Our worthy autumn harvest is nearly complete and the flock seems comfortably resigned the business of wintering over. The sheep to be bred through winter are healthy, woolly and still grazing on pasture quite a bit, as we have enjoyed a mild and dry autumn in the Columbia Gorge thus far. Those sheep that we selected for cull this year are being prepped for customers through Malco's Buxton Meats, our most local and very professional USDA processing facility. The beautiful Jacob pelts they render are in progress at Bucks County Fur in Quakerstown PA, and the holidays beckon our best culinary inspiration. While most everyone is thinking about turkey at present (us too!), farmers are always thinking a few meals ahead of their customers. And lamb is a very popular holiday dish.
To that end, I have been promising to post my favorite lamb and mutton recipes, discovered and sampled over the last year, for your own exploration and enjoyment. Here they are, as links, organized by cut, with my notes & tips. We and the Worthy Jacobs, welcome your feedback on cooking with lamb and mutton, and wish you a wonderful holiday season!
Shoulder - this is the cut of meat that comes from the fore of the animal above the legs. It is generally a fantastic roast, and affords enough meat for a large dinner party or next day lamb sandwiches. Slowly roasting is the name of the game when it comes to large hunks of lamb. You want to defrost this roast a few days in advance so that your meat has ample time to absorb rubs or marinades.
Shank - the shank is the lesser/leaner/lower portion of the lamb leg. Though smallish in meat yield when compared to the leg roast, this cut is a delicacy to my mind. I enjoy dishes that treat meat as a seasoning or accent (think stews, curries, rice bowls, etc) and the shank is the bomb for this type of non-meat-centric meal.
Rack - the rack is one side of the rib cage. it is easily the most glorified culinary component of a sheep. And for good reason, rack of lamb is incredibly simple in preparation and hands down delicious. Not a huge belly-filler, but succulent, morsels to be accompanied by flavorful sides and a fantastic red wine. I recommend Shiraz or Chianti. Don't over think or over cook the rack. Keep it simple and it will not disappoint.
Loin - Loin is the tender muscle region of the body, between rib cage and hind legs. The classic lamb chop comes from the lamb loin and usually includes a medallion of the tenderloin – think of this cut is like a T-bone (only more petite and flavorful). It is the leanest, most tender and often most expensive cut. Loin chops should be cut generously thick so as to result in a crisp-on-the-outside, juicy-pink-on-the-inside medium rare plating. The loin is also packaged as a whole bone-in roast or a boneless rolled piece of meat.
Leg - This is the portion of the sheep that holds it up and keeps it grazing! How surprising.. But it is not common knowledge that "Leg of Lamb" is generally the term reserved for describing the hind leg cuts..as they include the more ample rump tissue. Fore legs on a lamb become Shoulder or Shank cuts. There is no denying the tastiness of this meat and it is usually a large piece, good for a big group. Leg of lamb comes bone in, or deboned and this is an important specification when ordering your meat and planning your meal. Every recipe out there (if its worthy) will relay two important things: Roast low and slow; and use a meat thermometer for best results.
Ground - Ground lamb is comprised of the trimmings of a lamb after the butcher creates select cuts. It is simply, the leftover meat and a specific quantity of fat. It is your best friend for Mediterranean inspired dishes such as gyros or kabab. It is an easy-prep departure from (or accompaniment to) the usual ground fare such as beef, pork or turkey.
Tip: in many recipes calling for ground lamb, you will be combining it with another ground meat. This is often done as a way to mitigate the gamier flavor of ground lamb, but it is not necessary, unless that is your palate preference. For the best ground lamb recipes, I am punting to uncharted territory and welcome your feedback. I have made my own version of many of these, but it is my goal to try them all through this coming year. Kudos to Woman's Day for the compilation. Its a highly browseable collection.
