Crusted Veal Chops with Balsamic Reduction

The other night Brady brought over ingredients to make Crusted Veal Chops with Balsamic Reduction along with a Spicy Green Bean side dish. Brady found both recipes on the Crepes of Wrath blog and we thought they both turned out great.

I am not sure if I have ever had veal and I have definitely never cooked with it but it was incredibly easy. In Brady's words "this is a sneaky fancy dinner" because the recipe requires limited ingredients and is quick to prepare but it honestly looks like something you would be served at a restaurant. Brady loved the dish. My cut of veal was a little fatty but the meat I had tasted great and I ended up making up for the lack of meat with large amounts of the spicy green beans which were delicious!

Crusted Veal Chops with Balsamic Reduction
** The Crepes of Wrath
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Serves 2
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

2 veal chops, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Balsamic Reduction
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot or 1/2 a red onion, diced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. If you have a baking rack, place that on top of the baking sheet and spray that with non-stick spray-  this will allow chops to have a nice crust on them.

Combine the parsley, thyme, garlic, bread crumbs, salt and cayenne pepper on a large plate. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and mustard and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Season the veal chops with salt and pepper on both sides, then place in the heated olive oil. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, until a nice brown crust forms. Remove to the rack and allow to cool for a few minutes before covering each chop with the mustard and mayonnaise combination, then coating in the breadcrumb mixture. Press the chops down into the bread to make sure that everything sticks.

Place the chops on the prepared baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees F. Cover and allow the chops to rest for 5-8 minutes.


While the chops are resting prepare the balsamic reduction. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the shallots or onion and cook for a minute or so, until soft. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, turn the heat to high, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-high and reduce by half, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. To serve, spoon a bit of the reduction over the chops.

Spicy Green Beans

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound green beans, cleaned
1 or 2 habanero chile peppers, minced (or jalapeno peppers)
pinch salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons water

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the diced onion. Saute for 5 minutes, or until softened, then add in the garlic and saute for another minute, until fragrant. Add in the green beans, habanero peppers, salt, pepper, white wine, and water. Stir to combine, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, until the beans are tender but still slightly crunchy. **I had to add a bit more water after about 10 minutes because the green beans were still pretty crunchy.