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Techniques for Lamb Ribs and Breast

Chris Amirault

By Chris Amirault
in Cooking

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scubadoo97

scubadoo97

Posted
Posted

So while cruising through the local Walmart grocery store I saw several vac packs of lamb ribs. I picked up one and cooked it in the oven with a nice. marinade but the fat which there is a lot of was not rendered out even though the meat was very tender

Seeing that they had sold out within a hour of my purchase I vowed to try them again if they ever showed up again. Well a month or so later there were more in the meat case. This last attempt was done on the smoker. Done like I would pork ribs. Prior to cooking I trimmed out as much fat as I could without tearing them up.

I used a dry rub and 6 hrs at 225 produced a nice looking product with crispy bark but still a lot of fat was present in the final dish which made it a very greasy feast.

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The meat was very tasty and the left overs were cleaned of fat and were excellent. c93a8a970e866cd709ad21da8f0ed6e1.jpg

So my question is, how to best prep and cook lamb ribs so the end product is not so fatty? Any suggestions that I haven't tried? Or I'm thinking maybe that's just the way they are.

Thanks for any advise

  • Like 2
daveb

daveb

Posted
Posted

I don't think I've ever seen this cut - I'm sure I've not cooked it.  (Of course that may have to change now.)

 

My question is how did you manage to have leftovers? 

  • Like 1
scubadoo97

scubadoo97

Posted
Posted

Daveb keep an eye out at your local Walmart neighborhood grocery store. I was buying paper towels when I walked past the meat counter and found these

Thanks Mitch. Was hoping for some eG wisdom on how to do these better but feared you were right, they are just inherently super fatty

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hate me if you will, but I like my lamb ribs grilled till crisp.

 

 

Edit:  unlike pork or beef ribs.

Edited by JoNorvelleWalker (log)
  • Like 1

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annachan

annachan

Posted
Posted

When I am able to get racks of lamb ribs, I usually steam them first. I then put on a dry rub and broil them till crispy. I cooked them till they look quite dark. But because of the fat, the ribs won't dry out.

  • Like 1
chris_s

chris_s

Posted
Posted

is this a different cut than a "rack of lamb"? I do the aforementioned on the bbq in a provencal herb/wine rub, with heavy amounts of kosher salt added. The fatiness is the best part! 

weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted

is this a different cut than a "rack of lamb"? I do the aforementioned on the bbq in a provencal herb/wine rub, with heavy amounts of kosher salt added. The fatiness is the best part! 

Yes.

 

The lamb ribs are from the belly and the rack is from the loin.

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rlibkind

rlibkind

Posted
Posted (edited)

Lamb fat is the reason I love breast of lamb, i.e. Lamb ribs. Before putting on the grill (usually with a cumin-heavy rub or cumin-marmalade glaze) I simmer for 15 minutes or so. This cooks the meat (so you don't have to burn them on the grill) and also renders just a little of the fat. But I find lamb fat tastiest of lipids. Once in Jerusalem I had a shish kebab whose translation into English on the menu board was simply "lamb fat".

Edited by rlibkind (log)

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

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Ranz

Ranz

Posted
Posted

I love everything about fat, but when I made these (twice) the amount of fat that rendered out was ridiculous. It was a tiny bit of greasy meat that wasn't worth the price in the  end.

DTBarton

DTBarton

Posted
Posted

It looks like a lot of the fat is an exterior fat pad that could be trimmed off prior to cooking.  Ribs usually have plenty of marbling in the meat so shouldn't make them dry.

rlibkind

rlibkind

Posted
Posted

I love everything about fat, but when I made these (twice) the amount of fat that rendered out was ridiculous. It was a tiny bit of greasy meat that wasn't worth the price in the end.

Everything depends on quality oft he meat. Most supermarket versions produce what you describe.

I'm fortunate to have access, via a vendor at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, to product from Virginia's Border Springs Lamb Farm. These lamb breasts (they call them "Denver Ribs" when separated) are extraordinarily meaty, tho still with plenty of delicious fat. If you've got any farmers markets or good butchers in your area, see if they can get something similar.

  • Like 1

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

Robert's Market Report

Ttogull

Ttogull

Posted
Posted

Everything depends on quality oft he meat. Most supermarket versions produce what you describe.

I'm fortunate to have access, via a vendor at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, to product from Virginia's Border Springs Lamb Farm. These lamb breasts (they call them "Denver Ribs" when separated) are extraordinarily meaty, tho still with plenty of delicious fat. If you've got any farmers markets or good butchers in your area, see if they can get something similar.

I used to get Border Springs lamb products directly from them at local farmers markets. I second the quality of their lamb breasts. Funny, iirc, that's what I remember that they called them. Maybe they got fancy.

When Border Springs got popular (they started showing up in restaurants and, well, places like Reading Terminal, they stopped going to farmers markets. Now they are difficult to find (I live in MD) or inconvenient. I found instead a great Halal butcher. Great lamb. He will cut or trim it any way I like (or he recommends) without charge.

One time I got some lamb rib chops from the Halal guy, but realized I did not have enough. I got more at the supermarket. Cooked them together. The difference was astounding. One had no taste. The other had the fantastic taste only lamb and goat have. Guess which?

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

I used to get Border Springs lamb products directly from them at local farmers markets. I second the quality of their lamb breasts. Funny, iirc, that's what I remember that they called them. Maybe they got fancy.

When Border Springs got popular (they started showing up in restaurants and, well, places like Reading Terminal, they stopped going to farmers markets. Now they are difficult to find (I live in MD) or inconvenient. I found instead a great Halal butcher. Great lamb. He will cut or trim it any way I like (or he recommends) without charge.

One time I got some lamb rib chops from the Halal guy, but realized I did not have enough. I got more at the supermarket. Cooked them together. The difference was astounding. One had no taste. The other had the fantastic taste only lamb and goat have. Guess which?

If you Google breast of lamb you will come up with mostly UK sites. I grew up eating breast of lamb and never once heard it called lamb ribs. I have no recollection of it being especially fatty.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

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Baron d'Apcher

Baron d'Apcher

Posted
Posted

Consider stuffing the breasts, like one would with veal.

 

Stuffed lamb breast. Lamb liver, heart & tongue, pork fatback, olives and pistachios.

Gently seared and slowly roasted covered, then dutifully basted and glazed uncovered.

 

8013770570_e9912d10e7_b.jpg

  • Like 5
Kitsch & Classics
SLB

SLB

Posted
Posted (edited)

I see it, or a nearby cut called "lamb breast riblets".  it's quite fatty and, quite frankly, affordable.  Cheap red meat is hard to come by . . . I cook it low and slow and in a state where it can continuously drain. Acidic sauce of Mexican allusion is good.  

Edited by SLB (log)
jmacnaughtan

jmacnaughtan

Posted
Posted

Consider stuffing the breasts, like one would with veal.

 

Stuffed lamb breast. Lamb liver, heart & tongue, pork fatback, olives and pistachios.

Gently seared and slowly roasted covered, then dutifully basted and glazed uncovered.

 

8013770570_e9912d10e7_b.jpg

 

Those look good.  How do you prepare the breast for stuffing?  Do you butterfly it out then tie it back up?

Baron d'Apcher

Baron d'Apcher

Posted
Posted

Those look good.  How do you prepare the breast for stuffing?  Do you butterfly it out then tie it back up?

 

With a long knife, make an incision on both ends without cutting through the sides.  Use the handle of a wooden spoon to open it up a bit and then stuff the breast using a pastry bag or sausage press.

  • Like 1
Kitsch & Classics
mm84321

mm84321

Posted
Posted

Consider stuffing the breasts, like one would with veal.

 

Stuffed lamb breast. Lamb liver, heart & tongue, pork fatback, olives and pistachios.

Gently seared and slowly roasted covered, then dutifully basted and glazed uncovered.

 

8013770570_e9912d10e7_b.jpg

 

Practical solution. 

My photos

jmacnaughtan

jmacnaughtan

Posted
Posted

With a long knife, make an incision on both ends without cutting through the sides.  Use the handle of a wooden spoon to open it up a bit and then stuff the breast using a pastry bag or sausage press.

 

Thanks.  I'll have to try that the next time I get hold of some ribs.

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