The veal belly roast is not only a very inexpensive cut of meat but also very tasty.

I thought to use it in a different way, which also works very well for many other recipes.

Trust me, it is a very underrated cut of meat, but very flavorful.

DID YOU KNOW:
Up here, where you see the magnifying glass, click on “SEARCH” 🔎, you can type the ingredient you find when you open the fridge or your pantry, and you will be able to access hundreds of recipes with the ingredient you chose.
YOU WILL BE SURPRISED.

I had never thought to roast it in a pan until a few days ago when we had a piece of belly and my husband suggested cooking it in a pan with some wine, on low heat so it wouldn’t dry out and become tough.

I won’t tell you how delicious it was — oh my, it’s great cold, sliced thinly for sandwich fillings or served with simply boiled potatoes.
Let’s see right after the photo how to make veal belly!!

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Inexpensive
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Cooking time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Portions: 4-5 servings
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

What you need to prepare pan-roasted veal belly

2 lb 10 oz lbs/oz veal (Belly)
1 cup white wine
2 sprigs rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
4 leaves sage
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
to taste coarse salt
to taste black peppercorns

Tools

1 Frying pan
1 Thermometer

How to prepare pan-roasted veal belly

To prepare the pan-roasted veal belly, first finely chop all the aromatic herbs together with the garlic, mix them with the salt and massage the mixture onto the surface of the meat to let the flavors penetrate.
Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour so it absorbs the flavors well.
After resting, heat the extra virgin olive oil very well in a wide pan with high sides and when it becomes hot sear the meat on all sides.
Moisten the veal belly with the wine, letting some of it evaporate over high heat; then lower the heat and cover the pan (aluminum foil works fine too).
Cook for 20 minutes, checking that the cooking juices do not dry out; turn it after 20 minutes and if necessary add a few tablespoons of water.
Continue cooking for another 10–12 minutes, turning the meat a couple of times and spooning it with its cooking juices, which towards the end will be abundant because the meat will have released its juices.
If you have a kitchen thermometer, measure the internal temperature of the meat; it should reach 136°F to be ready — browned on the outside and juicy inside.
Once cooked, remove the meat from the heat, cover it with foil or a shallow bowl to let it rest and let the internal juices settle.
Slice the pan-roasted veal belly only just before serving and…
ENJOY YOUR MEAL
I leave you my FACEBOOK PAGE if you want daily updates with my new recipes — just leave a like.

Pan-roasted veal belly with vegetables

You can add, halfway through the meat’s cooking, two carrots cut into thick slices, one rib of celery chopped, and one onion cut into wedges, and continue cooking everything together. At the end of cooking the vegetables will have absorbed all the flavors from the meat and will be delicious.

Beer roast

Instead of moistening the meat with white wine you can use 11 fl oz (330 ml) of light beer: pour the beer over the meat and, without letting it evaporate, lower the heat, cover with a lid and continue cooking.

At the end of cooking, if the cooking juices are abundant you can add 1 teaspoon of flour and thicken it to serve the meat glazed with its sauce.

Wine to pair

I recommend a Cabernet Franc, a Nebbiolo, or a Sicilian Nero d’Avola, always served at 64°F in a tall glass.

Delicious Recipes

Pan-Roasted Veal Belly