Caveman-Style Sous Vide Veal Chops

If you’ve never had caveman style meat, you’re missing out. The biggest question I get when I cook this way is “Doesn’t the meat get covered with ash?” It’s a fair question, and I wouldn’t recommend this technique with traditional charcoal briquettes specifically because of that reason.  With FOGO lump however, there’s never an issue with ash from the coals and the sear and flavor that comes from this primitive from of cooking is simply amazing.

DIRECTIONS

Start by mixing all marinade ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl.

Place the veal in a sealable bag and pour the marinade over top coating the entire chop, I also and add another sprig of rosemary at this point but that’s optional. Squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag and allow the veal to marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours, overnight is perfect if you have the time.

Prepare your water bath by setting the sous vide temperature to 130 degrees. Place the veal (still sealed in the bag) into the water and let it go for 3 hours. For thinner cuts of meat this isn’t required but given the thickness of this veal you’ll want to sous vide before it goes on the coals or you’ll risk overcooking the outside of the veal.

During the last 20 minutes of the sous vide, prepare your coals in the middle of your grill. Since you’ll be cooking directly on the coals try to make a nice flat surface of white hot Fogo -  beautiful sight isn’t it?

Remove the veal from the water bath and let any excessive marinade drip off. After 3 hours in the sous vide the meat is almost done, but it won’t have much (or any) flavor without the sear. With just a thin coat of marinade remaining on the meat, the real fun begins. Using a heavy-duty tong, place the meat directly on the coals and flip it every 45 seconds or so, ensuring it doesn’t burn; you’re just looking for a nice char during this process, and getting that FOGO signature flavor into the meat. Total cooking time on the coals is going to be six to eight minutes; the key here is to flip it often not letting either side sit on the coals for more than 45 seconds at a time. In the six to eight minutes the meat spends on the FOGO, the flavor of the veal will really come alive.

After trying the caveman style, you won’t want veal any other way.

Recipe by Matt Eads (@grillseeker).