Help me decide-veal or lamb

[whitestavern]

We're having two couples over for dinner tomorrow night and dh and I can't decide whether to serve grilled veal loin chops or grilled lamb loin chops. The veal chops are on sale this week, so they will be less expensive. We only need one per person where we would need 2 for the lamb. The lamb is marinated in mustard, oil, basil, garlic; the veal is dolloped with a mustard herb butter once it comes off the grill. We did check with the guests to make sure they like lamb so that's not an issue. What do you think?

 

Also, still pondering dessert. I am thinking of a blueberry galette, but am definitely open for suggestions. Thanks!

[hornblower]

booohoooo - don't eat the babies :crying:

 

sorry, a vegetarian should not even be opening this thread LOL.

[Karen in CO]

booohoooo - don't eat the babies :crying:

 

sorry, a vegetarian should not even be opening this thread LOL.

:iagree:

not a vegetarian, but I don't eat those.

 

If your guests are okay with either, I go for the less expensive option.

[happi duck]

booohoooo - don't eat the babies :crying:

:iagree: My immediate thought was: neither!

 

If your guests are okay with either, I go for the less expensive option.

Do most meat eaters eat lamb or veal? It seems like a good possibility that some don't.

[Guest]

:iagree: My immediate thought was: neither!

 

Do most meat eaters eat lamb or veal? It seems like a good possibility that some don't.

 

 

I eat meat, and I don't like either! If I knew that was being served for dinner, I would make up an excuse, lol. Not trying to hurt feelings (I have no problem with people eating it), but those that do like have to realize a lot of people don't like it.

[Mejane]

I'd say the lamb since you've already checked with your guests and they all like it. Your dessert sounds delish. :001_smile:

[Guest]

I'd say the lamb since you've already checked with your guests and they all like it. Your dessert sounds delish. :001_smile:

 

LOL, whoops. Missed the part where she checked with the guests and they liked lamb... that's what happens when you read too fast!

 

I'd also go with the lamb since they've confirmed they like it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Definitely the lamb.

[Perry]

booohoooo - don't eat the babies :crying:

 

:iagree:

My immediate thought was: neither!

 

Do most meat eaters eat lamb or veal? It seems like a good possibility that some don't.

Not me.

[justamouse]

Lamb. I roasted a leg this weekend for the party and mmmmm, delish.

 

The fun thing was, I had never cooked it before and was pretty scared it was going to come out fatty and , well, you know how bad a bad piece of lamb can be. OMG, I have seen the light. Melt in your mouth scrumptious.

Edited August 19, 2010 by justamouse

[happi duck]

LOL, whoops. Missed the part where she checked with the guests and they liked lamb... that's what happens when you read too fast!

 

I'd also go with the lamb since they've confirmed they like it.

 

Oops, missed it too! Sorry! :blush:

[alpidarkomama]

My immediate thought: We'll be right over!!!!! :) Lamb is our favorite, favorite, favorite, but a big splurge to buy kosher. Enjoy, whichever you choose!!!

[Melissa in FL]

The grilled Veal sounds wonderful, my mouth is watering.

Melissa

[vettechmomof2]

my first thought was both! Yummy!

I would probably go for the easiest to serve and the most cost effective for you to serve/cook.

[spradlin02]

Well, if you like to eat baby animals, I'd go with the veal.

[ktgrok]

many meat eaters won't eat veal, due to ethical considerations with how they are raised. I'd do the lamb. It would be horrible to have them in a position where they either offended you or their morals. I eat meat, every day, and I wouldn't eat veal.

[tiffijo1]

I love lamb...and the blueberry dessert sounds great!

[Chris in VA]

many meat eaters won't eat veal, due to ethical considerations with how they are raised. I'd do the lamb. It would be horrible to have them in a position where they either offended you or their morals. I eat meat, every day, and I wouldn't eat veal.

 

:iagree:

 

We save lamb for Easter, for symbolic reasons, but I refuse to eat veal because it's so cruelly raised.

Ymmv, of course.

[NanceXToo]

My first thought was "neither," too. Sorry! I love meat but I just can't bring myself to eat baby animals. I vote chicken or steak lol.

[Rosie_0801]

many meat eaters won't eat veal, due to ethical considerations with how they are raised. I'd do the lamb. It would be horrible to have them in a position where they either offended you or their morals. I eat meat, every day, and I wouldn't eat veal.

 

:iagree: Even back when I was a regular meat eater, I wouldn't eat turkey for ethical reasons either.

 

Rosie

[MyThreeSons]

I never see veal around here, and rarely see lamb. I've never cooked lamb, as that was the one food my Dad didn't want cooked in our home.

[creekland]

Lamb! I absolutely love lamb as does my whole family, so I might be partial. We actually don't eat veal.

 

For those that say not to eat the babies, you do realize that lamb can be up to a year old, right, though for most, it's about 6 months or so? And that most chickens get about 30 days to live? For farm raised chickens (no hormones, etc), it's 5 months.

[whitestavern]

Thanks for all the replies; although I certainly didn't expect so many anti-veal remarks! I do know one person who doesn't like lamb, which is why I asked my guests in advance, but I was surprised to see so many people who didn't eat either cut of meat. Anyway, you all spooked me so I went with the lamb!

 

After seeing so many food documentaries, though, I don't think any animal raised for widespread retails sale is raised humanely, which is sad. I'd love to be able to get everything from local farms that free range and grass feed, but about all I can get in my area is beef. We do raise our own chickens so I know they're treated well :)

 

So, not trying to be snarky, but why is it okay to eat chickens that were raised in tiny cages, or adult cows that are treated so poorly, but it's not okay for the babies? I'm curious as to the difference.

[ktgrok]

Thanks for all the replies; although I certainly didn't expect so many anti-veal remarks! I do know one person who doesn't like lamb, which is why I asked my guests in advance, but I was surprised to see so many people who didn't eat either cut of meat. Anyway, you all spooked me so I went with the lamb!

 

After seeing so many food documentaries, though, I don't think any animal raised for widespread retails sale is raised humanely, which is sad. I'd love to be able to get everything from local farms that free range and grass feed, but about all I can get in my area is beef. We do raise our own chickens so I know they're treated well :)

 

So, not trying to be snarky, but why is it okay to eat chickens that were raised in tiny cages, or adult cows that are treated so poorly, but it's not okay for the babies? I'm curious as to the difference.

 

Well, we buy grass fed beef and free range chicken, so we aren't the norm, but veal is a whole nother level of awful. They are not allowed to nurse and instead given formula that is extra salty to get them to keep drinking it, out of thirst, even though it is purposely not nutritional. They are iron starved to keep the meat white, and not allowed to move around because it would make the meat darker. Normal beef cows do get to move around most of the time, even if they end up at a feed lot at the end. It doesn't compare to veal. And after veal, pigs and chickens do have it the worst, so I don't buy pork and we get local pastured eggs :)

[creekland]

So, not trying to be snarky, but why is it okay to eat chickens that were raised in tiny cages, or adult cows that are treated so poorly, but it's not okay for the babies? I'm curious as to the difference.

 

Chickens for basic human consumption aren't raised in cages, but rather houses more akin to pork. Those used for egg laying, then eaten, are raised in those cages. We have our own chickens, but I'm not opposed to meat birds. Even when I buy eggs I pay extra for free range just so birds don't need the tiny cages.

 

We also don't "really" eat adult cows most of the time except in things like soup. Pending how they are raised, they are generally eaten in 1 to 2 years. They, like pigs and meat chickens, do have freedom of movement.

 

Veal is young cows who are not allowed to nurse, move around - sometimes even turn around - and are fed the special diet a previous poster noted to keep their meat in that "just born" taste and tenderness condition. I simply don't support that.

[Chris in VA]

Yeah, but have you seen Food, Inc? Those chicken "houses" often don't even have windows and the chickens are packed in so tightly that the farmers have to haul out the dead chickens after the live ones are loaded on the truck.

 

I guess, to answer Whitestavern, that I simply am in denial about what really happens (since I do know), but my level of denial only extends to the veal; the veal crosses some imaginary line of my tolerance that probably should be drawn differently.

[Laura Corin]

many meat eaters won't eat veal, due to ethical considerations with how they are raised. I'd do the lamb. It would be horrible to have them in a position where they either offended you or their morals. I eat meat, every day, and I wouldn't eat veal.

 

It's still from young animals, but the conditions are more acceptable - usually outside, on pasture.

 

Laura

[creekland]

Yeah, but have you seen Food, Inc? Those chicken "houses" often don't even have windows and the chickens are packed in so tightly that the farmers have to haul out the dead chickens after the live ones are loaded on the truck.

 

 

 

No, I'm not fond of Food, Inc or other sensationalist journalism/media. I have no doubt that some places may be indeed like the ones they film, but not all of them - and not those I KNOW of around here. Yes, there are lots of chickens, and yes, some die. It's not ideal IMO, but it's generally not as bad as the extreme portrayed either. There's room to roam in the chicken houses people I know worked at.