Myths of Lamb
It’s shocking how much baggage lamb has as a protein, especially in the United States. Sometimes I feel like I’m the official Lambassador in our shop, spouting to anyone who will listen, the virtues of our fantastic 100% grass-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free Emigh Lamb. So here is a small attempt at dispelling a few of the worst myths about my favorite protein.
Lamb is Too Gamey?
This is definitely the biggest complaint I hear after suggesting lamb to a guest.
Wrong!
Lamb is a deliciously sweat and complex meat that eats similarly to our grass-fed beef, with a grassy aroma that reminds you with each bite, we are what we eat. I cook lamb at least weekly at home, almost always on the barbeque, and nothing smells better over a fire. Every time neighbors poke their heads over the fence it’s when I’m fire-roasting lamb. “Whatcha got cooking?”
I’m not going to argue with you on this point, but if you’re feeling like lamb is just too strong in flavor for your dinner guests, consider one thing. The flavor is in the fat, and lamb has a lot of it. If not properly rendered, lamb tastes stronger. Also, it’s hard to differentiate the fat from the meat of say a lamb rib chop when it arrives on your plate, so good butchery can also have an impact on flavor (shameless plug).
Sooooo….. if the “g-word” is due to unrendered fat, properly render said fat. This means cooking the steak or roast a little slower than you would beef. A reverse sear or sous vide is a great way to allow the meat to release a lot of its fat without overcooking the lean. More fat in the pan means less gaminess on the plate.
I Probably Ate Mutton; That’s Why I Don’t Like Lamb
The ovis aries—or common domesticated sheep—is known by several names, but none instills more indigestion than the m-word, “mutton.” My dad politely declines the invitation every time lamb is on my dinner table, preferring to retell the anecdote of eating mutton as a child and how it reminded him of boiled socks. It’s highly unlikely he actually ate mutton, but that doesn’t seem to convince him to try it again.
What is mutton? And how is it different from the lamb we eat today? Well first, lamb is any sheep before their first birthday. After that, they graduate to yearling, unless you’re in Australian, then they’re called a hogget. Got it? Anything older than that is just plain mutton. Often milking sheep or breeding sheep are the only animals to live this long, and they make up less than one tenth of 1% of all lamb sold in the US.
What that means is that mutton is basically an endangered species. It’s so rare in fact, that there is a Mutton Renaissance Campaign trying to bring it back into fashion, championed by none other than Prince Charles—pining away for those cold mutton sandwiches of his youth.
I just like to think that mutton is so rare because no one can waits long enough for it to “ripen” this Emigh Lamb so available.
All Lamb is Grass Finished
At Electric City Butcher, we are big fans of grass-finished meat. And what’s not to love? It’s natural, sustainable, more complex in flavor, and healthier. Oh, and it saves the planet.
For many years, my eco-friendly friends agreed that—environmentally speaking—all lamb was grass fed, and good for mother nature. “There is no such thing as a lamb feedlot,” one ill-informed buddy espoused.
Sorry guys, times have changed. Just like 95% of the beef sold in the US, most American lamb is finished on grain and soy. After eating grass for 6-8 months, they are sent to a feedlot like their beefier bigger brothers.
Historically, Australian and New Zealand lamb were 100% grass-fed as well, but feedlot lamb down under is now above 15% of and growing. Plus, the 8,000 mile commute ain’t great for Mother Nature either.
What’s the best way to insure your lamb is 100% grass finished and environmentally responsible? Swing on by our shop. Emigh lamb is never fed anything but pasture.
You Can Eat Lamb for Easter But Not Passover
For thousands of years, lamb has been associated with religious meals and festivals, served as an expression of welcome, birth, marriage, and synonymous with sacrifice and atonement. It’s popular for Christians at Easter, and the Jewish holiday of Passover. In fact, more than 20 percent of lamb in the US is sold in the weeks before these two spring holidays.
So boy was I surprised when a guest reprimanded me for suggesting he serve lamb at his Passover Seder? How could I have gotten that wrong?
Turns out, I’m not the first to stumble into this holy hot potato.
According to the rigorous culinary religious authority, Food and Wine Magazine (huh?), it seems Passover lamb is more a cultural difference than religious. Sephardic Jews (from Southern Europe and the Mediterranean) are totally cool with eating lamb for Passover. Ashkenazi Jews, (from Eastern Europe and Russia) on the other hand, forbid it, and instead prefer brisket—which is so much better than only eating matzo! Just sayin’.
I’m already bracing for the email on this one, so please consider the source, and re-educate me kindly.
Lamb Doesn’t Go with Anything but Mint Sauce
More than any other meat in the case, lamb seems to be unfairly shackled to culinary compatriots; none more misplaced than the mint leaf. Call me crazy, but I despise mint with lamb. In fact, other than when hidden in tzatziki or the eponymous mint chocolate chip ice cream, the herb seldom enters my kitchen.
Instead, consider the more Mediterranean herbal sisterhood, oregano, herb de provence, garlic and cumin. Experiment with the tenderizing effects of yogurt and lemon juice. Spice things up with harissa, sriracha, or if you’re set on something green, try my favorite meat salsa, the Yemini Zhug.
Or if you’re like me, just salt the meat and cook it over an open flame. Well-seasoned lamb with a bit of smoke doesn’t need anything else to make it delicious.
Whatever you do, be original. Cooking is about experimenting, blending of flavors, and telling a story with your recipe. Leave the mint in your toothpaste tube, throw a slab of lamb on the Barbie, and make sure to share it with at least one friend who doesn’t know what they’re missing.