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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Veal head with sauce gribiche and steamed potatoes

Veal head with sauce gribiche and steamed potatoes is a French bistro dish for 4 people, ready in 2h30, of moderate difficulty, at about €3.90 per person. Success depends on a long, gentle poaching of the meat and a gribiche whipped like a mayonnaise, finished with chopped egg whites, pickles, and capers.

Tonight, a bistro classic with poached veal head, a tangy sauce gribiche, and steamed potatoes.

Veal head with sauce gribiche and steamed potatoes
Total time
2 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Veal head is a winter dish that asks for time rather than skill. Poached for hours in a vegetable broth, the meat turns tender, almost gelatinous, and slices without any resistance. Against it, sauce gribiche brings the sharp edge the dish needs, with the tang of pickles and capers and a base of egg yolks whipped into oil.

This is more of a Sunday project than a weeknight dinner, the kind you start early so you have time to enjoy the house while the pot simmers. It speaks mostly to adults who remember Parisian bistros or old family meals, less to kids who rarely know this cut. The plain steamed potatoes stay out of the way, letting the meat and sauce take the lead.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rolled veal head 1 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 3
  • Onions 2
  • Leeks 2
  • Bouquet garni 1
  • Chervil 1 tbsp
  • Potatoes 800 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 3

Pantry

  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 10 cl
  • Pickles 8
  • Capers 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Place the veal head in a pot of cold water with the carrots, onions, leeks, and bouquet garni.

    Use plenty of water, the meat needs to float freely.

  2. Bring to a simmer, skim, and let it cook gently. 2 h

    Check doneness with the tip of a knife, it should slide in easily.

  3. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, peel them, and separate the whites from the yolks. 10 min

    Rinse them under cold water to peel them more easily.

  4. Mash the yolks with the mustard, whip in the oil like a mayonnaise, then add the chopped whites, pickles, capers, and herbs.

    Pour the oil in a thin stream, the sauce should have the consistency of a soft mayonnaise.

  5. Steam the potatoes, drain the veal head, slice it, and serve with the gribiche. 25 min

    Serve the meat piping hot, the cold sauce makes a nice contrast.

Our tips to get it right

  • Skim the broth regularly during the first half hour of cooking, that's when most of the impurities rise to the surface.
  • Taste the gribiche before serving and adjust the mustard or chopped pickles, its balance depends a lot on how strong they are.
  • If you have time, let the veal head cool slightly in its broth before slicing, it holds together better that way.

The variations

  • Swap the steamed potatoes for plain white rice or roasted baby potatoes for a different side.
  • Stir a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley into the gribiche for a greener, fresher sauce.
  • For a quicker meal, use already cooked sous vide veal head and spend your time on the gribiche and the potatoes instead.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

Keep the veal head and the sauce gribiche separately for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in closed containers. Reheat the meat gently in a little broth, and always serve the gribiche cold. It's best not to freeze the sauce, since it's a homemade mayonnaise.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the gribiche ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in a closed container in the fridge. It actually tastes better once the herbs and pickles have had time to flavor the mayonnaise.

Can you replace the rolled veal head with another cut?

You can use veal shank or beef cheek with the same long poaching method in a vegetable broth. The texture will differ but it will still turn out tender.

How do you know when the veal head is cooked enough?

A knife tip should slide into the meat without resistance, almost like butter. If it still feels firm, keep simmering in 15 minute increments.

Why separate the egg yolks and whites for the gribiche?

The cooked yolks stand in for raw egg and let you whip the sauce like a mayonnaise, safely. The chopped whites then add crunch and texture to the finished sauce.

How long does it take to make a veal head with sauce gribiche and steamed potatoes?

Count 2 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a veal head with sauce gribiche and steamed potatoes?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a veal head with sauce gribiche and steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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