How to Select, Prepare and Cook Lamb Meat
Sheep or Mutton Meat Is a Lean, Tasty, Healthy Alternative to Beef
Aug 22, 2009
Lamb meat is a healthy substitute for beef. Young lamb has a mild flavor that isn’t gamey. Try the lamb kabobs with red pepper puree recipe below for lunch or dinner.
Categories of Lamb Meat
Meat from a young sheep that is less than 1 year old is called lamb. It’s naturally tender with a mild flavor. Baby lamb, between 6 and 8 weeks old, and spring lamb, 3 to 5 months old, are both milk fed.
Yearling lamb is between 1 and 2 years old. Mutton is meat from sheep that is more than 2 years old. This meat has a stronger flavor and is less tender than lamb.
Benefits of Eating Lamb Meat
Nutrient dense lamb is known for its high quality protein, vitamins and minerals. Lamb meat’s protein is nutritionally complete, providing all 8 essential amino acids in the proper ratios. B vitamins, zinc and iron are all found in lamb meat. It also has no carbohydrates.
Lamb is a lean meat, with very little marbling or fat in the meat. Most of lamb fat is on the edges of the meat, so it can easily be trimmed off. An average 3-ounce serving of lamb meat is only 175 calories, with a mere 8 grams of total fat, according to the American Lamb Board. About 36 percent of lamb meat’s fat is saturated, the board states, with the remainder being mono or polyunsaturated fat, which is beneficial.
Lamb meat is one of the richest sources of conjugated lioleic acid (CLA), prized for its potent antioxidant activity. Outside sources of CLA are needed because it isn’t manufactured in the human body. CLA helps convert fat to lean muscle tissue, according to nutritionist Ann Louise GIttleman.
How to Select and Store Lamb Meat
The five USDA grades for lamb are based on the proportion of fat to lean. They include (from best to poorest) prime, choice, good, utility and cull. When purchasing lamb in the grocery store, look at the meat’s color. Generally, the darker the color of the meat, the older the animal. Baby lamb meat is pale pink, and regular lamb is pinkish-red.
As with beef, lamb can be purchased ground and in steaks, chops and roasts. Look for lamb that is range-free and grass fed for quality meat, similar to bison meat.
Store lamb meat that is ground or in small cuts in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped, for up to 3 days. Roasts can be stored up to 5 days. Freezer-wrapped ground lamb can be frozen up to 3 months, while solid cuts of lamb meat can be frozen up to 6 months.
Preparation and Cooking of Lamb Meat
Lamb meat is cut into neck, shoulder, breast, saddle and legs for roasting. Rib meat yields cutlets, and the loin provides chops. Cuts of lamb meat are similar to that of kid goat meat, with similar preparation.
Lamb cutlets and chops can be grilled or broiled. Lamb meat can also be diced for braising, stewing and grilling. It is ground for burgers, meatballs and other dishes.
Lamb Kabobs with Red Pepper Puree Recipe:
Makes 12-14 kabobs
Ingredients:
Lamb:
- 1-1/2 pounds lamb leg, boneless, diced
- 3 shallots
- 1 lemon, cut in quarters lengthwise, then sliced
- Olive oil for basting
- Metal or bamboo skewers
Spice Rub:
- ½ tsp. cumin seeds
- ½ tsp. coriander seeds
- ¼ tsp. cardamom powder
- ½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
Red Pepper Puree
- 2 red peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Simmer shallots in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, cool, then cut into quarters or thick slices. Set aside.
- For spice rub, dry toast cumin and coriander seeds in a pan until aromatic. Crush seeds with a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Press rub into lamb pieces. Set lamb aside, covered, for 30 minutes.
- For red pepper puree, place peppers, skin side up on an oven tray and roast at 400 degrees or broil until skin starts to blister and blacken. When peppers have cooled, remove skins and chop peppers.
- Place chopped peppers, vinegar and oil in blender, processing to a smooth paste. Season to taste and set aside.
- Thread the lamb, lemon and shallot slices alternately onto skewers (presoak skewers for 20 minutes if using bamboo).
- Grill on preheated grill until lamb is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, for medium rare meat. Brush meat occasionally with oil.
- Serve kabobs and red pepper puree over rice or on pita bread, with a salad or grilled vegetables.
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