Reverse Smoke/Seared Veal Chop Parm with Pan con Tomate
I love a good recipe mashup. And this Reverse Smoke/Seared Veal Chop Parm with Pan con Tomate is just that. If you don’t know what a recipe mashup is, it’s when you take two different flavour profiles from two different cuisines and mix them together to make something new and delicious – or at least that’s what I like to call it, you may know it more by the name ‘fusion’ cuisine, but there is a fun ring to calling it a recipe mashup. And I’ve always had the philosophy that food should be fun.
What I think makes a recipe mashup a little different from fusion cuisine, is that the mashup tends to be made up of two seemingly unrelated/incompatible flavours, but in the end they make sense and work really well together, giving a new and unique flavour experience. What’s different too, is that you can mash up more than two different flavours or cultures. For example, for this recipe, I took the flavours of an Italian veal parm, used the method of reverse smoke and sear bbq on my chop, and then paired it with a Spanish staple, pan con tomate (roughly translates to tomato bread). It might seem like a strange combination, but it works so well together and I’ll tell you why. Instead of a breaded and fried veal cutlet, you have beautifully toasted rustic bread. You have the tenderness of the veal with that beautiful hit of smoke flavour and great crust from a hot and fast sear, the garlicky tomato from the pan con tomate and the melted, crispy mozzarella cheese, all topped with fresh basil – if you haven’t put the pieces together yet, these are all flavours you would find in a veal parm, familiar, but different. It sounds crazy, but it all works! The perfect bite is a piece of the tender veal chop, the melted mozzarella and a piece of toasted bread, soaked with that delicious tomato mixture.
I also can’t keep recommending using the reverse smoke/sear method for all your favourite cuts of meat. I love to use this method with steak, pork chops and lamb, too. The concept is so easy, you smoke your meat on a low temperature for a longer period and then hit it on a super hot grill for a beautiful sear. I’ve been having so much fun using the Alchemy to reverse smoke and sear, and the best part, is that I can smoke and sear simultaneously. The smoker down below isn’t impacted by the upper grill and plancha, so I can keep cooking as my meat is smoking, all on the same unit.
Keep reading to find out how to make the Reverse Smoke/Seared Veal Chop Parm with Pan con Tomate or jump to the full recipe.
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Drizzle your veal chop with olive oil and season with Alchemy Blue Rub on both sides (stay tuned for more info about Alchemy rubs!). Place the veal chop in the smoker for about 30-45 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 130F.
While your veal is smoking, prepare your tomatoes for the pan con tomate. Start by grating one clove of garlic into a bowl, then grate your tomato into the same bowl.
To season the tomatoes, add olive oil, salt and lemon juice, from one lemon. Mix and set aside.
Cut a thick slice of mozzarella cheese, about an inch thick. The secret to making cheese perfectly on the plancha, is that thick cut, you want it to be able to melt but not completely turn into a gooey mess.
When your veal chop is close to being done smoking, slice a thick piece of rustic, crusty bread.
When your veal chop reaches an internal temp of 130F remove from the smoker and sear, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Make sure to squeeze the juice from half a lemon on each side of the veal chop as you sear.
As your veal chop is searing, add your thick slice of mozzarella cheese to the plancha. Let it cook, getting bubbly and melted around the edges. You want the bottom to be golden brown and crispy before removing it from the grill, about 2 minutes. Throw your slice of bread onto the plancha and toast on both sides.
To build, place your toasted bread in a shallow bowl. Add a generous layer of your tomato mixture on top.
Place your veal chop on top of the pan con tomate, and then drizzle your veal chop with the remaining tomato mixture. Flip the mozzarella cheese onto the veal chop, crispy side out. Sprinkle with salt and top with fresh basil leaves, add a wedge of lemon for garnish
Your veal chop should be perfectly cooked and tender. Make sure to get some cheese and pan con tomate with your bite of meat, it's quite the twist on a veal parm.
And now for the full recipe...
Reverse Smoke/Seared Veal Chop Parm with Pan con Tomate
Serves 1-2 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
1lb rack of veal chop
Alchemy blue rub
1 thick slice of Italian-style rustic bread
2 lemons
1 thick slice of mozzarella cheese
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 ripe tomato
2-4 leaves of Fresh basil
1 clove fresh garlic
Salt
Pepper
How to Make It:
Preheat your smoker to 275F.
Drizzle your veal chop with olive oil and season with Alchemy Blue Rub on both sides. Place in the smoker for about 30-45 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 130F.
While your veal is smoking, prepare your tomatoes for the pan con tomate. Start by grating one clove of garlic into a bowl. Then grate your tomato into the same bowl, add your olive oil, salt and lemon juice, from one lemon and mix. Set aside.
Cut a thick slice of mozzarella cheese and a thick slice of rustic bread. Set both aside.
Remove the veal chop from the smoker and sear, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon on each side of the veal chop as you sear.
Place your thick-cut mozzarella slice on the plancha and allow to melt and crisp up on the bottom. Toast your bread on both sides on the plancha.
To plate, place your bread down in a shallow bowl, top with your tomato mixture. Place your veal chop on top of the pan con tomate, and then drizzle your veal chop with the remaining tomato mixture. Flip the mozzarella cheese onto the veal chop, crispy side out. Sprinkle with salt and top with fresh basil leaves, add a wedge of lemon for garnish (optional). Now dig in, making sure to get the pan con tomate, veal and cheese all in one bite!
