Lamb ... mmm.... Lamb

[culinary bear]

I think what we've established here is that it's cheaper in relative terms in Australia.

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You have more sheep per, ummm, end-user.

:)

[PCL]

I think what we've established here is that it's cheaper in relative terms in Australia.

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You have more sheep per, ummm, end-user.

:)

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Actually, I take it back. In absolute terms, they're cheaper in the UK on a unit rate, based on dollar to pound one to one conversion.

Whilst not taking the bait, it's our strong exports of our livestock that's driving domestic prices up. I'm sure there are other factors involved, including labour, but while I lived in the UK, I was hard pressed to buy any meat unless I'd developed a relationship with the butcher. And that took a while.

[Cedreena]

It's not so long ago the butchers would nearly throw them at you and a lot of people would buy them for the dogs. 50 cents each or even 3 for $1.

Then a couple of years ago lamb prices sky rocketed and have never gone down again. Now they are packing them in sealed plastic bags in marinade and they cook in the microwave in 10 minutes and are delicious.

[helenjp]

I had the same reaction as I mooched along the lamb section at the supermarket - I've been looking forward to lamb shank for 2 years, but I just COULDN'T take the price. I can't believe that New Zealand is suffering from a shortage of lamb shanks, unless GE has taken off unbeknownst to me, and all our sheep are born on rollers so one good shove will take them from mountaintop pasture to the container ship waiting at the harbour...

[Shinboners]

More crimes against food.

At North Melbourne Football Club's Best and Fairest Awards night, lamb was the main course. I've been told that the menu said that the main was "roasted saddle of lamb", but more than a few people reckon that the saddle was actually the shank. Not only that, many people said that it was served nearly raw and/or quite cold, and that it was very tough.

At $135 per ticket for these functions, the inevitably bad food is one key reason why I never go to them.

[winesonoma]

Sonoma Ca, $6.99 per lb. Ouch!

[Shinboners]

Sonoma Ca, $6.99 per lb. Ouch!

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Let's see, 1 lb = 0.45 kgs, so therefore, you're paying $US 15.53/kg.

$AUD 1 = $US 0.75, so that means you're paying $AUD 20.71/kg. for lamb shanks.

Ouch just doesn't do it justice.

[Corinna]

Giving this thread a bump because I bought half a lamb from a local farm in the fall and am now trying to clean out the freezer. It is very good, but I've been treating it too much as a "special occasion" ingredient, rather than something in the freezer that is available to eat. The leg cut is long gone, so I now I am looking for your favorite recipes for chops, stew and/or ground lamb. Can I braise chops? Thanks!

Edited March 20, 2011 by Corinna (log)

[randomwalk]

I would like to second the request for suggestions for ground lamb! We got several pounds of ground lamb in our meat CSA delivery this month. My hubby did not like lamb burgers (I guess they tasted too strongly of lamb for him?), so I need another option. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

(I'm not big on some of the more traditional lamb pairings either, like yogurt or curry, so maybe we are just a lost cause.)

[scubadoo97]

you could cut the ground lamb with ground beef to lessen the lamb flavor

[Dejah]

I'm actually just getting ready to make a spice paste to marinate 8 thick lamb chops It's from Gourmet mag, Sept. 2006.

"It's aromatic without being spicy; a touch of the exotic but will please traditonalists too"

The paste included sumin, lemongrass (reason for my search),shallots, garlic, ginger, tumeric, cayenne.

The paste is cooked, cooled, rubbed onto the chops, covered, and chilled for at least 12 and up to 24 hours before grilling.

This will be my first try with this recipe.

I also make a Moroccan-style filling for an appetizer with ground lamb in place of ground beef. Instead of rolling them up in phyllo pastry into "cigars", I spread it on flatbread, top with roasted pine nuts and bake in the oven until the flatbread is crusty on the bottom. Sprinkle on chopped fresh mint and cut into slices. Great change from pizza.

[Shalmanese]

Shepard's pie!

[Corinna]

Dejah-- thanks for the reminder about grilling. Some of our days are nice enough now where that is an option. The Moroccan spicing is welcome, since I've had my fill of tagines, etc. for the winter! Can you elaborate on the groud lamb topping for the flatbread?

Yes, shepherd's pie. Can you believe I haven't made one yet with this bounty? On the list!

[Blether]

Syrian meat loaf ? And I second Shepherd's Pie, though roast/grilled and broken up to serve in pita breads, with salad & chilli sauce, is calling out to me too.

[nickrey]

How about Kibbeh? Minced lamb plus cracked wheat, pine nuts, herbs and spices. Form it around a pre-soaked skewer, grill it and enjoy.

[eternal]

The lamb popsicles at Vijs in Vancouver are awesome and easy. We make them all the time. Marinate chops in white wine and dijon mustard (equal parts) along with salt and pepper for at least an hour. 4 is ideal. Grill or sear on high heat for a few minutes until med rare.

For the sauce, mix 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tbs fenugreek leaves (not seeds), 20 mL lemon juice together. Take a saucepan and put a little canola oil in it. Add garlic and saute until tender. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric for a minute then add the mix above. bring to a boil over med heat and simmer for 5 minutes or so until thick. Pour over finished lamb and/or use as dipping sauce.

[kayswv]

Spaghetti with Ground Lamb and Spinach My link

Herbed Meatballs with Garlicky Yogurt My link

Both very good and we have been enjoying them for years.

Kay

[scubadoo97]

I've been playing around with lamb tenderloins. These are really easy to prepare. 4 minutes tops on the grill for medium/med-rare. No waste, nice clean flavors but lacks fat which makes chops so appealing.

[harrysnapperorgans]

I remember living in Canada, and eating the US and Canada lamb, and finding it rather average. Then one time we splurged on a leg of premium NZ lamb, and after the first bite, we were all like ah, that's more like it! The taste of home!

Due to the abundance of lamb here, I eat a quite a bit of it. In fact, a couple of years ago I rented a house with some land, and a rather than mow the grass all the time, I bought four lambs. 2 of them met their fate as lambs, the other two became mutton.

All were delicious, and it was fun cooking with all the different parts of the beast.