Seasons by the Sea: Go Ahead, Mary, Have a Little Lamb
After duck, lamb is my absolute favorite meat. It is healthy, delicious in many forms, and sadly, quite expensive. Since I don’t cook a lot of meat, cooking lamb intimidates me. So I order it in restaurants, which is really expensive.
Braising and stewing are good methods for cooking tougher cuts, while a quick sear, broil, or grill are best for the tender chops. The terminology used to describe types of lamb is as confusing as chicken. “Natural” is a meaningless term, as may be “pasture-raised.” “Grass-fed” is more specific. Better yet, look for organic “100 percent grass-fed.” Baby lamb and spring lamb are also somewhat misleading or confusing descriptions. Baby lambs (usually around 20 pounds) are available in spring and are usually roasted whole. Spring lambs are born in spring and best served in fall. There is also a huge difference between Australian and New Zealand lamb and domestic lamb. The imported lamb cuts are considerably younger and smaller. A rack of New Zealand lamb will only serve two people, whereas an American rack will serve four.
Lamb is most popular in the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and India. New Zealanders and Australians consume approximately 25 pounds of lamb per person per year, according to the Agricultural Marketing Research Center. That’s a lot compared to Americans, who consume about half a pound per year. Because lamb is usually lumped in with “the other red meat,” beef, its nutritional value can be overlooked. It is rich in conjugated linoleic acid, a “a health supportive omega-6 fatty acid,” and is an excellent source of vitamin B12 and niacin. Keep in mind, however, that we are talking about four ounces of lean, humanely raised, 100 percent grass-fed lamb!
The popular cuts of lamb and how to cook them are as follows. The shoulder, which includes shank and shoulder chop, is good for braising, poaching, stewing, and roasting. The chop is good for sauteing, grilling, and broiling. The rack (which includes the rib chop) is best sauteed, roasted, grilled, and broiled. The loin (saddle and loin chops) is also good sauteed, roasted, grilled, and broiled. The leg, shank, and breast are best roasted, braised, and grilled. Lamb meat is very perishable, so it is best to consume the various cuts within three days of purchase and ground lamb within two days of purchase. The lighter the color, the younger the meat. Baby lamb should be pale pink, regular lamb pinkish-red.
Lamb is particularly delicious when prepared with Middle Eastern and Indian seasonings such as cumin, coriander, garlic, and mint. The lamb of Bordeaux is a match made in heaven when cooked in and served with, you guessed it, Bordeaux! Butterflied and grilled leg of lamb is great when marinated for a day with a heavy dose of garlic and rosemary. In James Peterson’s “Meat: A Kitchen Education,” he suggests trying lamb chops with fresh marjoram, shanks braised with shallots, and a tagine (made with shoulder meat) full of raisins, almonds, and saffron. And of course, there’s the old English method of lamb chops with mint jelly.
“Lamb” is a word with a German root meaning “a wee sheep.” In the Middle Ages the plural of lamb was the same as ox and child, as in “lambren.” Lamb becomes “hogg” or “hoggett” after one year, and then “mutton” as the years progress and the flavor gets a bit stronger.
Because some cuts of lamb are quite fatty, they are frequently cooked with an acid. In Spain wine and wine vinegar are used, and in Greece a sauce of egg yolks and lemon juice is popular. In the Middle East apricots and quince are stewed with the meat. In India yogurt serves the dual purpose of tenderizing and adding some tang to compliment lamb’s richness.
Probably due to its high price, lamb was not often served in our household. As in many other frugal homes, it was saved for special occasions, usually religious. I’m going to try to get over my fear of ruining an expensive cut of meat and tackle some lamb recipes this summer.
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