Lamb lovers survey

[Jennifer Brizzi]

I've been writing about lamb lately and did a chef demo with it this weekend. When it gets cold out I really crave it. But I heard that while we each consume 66 pounds of beef a year, we only eat one pound of lamb. I know my annual consumption is way higher than that, but I know a lot of people who hate the stuff. Why? Are our taste buds that different? Some of us hate and some of us love cilantro, okra, etc., other foods that don't seem to invite indifference, only either passionate detestation or infatuation.

Do you love lamb, or hate it, or are you one of the indifferent few?

[Chris Amirault]

Vote for love here -- but I also know people who find the taste very much not to their liking. US breeders have tried to make lamb less lamb-y, apparently. I think that the flavor people don't like is that slightly gamey tang -- which of course I find very wonderful indeed.

[Anna N]

Adore lamb but hubby can't stand smell of it cooking! Pure hell. Sneak it in when he is at work or away.

[Kent Wang]

I only like the osso bucco and rack of rib cuts. Chops tend be too tough. Are there any other cuts worth noting?

I don't mind the lamb-y taste, but I buy supermarket lamb so it's probably not too gamey to begin with.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Do you love lamb, or hate it, or are you one of the indifferent few?

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I think one dose of bad mutton can put someone off lamb for a long, long time. I can still smell it from the time my mother put old chops into the oven. Urk. When I started cooking professionally, I had to learn how to cook it and then I loved it.

My sons had lamb at one of their friends' houses for dinner when they were about 5 and 6 years old, and came back raving about it. We've done lamb once a week ever since.

I just got some Icelandic lamb from Whole Foods; the guys at the counter said it was great and they were right. My husband gets all weird about lamb and veal (aww, the baby animals!) but he loved this, too.

[BarbaraY]

Easy question. I adore lamb. It's my favorite red meat. I have four daughters and only one will eat lamb so I don't get it nearly as aften as I like.

Lamb stew to lamb curry to rack of lamb (Oh! Heaven! Rack of Lamb Provençal!), I love them all. Would love to try cooking a leg in front of the fireplace a la Lulu's Provençal Table but I have no fireplace.

[Megan Blocker]

LOVE! It's always been one of my favorite foods, and I know very few people who don't like it. Not everyone orders it or lists it as their first choice, but I can't think of a single friend of mind (foodie or otherwise) who wouldn't eat it (and enjoy it) if it were served.

[Curlz]

[Adam Balic]

I imagine that there are various groups within the USA that consume quite a bit of lamb/hogget/mutton. For the rest that don't eat it it is because the USA doen't seem to have a huge tradition of sheep farming, in comparison to the UK, Australia and NZ. From that point it is a matter of being wary of something different.

I have heard North Americans comment on its 'gamey' flavour. I can really see that myself, but it has an assertive flavour that could be off putting to poeple not use to it.

I would rather have a rack of lamb then a beef steak in general though.

[Bombdog]

"rack" up another vote for love!

[I_call_the_duck]

I LOVE lamb. In all shapes and forms.

My husband gets all weird about lamb and veal (aww, the baby animals!)...

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IMO, more so than the gamey-ness of lamb, I think that the reason that lamb is less popular than beef could be the cute factor. Now cows are beautiful in their own right, but some people may think it's a crime to eat a cute, fluffy little animal that goes "baaa"?

"Lisa don't eat me, I thought you were my frieeend. My frieeend." - the lamb chop that talks to Lisa Simpson

"Lisa, this is lamb, not A lamb." - Homer Simpson

[msfurious1]

Love it.

My favorite is simply and slowly roasted shanks with some potatoes roasted around them. The potatoes get all crispy with the flavor of the lamb.

I cut the potatoes into med size wedges and rinse well. Then I cut an onion in wedges and put it all a large bowl. I add olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a little grated parmesan cheese. I toss the potatoes and onions well (I've also added wedged fennel as well) and tuck them all around the shanks and add any of the flavored olive oil thats left in the bowl over the all in the roasting pan. Roast in a slow oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Devine.

[carswell]

I only like the osso bucco and rack of rib cuts. Chops tend be too tough. Are there any other cuts worth noting?

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Tranches de gigot or lamb leg steaks are great: flavourful, chewy but tender, quite lean, more affordable than chops and easy to prepare. When pan-fried, broiled or grilled, about 2 minutes a side does it, though they also take well to slow braising. Lamb shoulder and neck are wonderful for stews. Seared and/or roasted loins are a deluxe treat. Butterflied leg of lamb is one of the best meats for grilling. And bone-in roast leg of lamb absolutely deserves its classic status.

I have heard North Americans comment on its 'gamey' flavour. I can really see that myself, but it has an assertive flavour that could be off putting to poeple not use to it.

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Many Americans object to any red meat that doesn't taste bland, including cuts of beef like hanger steak. Others don't like lamb because they've never had access to the good stuff; the situation is improving but much of the lamb sold in supermarkets comes from fairly mature animals, which have stronger tasting meat. And lots of Americans overcook lamb, which ironically makes it taste gamier; I know several Americanos who like their beef rare but insist that their lamb be cooked medium to well-done.

I would rather have a rack of lamb then a beef steak in general though.

Agreed. Lamb is my favourite domestic red meat.

[Megan Blocker]

I would rather have a rack of lamb then a beef steak in general though.

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Mmmmmm, ditto.

[Eden]

US breeders have tried to make lamb less lamb-y, apparently. I think that the flavor people don't like is that slightly gamey tang -- which of course I find very wonderful indeed.

Interesting, a chef recently told me the opposite - I had mentioned that lately it seems the lamb I've been buying has been less & less lamb-y and he said that most of the NZ lamb is butchered younger so it tastes "milder", and that if you want that really lamb-y taste you should buy US meat.

It's sad to me how many people don't like lamb. I've known solid carnivores opt for the vegetarian dinner rather than eat lamb

[Shalmanese]

Absolutely love it. Given I live in Australia, I probably should buy more of it. What do you mean it tastes too gamey? I say bring it on, thats the entire point of eating lamb.

When I do buy lamb though, it's usually when legs of lamb are on special (they go for about the equivilant of $2USD a pound). I buy 4 or so legs, debone them, make a nice dark lamb demi-glace out of the bones and roast one. The others get cut into chunks for stews, curries, mini roasts and steaks.

[Gifted Gourmet]

When I can find lamb which is kosher (and in short supply here in Atlanta), I grab it and never really look at the details (like what cut a roast actually is).

Funny that you should mention lamb today because I am serving a lamb shoulder roast tonight because it is the first evening of the Jewish festival of Sukkot and I have guests eating with us. I do adore a rare piece of lamb and never, ever, let a drop of that hideous mint jelly assault the meat ..

Why would anyone sully or desecrate beautiful, succulant lamb with that green mint goo?

[zilla369]

The chef/owner where I work is Moroccan. We serve baby lamb chops (marinated with garlic and rosemary, served over Moroccan cous cous) as one of our most popular appetizers.

Last spring, we participated in a "Taste of the Derby" event (I'm in Louisville, KY, natch), and we brought chafers to be filled and re-filled with pans and pans of the expensive little meat-pops. People passing our booth would step up enthusiastically and say "mmmm...smells good. What is it?"

Unbelievably (to me, anyway), when we answered "Moroccan-style lamb chops", nine out of ten people made a face and said "no thanks, I don't eat lamb."

[Megan Blocker]

My mother is getting re-married next month, and she wants the choices for dinner to be lamb and salmon. My mother's family are all lamb fiends, as are most of her friends. Her fiance thinks lamb is a bad idea - apparently his family and friends (about 15 of the 60 invited) do not like lamb. I say let them eat the salmon and bring on the rack o' goodness! Or, better yet, make them try it and realize how freakin' good it is!

Perhaps his friends' issues with lamb stem from lack of exposure? After all, these are people who hunt and eat what they kill - it can't be an issue of gaminess if you're willing to eat rabbit and venison.

[cdh]

Add another lamb lover to the ranks. It's my favorite meat. Chops, shanks, whole roasted leg all are incredibly appealing to me.

I've been meaning to try to find some of the more obscure cuts like lamb breast, which should braise up into something magical. I've also heard that lamb sweetbreads beat veal ones, but haven't had the chance to try them because I've never run across them in a market.

[rooftop1000]

Do you love lamb, or hate it, or are you one of the indifferent few?

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I think one dose of bad mutton can put someone off lamb for a long, long time. I can still smell it from the time my mother put old chops into the oven. Urk. When I started cooking professionally, I had to learn how to cook it and then I loved it.

My sons had lamb at one of their friends' houses for dinner when they were about 5 and 6 years old, and came back raving about it. We've done lamb once a week ever since.

I just got some Icelandic lamb from Whole Foods; the guys at the counter said it was great and they were right. My husband gets all weird about lamb and veal (aww, the baby animals!) but he loved this, too.

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Icelandic lamb is Awsome. Whole Foods carries it for about 1 month a year...go get some. Now

Its very very expensive to have it FedExd from Iceland to NJ

tracey

Edited October 17, 2005 by rooftop1000 (log)

[carswell]

I've also heard that lamb sweetbreads beat veal ones, but haven't had the chance to try them because I've never run across them in a market.

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Yep. And lamb kidneys will spoil you for any other.

[jackal10]

I guess we eat as much lamb os beef or maybe even more.

Cassoulet for supper tonight based on a shoulder of lamb

Edited October 17, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[Chris Amirault]

This is worrisome... I made a curried squash and lamb soup for staff meeting tonight....

[Carrot Top]

Perhaps his friends' issues with lamb stem from lack of exposure?  After all, these are people who hunt and eat what they kill - it can't be an issue of gaminess if you're willing to eat rabbit and venison.

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There are many parts of the US where lamb is simply not available, and apparently never has been.

Might be due (initially) to geography - lamb is best grown on certain sorts of land.

Might be also cultural in the aspect of where it was that various ethnic groups settled when they initially came to the US and started agricultural development and/or animal husbandry.

Unfortunately, I've met many people across the country who have never eaten lamb. It is not available in the grocery stores in these places - and the people have no urge to try it, as they seem to have a sort of fear of the taste of it.

Yeah, scary. Woo-hoo!

Anyway. The only recipe I have had any success with in terms of introducing lamb to The Ones Who Fear It is lamb chops marinated overnight in a yogurt/honey/mint/scallion/lemon juice marinade then grilled. The aroma of the marinade and the scent of the grilled meat takes away any initial fright - or at least gets the taste buds salivating enough so that they overcome fear.

My favorite lamb recipes are the traditional rack, nicely covered with mustard and buttered crumbs then roasted - or a roast loin with winter vegetables and greens napped with a rich lamb demi-glace. Sigh. These are things to induce sweet dreams.

Edited to add (as I see Milagai reading ) "To induce sweet dreams -* unless*- you are vegetarian." That is okay, too. . .the fruits of the earth can induce the same dreams - just differently angled.

Edited October 17, 2005 by Carrot Top (log)