Cookbook:Lamb and Mutton
| Lamb and Mutton | |
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| Category | Meat and poultry |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Basic foodstuffs | Meat and poultry
Lamb and mutton refer to the meat from sheep,[1][2] with terminology largely depending on age; meat from younger sheep is lamb,[2] while meat from older sheep is referred to as mutton.
Production
editSheep intended for meat may be grass- or grain-fed. In some regions of production, the meat may be aged after slaughter.[3]
Characteristics
editAge
editThe exact terminology used to describe lamb and mutton varies according to culture and regional regulation. There is no single consensus age at which lamb becomes mutton.[2] One guideline suggests that it becomes mutton when the sheep grows its first permanent teeth;[2] others define lamb as younger than 1 year old and mutton as older than 1 year.[4][5][6][7]
A number of specialized terms exist to refer to the age of the sheep.
- Spring lamb: older term that used to connote young lamb but doesn't have as much meaning nowadays[4][7]
- Sucking/suckling lamb: young lamb fed only milk, not grass or grain;[5] very pale, tender, and mild[2]
- Milk lamb: 30–40 days[6]
- Baby lamb: 6–10 weeks[6]
- Agneau blanc/laiton: 70–150 days old[6]
- Young lamb: 0–6 months[7]
- Broutard: 6–9 months[6]
- Older lamb: 6–12 months[7]
- Yearling mutton: 12–16 months[4][7]
- Mutton: ≥16 months;[1][7] strong flavor and texture[1][4]
Grading
editAfter slaughter, the entire carcass is graded according to both age and marbling of the meat.[4][7] Younger meat with higher marbling of the lean tissue gets a higher grade.[4][7] The younger the animal, the less marbling is required for a high grade, and an older animal would require more marbling to achieve the same grade as a younger one.[7]
Flavor
editOverall, lamb and mutton have an earthier, gamier flavor than something like beef.[8] The flavor of the meat depends on a combination of breed, age, and food source. Often, specialized wool breeds and older animals have a stronger flavor.[7][8] Grain- and milk-fed lamb tends to be milder than grass-fed,[3][8] all other variables being equal. Animals reared grazing on salt marshland tend to have a specialized flavor and are called pré-salé.[2][5]
Texture
editLike with other meats, the younger the animal the more tender the meat.[9] Overall, lamb and mutton have a finer grain than does beef,[3] and lamb is generally considered a fatty meat.[1][7][10] Note, however, that lamb fat is generally not considered very appetizing.[7]
Cuts
editThe main primal cuts of lamb from front to back are head, shoulder/chuck, rack/rib, breast, loin, and leg;[5][8][10] these are then often broken down into smaller cuts.[10] Because the animal is smaller, it is not always divided in half by splitting the backbone[5]—these pairs are called saddles.[7] Many cuts take the form of roasts and chops.
| Primal cut | Definition | Flavor/Texture | Description | Use | Subprimal cut | Subprimal description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loin | Located between the ribs and the hip[5][10] | Very tender and lean[5][10] | Can be whole as a saddle or or split down the backbone into two;[7][10] can be bone-in or deboned[7] | Dry-heat cooking until rare or medium-rare;[5][10] good for kebabs[10] | Loin roast | Entire loin, shaped into a roast; often rolled and tied;[4] wrapping with the belly flap protects the meat when cooking.[4] |
| Loin chops | Loin eye and tenderloin muscles;[4] when cut from a paired saddle you get double loin chops with a butterfly appearance;[4] can be bone-in or boneless;[4] the latter can be cut to any thickness;[4] akin to T-bone beef steaks.[7] | |||||
| Loin crosscut/British loin chop | Saddled pair of loin chops with bone, attached to a flap of belly meat[4] | |||||
| Tenderloin/loin eye | Long muscle running along spine;[10] most tender part of the animal; Small and uncommon as a single cut; usually left in other cuts but can be cut into medallions.[5][10] | |||||
| Shoulder | Front part of the animal, including first few ribs, shoulder blade, arm[5][8][10] | Relatively tough; strongly flavored and fatty[8][10][11] | Very large cut;[5] contains a complicated bone and muscular structure;[5][7] difficult to fabricate;[5][7] square-cut shoulder has foreshank removed;[8] can be whole and bone-in, boneless, or broken down into chops, stew meat, and ground meat;[5][7][10] generally a less expensive cut of lamb.[4] | Does best with lower, slower, and moister heat cooking methods due to the tougher tissue[10] | Shoulder chop | Does well when brined;[11] cook to medium-rare and let rest before serving;[11] blade chop is from the top of the blade and is slightly more tender than arm chop;[4] arm chop is from lower part of front leg;[4] boneless shoulder chops are easier to eat.[7] |
| Shoulder roast | Cut from back of shoulder;[10] often deboned and rolled into a roast, but can be bone-in;[4][7][10] can be stuffed;[7] smaller alternative option to the leg.[4] | |||||
| Leg/Hindshank | Rear leg of the animal[5][10] | Tender to slightly more tough as you move from the top (sirloin) end to the bottom (shank) end.[10] | Contains several different bones;[5] can be whole, halved, deboned, butterflied, stuffed, cut into skewer cubes, etc.[4][5][7][10] | Variety of cooking styles depending on size and tenderness (roasting, braising, etc);[5][7][10] bone-in, large cuts are harder to cook evenly through.[4] | Leg chops/steaks | More tender the closer they are to the top/sirloin;[5] can have the femur cross-section[4] |
| Steamship | Entire leg with the shank end frenched and minus the pelvic bone.[7] | |||||
| Top round | Smaller roast cut from the top of the leg[4] | |||||
| Shank | Shin region of the leg;[4] consists of tough lean meat and connective tissue;[4][5] may be cut into cross-sections;[5] often braised to tenderize it.[7][10] | |||||
| Sirloin | Top cut of the leg; bone-in or boneless; does well roasted[10] | |||||
| Breast/brisket | Region next to the shoulder, below the rack, and in front of the belly.[5][10] | Fairly fatty cut[7][10] | Fairly small cut[10] | Can be stuffed, roasted, barbecued, or braised[5][7][10] | Denver ribs | Breast minus plate, rib tips, and cartilage;[4] small section of ribs with a good amount of meat between them;[7] sometimes called spare ribs and can sub for pork ribs.[4][5] |
| Riblets | Very small amount of meat, which is tough and fatty.[10] | |||||
| Rack/ribs | Main rib portion of the animal; between the shoulder and loin;[5][10] contains 7–8 total ribs[5][10] | Tender, delicate flavor[5][10] | May be frenched (bones trimmed and scraped);[5][6][7] thick fat cap keeps meat moist[4]; usually left whole as a roast or or cut into rib chops.[5][10] | Suited for dry-heat and medium-rare cooking.[5][10][11] | Rib chops | Thin layer of fat; quick-cooking;[4] very expensive;[11] best when quickly cooked by grilling, broiling, or searing.[10] |
| Crown rib roast | Two racks intersecting and sewn together in a circular crown shape;[2] should be roasted.[10] | |||||
| Neck | Tough and meaty[4] | Should be braised or stewed for tenderness[10] | ||||
| Foreshank | Meaty and hearty[5] | May be cut osso-bucco style[7] | Braising[4][7][10] | |||
| Head | Roasting, braising, depending on the cut;[4] in charcuterie[4] | Tongue | Dense and tough, best braised to develop tenderness.[4] | |||
| Cheeks | Very fibrous and good braised.[4] |
Selection and storage
editWhen selecting lamb and mutton, use the same basic criteria as for other varieties of meat. You're also looking for meat that has a fine texture and red color,[5] without yellowed fat.[6] Choose the appropriate age and cut for your desired application. Like other fresh meats, keep in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a few months.[6]
Use
editBecause lamb and mutton tend to have a strong flavor and fatty texture, they are often paired with strong flavors like seasonings and acids.[1][2][5] It plays a significant role in the cuisines of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.[2][4][8]
Recipes
editReferences
edit- ↑ a b c d e The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (2011-09-13). The Professional Chef. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
- ↑ a b c McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai LaFrieda, Pat; Carreño, Carolynn (2014-09-02). Meat: Everything You Need to Know. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4767-2601-4.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Labensky, Sarah R.; Hause, Alan M.; Martel, Priscilla (2018-01-18). On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals. Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-444190-0.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2012-04-11). The Culinarian: A Kitchen Desk Reference. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-18603-3.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af The Culinary Institute of America (CIA); Schneller, Thomas (2009-02-03). Kitchen Pro Series: Guide to Meat Identification, Fabrication and Utilization. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-1-111-78059-3.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Green, Aliza (2012-06-01). The Butcher's Apprentice: The Expert's Guide to Selecting, Preparing, and Cooking a World of Meat. Quarry Books. ISBN 978-1-61058-393-0.
- ↑ Ruhlman, Michael (2008). The Elements of Cooking: Translating the Chef's Craft for Every Kitchen. Black Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-86395-143-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Chesman, Andrea (2015-09-19). The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table Cooking Skills. Storey Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-61212-205-2.
- ↑ a b c d e "A Lamb Chop Lesson: 3 Cuts, 3 Great Tips". Food52. 2014-06-13. Retrieved 2025-01-05.