets?
Dip veal cutlets in flour. Begin the breading process by coating veal pieces in regular, all-purpose flour. Next, dip them in a bowl of raw egg until they are fully covered. Finally, place the cutlets into a bowl of breadcrumbs, which will stick to the flour and egg coating very easily. Sautée the cutlets.