For many years veal was deemed unethical, but it’s much more ethically farmed these days – in particular, look for the excellent White Rocks brand.

The meat’s flavour is due to the fact that the calves are just weaned, and it is unbelievably tender.

Ingredients

8 bone rack of veal
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
bunch rosemary, leaves picked
bunch sage, leaves picked
8 rashers short-cut streaky bacon, rind removed
2 large onions, cut into quarters
gravy granules, (optional)

Method

1. Rub the veal with salt and pepper, olive oil and garlic. Cover with the herbs, then wrap the rashers of streaky bacon around the veal to fill in the gaps between the bones. Tie with butchers twine to secure.
2. Preheat your barbecue for indirect cooking (outside burners on, the middle ones off) at about 250°C.
3. Line the bottom of a roasting tin with the onions, then pour over 1 cup water.
4. Place a wire rack over the onions, arrange the veal on top and transfer to the barbecue. Insert a barbecue thermometer and set for beef (medium–rare or however you prefer), pull the lid down and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to 180°C and cook for a further 40–45 minutes. Keep the water level in the tin constant to stop the onions from burning; this liquid will become your gravy.
6. Remove the tin from the barbecue. Cover the meat with foil, and allow to rest for half the amount of cooking time.
7. While the meat is resting, place the roasting tin over medium heat on the stove top until the cooking juices are reduced by half. If you like, you can thicken the juices with gravy granules.
8. Carve each person a piece of veal with the bone attached and serve with the gravy and onions.

This recipe appears courtesy of Cooked.com.au.

Recipe first appeared in At Home With Ben by Ben O’Donoghue.