Butcher
There is a huge difference between traditional veal and rose veal that is now coming onto the market. Traditionally, we import our veal from the continent where the meat is pure white which is achieved by keeping the calves crated and feeding them a pure milk diet. It’s not a very happy life.
However there is another option. If you want to eat veal with a clear conscience, you need to look for the RSPCA Freedom Food label. It is used on rosé veal products that have come from farms approved to RSPCA welfare standards.
With Alternative Meats, every step of the way along the calves’ life has been Freedom Food accredited: from the farm itself, to the transport and the abattoir where they are butchered and jointed. The calves can be anything up to 8 months old, so when we talk about veal, we’re not talking insipid, pale, tasteless meat, but rather something more akin to subtle beef, with darker meat and a more substantial flavour, thanks to the cereal diet, straw bedding and ability to move around and live a normal life.
Alternative Meats source their veal from mostly Friesian or Holstein dairy bull calves from local Freedom Food approved farms. They offer a range of veal joints and cuts including shin, liver, steaks, rolled brisket, escalopes and even oxtail. Try their veal sausages, herb-flavoured meatballs and burgers as interesting alternatives to their beefier relatives.
The 22nd-28th September is RSPCA Freedom Food Farm Animal Week. Click here for more details and to find out how you can get involved!
