Many different methods of preparing veal steaks exist, including marinating the meat prior to cooking, seasoning the meat, coating it in a condiment such as mustard, and braising the meat before cooking in the oven. Most of the methods of preparing veal steaks focus on infusing flavor into the meat. If the chef is cooking the veal in an oven, braising is an important part of preparation because it helps to prevent moisture from being lost in the cooking process. Different seasonings that can be added to the steaks include cumin, oregano, and thyme.
Seasoning the meat is amongst the most common methods of preparing veal steaks. Meat that is seasoned during the preparation stage has more flavors because the seasoning infuses with the meat during cooking. Salt and pepper are common seasonings added in most recipes for veal steaks. Other possible seasonings include cumin, celery salt, oregano, and thyme. Chefs typically add these seasonings, or other seasonings, to the raw meat prior to cooking.
Marinades are useful for tenderizing the meat and infusing flavors into it before cooking. Many different types of marinade can be used on veal steaks, depending on the sort of flavor the chef is looking for. The chef should cover the steaks with the marinade and then leave it in the fridge to soak up the flavors for a while. Acidic ingredients are often included in marinades to help break down the muscle fibers within the meat and make the finished dish tenderer. A teriyaki marinade can be made for veal steaks using soy sauce, rice wine, teriyaki sauce, ginger, garlic, and a bit of sugar.
Coating the veal steaks in a condiment is another possible method of preparing them. This is in many ways the same as seasoning, but does not use dry, powdered ingredients. Wholegrain mustard is a common choice of condiment to be applied to veal steaks before cooking. The chef should brush the meat with the sauce on both sides before cooking. In the same way as with seasoning, the flavors of the condiment will infuse into the meat during cooking.
If the chef is planning on roasting the veal steaks, another method of preparation is important. When meat is cooked in the oven, the vital juices that chefs like to keep in the meat can be lost because of evaporation. A way to combat this is to shallow-fry the meat prior to putting it in the oven — a process known as braising. This closes off the pores in the meat and prevents moisture from being lost. The meat should be browned all over before being placed in the oven.