Rich Veal Jus

Veal bones are the classical choice for one reason, they are absolutely loaded with collagen and have a mild flavour that lets whatever you serve it with do the talking. This is a pure reduction, no roux, no cornflour. The gloss and the body come from the bones and nothing else, which is why it takes so long.

Ingredients

Makes about 400ml of intense jus, a generous 50ml a plate

• 3kg (6lb 8oz) veal bones knuckle and neck, sawn into pieces
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 medium onions halved
• 1 large carrot
• 1 stick celery
• 1 head garlic halved across the middle
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 6 litres (10.5 pints) cold water
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 white peppercorns
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar to sharpen at the end
• flaky sea salt

Kit

• Roasting tin
• Tall stockpot
• Fine sieve
• Muslin
• Wide reduction pan

Method

1. Heat the oven to 210C fan (230C conventional, gas 8). Oil the veal bones and roast for an hour, turning twice, until they are an even deep golden brown. Veal bones brown more slowly than beef because there is less fat and blood in them, so give them the time.

2. Add the vegetables and garlic in the last 20 minutes along with the tomato purée, stirring it through so it toasts against the hot tin.

3. Transfer to a tall stockpot, deglaze the tin with a little water and add that in. Cover with 6 litres of cold water so everything is well submerged, because this simmers a long time and you want room to lose liquid.

4. Bring up slowly and skim hard for the first 30 minutes. Once clear, add the thyme, bay and white peppercorns and drop to the barest simmer. White peppercorns rather than black keeps the finished jus from looking speckled and gives a cleaner heat.

5. Simmer for 8 hours, never letting it boil. Top up with hot water only if the bones threaten to break the surface. Veal gives up its gelatine slowly, and this long low cook is exactly where the body comes from.

6. Strain through a sieve lined with muslin, then chill overnight. Lift off the fat cap. The stock underneath should be set like a firm jelly and jiggle when you knock the container. If it is liquid, you either boiled it or you needed more knuckle.

7. Pour the jellied stock into a wide pan and reduce at a steady simmer, skimming the edge, until it has gone from around 2.5 litres down to 400ml. Expect 90 minutes to 2 hours. Towards the end it will start to look syrupy and the bubbles get slower and larger, so watch it closely.

8. Test it by dipping a spoon and drawing a line through the back. If the line holds without running, you are there. Add the sherry vinegar, season with a little flaky salt and serve straight away, spooned rather than poured.

Tips worth knowing

• A jus this concentrated is a spoonful per plate, not a boatful. Serve it in a small jug and let people help themselves.
• The last 15 minutes of reduction is where a jus goes from perfect to burnt sugar. Turn the heat down as it thickens and stir round the base of the pan.
• That teaspoon of vinegar at the end is not optional. Long reductions go flat and slightly sweet, and a sharp note snaps everything back into focus.
• Veal bones can be hard to find in supermarkets. Any decent butcher will get them in with a couple of days notice, and they cost very little.

Keeping and reheating

The jus keeps ten days in the fridge because it is so concentrated, and freezes for six months. Reheat gently in a pan and never let it boil again once reduced.

Questions people ask