Salt Pasture Lamb

[Adrian3891]

I'm coming back to Montreal next week and realized it's the season for Ile Verte's salt-pastured lamb. I e-mailed Toque! and found, much to my dismay, that they're not serving it this year. So, if Laprise isn't doing it, who is?

[francois]

A while back, I used to spend my summer holiday on l'ile Verte (we would rent a house for 3-4 weeks). The last couple of years was when they started to make the agneau de pré salé, so I would buy bought a whole lamb (or 1/2 with a friend).

Very expensive but in my opinion, not really any better than the local lamb I am now getting from a local producer - in the outaouais region- at a fraction of the price (mind you, the man makes a truly great lamb!).

This is not to say that the agneau de pré salé is not good, far from it. But if you compare it to a good local product, it is just not worth the difference in price (I did a direct comparaison with 2 racks, prepared simply, à la provençale, and could not tell one from the other).

[oceanfish]

In response to both posts: first, I know in the past Au Pied de Cochon has served the lamb you are looking for.

Second, I tend to agree that although this lamb can have a delicate flavour, advertising for it can elevate it to be esteemed a more worthy choice than other lamb. I tend to agree with the last e-gulleter in that good quality lamb can be found locally (elsewhere in the province) for less money and, often, comparable flavour and texture.

[Gabriel Lewis]

Would either of you (oceanfish or francois) be willing to elaborate on good sources for less expensive lamb?

[francois]

Would either of you (oceanfish or francois) be willing to elaborate on good sources for less expensive lamb?

←

I get my lamb from 'La ferme de la Pastourelle' in Gatineau (if you want the phone # or more details, just PM me).

The owner, Bill, is very dedicated and knowlegable. You have to buy the whole thing, but his butcher will prepare the different cuts to your specification (personally, I prefer working on them myself). The only thing is that they are not sous vide, but in my case, it gets eaten too fast to make a difference (this is my 6th lamb in the last 1 1/2 years).

He also raises a few pigs. In in the spring, I was fortunate enough to get a porcelet, fed with milk and corn. Excellent! It was rather fun to make a whole ham of porcelet (a big 5 pounds!).

Every so often, he also has turkeys and chickens. This week-end, I am actually planning to roast 1/2 of a turkey breast, smoke (from Charcuterie) the other 1/2, and make somed turkey and garlic sausages from the rest (again from Charcuterie). I have a large stockpot of turkey stock on the stove right now.

[oceanfish]

Would either of you (oceanfish or francois) be willing to elaborate on good sources for less expensive lamb?

←

By sources do you mean restaurants or butchers or farms? Cocagne on St-Denis Street buys and serves good quality lamb from a Quebec farmer. Sorry, the name and town I do not recall.

I have bought Quebec lamb and even pre-sale lamb from Kamouraska at Slovenia on St. Lawrence Street. I am lucky to buy lamb from a small family farm that does not sell publicly because there is simply not enough to go around.

[Gabriel Lewis]

By sources I mean anyone or anyplace that will sell me the lamb. I am interested in lamb that I would prepare myself for a number of different things.

Francois, by the whole thing I assume you mean a whole lamb? While that would be nice, it's pretty much out of the question for me unless I were to share it with someone. I only have a tiny fridge-top freezer and as I live alone I'd never be able to finish it.

I have been getting my pork at Porc Meilleur in the new section of the JTM. Mostly shoulders and some fat, but I have been very pleased with the results so far. Everything comes packaged sous-vide, and in my opinion is priced quite reasonably.

I shop at slovenia from time to time, but am always interested in learning about new sources for quality meat (especially at reasonable prices for the quality).

[francois]

Would either of you (oceanfish or francois) be willing to elaborate on good sources for less expensive lamb?

←

I have bought Quebec lamb and even pre-sale lamb from Kamouraska at Slovenia on St. Lawrence Street.

←

Your pré salé lamb from Kamouraska is not pré salé... The only pré salé lamb around is from l'ile Verte (not far from Kamouraska but definitly not Kamousraka).