Volume 11, Issue 123 - December 20 2006

Greetings,

This week is all about American Lamb. Today's edition will focus on the different types of lamb you can choose from and how to properly handle and store it once you get it home. We've also included two fantastic lamb recipes, including a lamb Petite Rolls of Lamb and Hazelnut Crusted Rack of Lamb. What more could you want?

We'll continue our lamb overview in tomorrow's edition. In the mean time, enjoy and have a fantastic day!

Fresh American Lamb vs. Imported Lamb

• Fresh American Lamb is a popular menu item, thanks to the larger cut sizes, its unique flavor profile and freshness and tenderness of the meat.
• American Lamb offers a higher meat-to-bone ratio than that of its foreign competitors. Consumers recognize the great value of meaty, fresh American Lamb.
• American Lamb has a milder flavor than that of imported lamb. Thanks to excellent feed programs in the United States, domestically raised lamb is primarily grain-fed than grass-fed (like imported lamb counterparts). A grain-based diet helps produce a clean, mild flavor.
• Available year-round, American Lamb is up to 10,000 miles fresher than imported lamb.  There's a lamb dish for every season.
• A recent study showed that consumers prefer American Lamb to imported lamb.  They ranked it superior in terms of quality, taste and healthfulness.  (Source: Synovate Study 2004)

There are different classes of American Lamb:

• Hothouse
• Lamb
• Yearling
• Mutton/Mature

As sheep age, their meat becomes stronger in taste and firmer in texture.  Of the lamb available on the market, the type considered to have the most delicate flavor and tender texture is baby lamb, also known as milk lamb or hothouse lamb.  These animals, produced all year round by controlled breeding, are processed when they are 6-10 weeks old, before weaning.  They are sold in specialty stores and are rather expensive.

The largest supply of meat by far comes from animals born in the spring lambing season, which may be as early as January in the warm states of the Southwest and as late as May in colder northern areas.  These lambs are processed when they are between the ages of six months and one year.  After that age, physiological changes occur that intensify the flavor of the meat.  Currently, the national average dress weight is almost 70 pounds.  Meat from a lamb older than one year cannot legally be labeled genuine lamb.  Animals that are processed between the ages of a year and 20 months are sometimes called yearling lamb; the meat they produce is firmer in texture and stronger in flavor.  For culinary purposes, that meat should be considered mutton, not lamb.

A general rule of thumb is that sheep more than a year old is considered mutton.  Mutton is undeservedly unpopular and is rarely found in American markets, but has figured prominently in other sheep-raising countries, and is well worth experimenting with when it is available.  It has a strong, rich flavor (enthusiasts claim that not even the best beef can match fine mutton) that marries well with the intense seasonings found in Middle Eastern, Indian and Chinese dishes.

Source: American Lamb Board

American Lamb Council How to buy, store and prepare lamb. Food service cuts available; plus recipes, sauces, and serving ideas for cooking.

Petite Rolls with American Lamb, Mushrooms and Red Onions

24 appetizer servings

Preparation time: 1-1/2 hours
Marinate time: 4 hours
Cook time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 American Lamb top round (1 to 1-1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup prepared Balsamic Dressing
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
24 medium Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
48 thin roasted red bell pepper strips, 2 inches long
24 petite rolls, sliced
24 frill picks

Preparation:

Trim all visible fat off lamb. Place in a sealable bag. In bowl, blend dressing, mustard and pepper. Pour into bag; seal and rotate meat to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hours to marinate. Remove lamb from marinade and discard marinade. Place lamb on roasting rack in pan. Roast in 325 degrees F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Thinly slice, cover and refrigerate.

Place mushrooms on rimmed cookie sheet. In small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup oil and vinegar. Brush all sides and centers of mushrooms with mixture. Bake in 375 degrees F oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

In large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion made into rings and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and set aside.

Place a mushroom on base of roll and top with two bell pepper strips, the sliced lamb and a few onion rings. Secure top of bun to sandwich with a frilly pick.

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board

Handling Techniques:

Like other meats, lamb is perishable and should be handled and stored properly to avoid spoilage and food-borne illness. The basic rules of food safety are: keep cold foods cold, keep hot foods hot and keep all foods clean. Remember to:

• Refrigerate or freeze lamb immediately after purchase. Use an ice chest to transport meat if you will not be able to refrigerate the meat within an hour.
• Wash your hands and all equipment thoroughly in soapy hot water before and after handling meat.
• Wash all work surfaces, utensils and cutting boards with soapy hot water after exposure to meat. Keep lamb carving board separate from other food preparation.
• Keep raw meat and meat juices from coming in contact with other foods when thawing, storing and preparing lamb.
• Never serve raw meat.
• Use a sharp, clean knife when cutting lamb.
• Use a meat thermometer to make sure lamb is cooked to the desired doneness.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly after serving.

Storing:

After returning from the supermarket, immediately store lamb in the store's plastic packaging in the coldest part of the refrigerator, preferably at 32 degrees F to 40 degrees F for a day or two. If you do not plan to use the lamb within 24 hours or if the packaging is torn or if the lamb is wrapped in butcher paper, remove the store's packaging and cover it with plastic wrap, foil or a sealable plastic bag.

Freeze ground lamb for up to 3 to 4 months or lamb cuts and roasts for 6 to 9 months. To maintain quality, rewrap the lamb tightly in heavy-duty freezer wrap, a sealable freezer plastic bag or freezer wrap to prevent freezer burn.

Tip: Label your freezer package with the name of the lamb cut, the date and the weight or number of servings.

Lamb Storage Timetable:

Thawing:

Thaw frozen lamb in the refrigerator overnight. Leave it in the freezer wrap and put it on a plate to keep juices from dripping onto other foods. It will take about 3 to 5 hours per pound to thaw meat in the refrigerator.

Source: American Lamb Board

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Hazelnut Crusted Rack of American Lamb

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 28 to 38 minutes

Ingredients:

2 American Lamb racks, frenched
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off in cloth
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary and chopped fresh mint

Preparation:

Pat racks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Brown meat side of each rack until golden brown; set aside.

In food processor, finely grind nuts; set aside.

In small bowl, combine mustard, garlic, rosemary and mint. Spread mustard mixture over meat-side of racks. Sprinkle with ground hazelnuts.

Place racks meat-side up in shallow roasting pan. Roast at 375 degrees F for 28 to 38 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board