Lamb fat from frenched ribs

[buckytom]

i bought some gorgeous lamb rib chops at costco the other day, and i'm going to french the bones so as to make "lollipop" chops. there is a good amount of meat in the fatty part that i'm going to cut away, so i was wondering if there's anything i could do with it, like rendring it in a stew or something. any ideas anyone?

[Audeo]

Bucky, I know that different cultures use different fats, based upon the animals most prevalent to them. There are lots of recipes, I'm sure, stating the use of lamb fat. We all know that different fats (beef vs. pork vs. goose) yield different flavors and even smoking points. But I haven't a direct clue as to whether you would enjoy using rendered lamb fat in lieu of others, since I have never done it myself.

Where are the Meat Men? Lifter? Goodweed? Bumping for experts!

[Lifter]

You could try using it in Audeo's "Genuine Texan Chili" as the "fat base", Bucky!

(Even as a part of the meat base!)

Combined with beef cuts like stripped meat from oxtail, shortribs, neck, etc, you would get some "interesting" results!

Lifter

[Lifter]

Another thought...

You could use these trimmings together with some "lesser cut" of raw lamb and grind it to make, well, "lamburger" meat...neat for meatballs and greek style cooking..."lambloaf", "lambstroganoff", or even, for fun, as a "different" cabbageroll filling...likewise ground lamb "balls" work in stews, and the "extra fat" will do much to bring out the meat's distinctive flavours...

[lyndalou]

Along with Lifter's second suggestion, I would suggest using the meat in a rolled grape leaf recipe. Yum

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Lamb has a texture very much like pork. The flavor is slightly reminiscent of venison, or goat. That being the case, I would use the fat to flavor stews and savory dishes. It would work well with lean beef to make home-made ground meat that would be great in sweedish meatballs, spaghetti, or in a flavorful veggie soup, especially with some fresh spinach thrown in. I wouldn't use it with beans, or barbecue sauce, or any sweet recipe. I just don't think the flavor would be right. But I might use it with pineapple in a sweet & sour mixture. I would use pungeant and savory herbs with it, like oregano, cilantro, green onion, bay leaves, cummin, etc. I would think the fat would go well with curried dishes as well.

Of course, my recommendations are based on my own likes and dislikes. Others will have more experience with lamb and be able to give you more options.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Lifter]

Add to your herbs, Marjoram, Savory, Basil, and lets not forget "Mint", if we are going with a pure "Lamb" meat composition...

My early comment on using it to make up a Texas Chili recipe is based on some "private" conversations with Audeo, in that the "beef of the day" was "Texas Longhorn" grass fed, almost definable as a "wild" animal, at least by today's standards!

Fresh killed, and hardly "hung" the meat would taste sort of "wild", and a good deal different from today's "aged" beef...but the "wild" tasting lamb fat would "transform" some beef cuts to "back to the 1880's" taste...I think!

Note, too, that the cattle drovers of the day moved very slowly towards Chicago, and traded the "good cuts" of beef to the settlers whose land they crossed, frequently in trade for veggies, if not "relief" in tending the herds themselves, so adding peppers (sweet or hot!), celery, tomato (gasp!) beans, onions, leeks etc is not impossible...it "does" taste better the longer it "sets" and cooks...

Lifter

[buckytom]

wow, thanks so much lifter, audeo, lyndalou, and goodweed. great ideas. i think i'll go with the lamb-burger/balls idea, or maybe a lamb stew of some sort. i'll post the results.
thanks again everyone.

[luvs]

i always feed it to the cats. it doesn't get thrown out but i don't have to try and figure out what to do with it. you could bask the butcher to french 'em for you. then you pay less for the chops overall.

[Yakuta]

O.K. I may be in a minority here but given that us Indians eat a lot of lamb and goat I will give my 2 cents.

I personally think lamb has a strong smell compared to goat, beef and probably any other animal ( I don't eat pork so can't comment on that). I find most of the smell is contained within the fatty parts of the lamb. I trim most of the fat from the lamb so that the meat is not as pungent after it's cooked. So I would say lose it or as some one said feed it to your pet.

Since I normally cook it with a gravy or marinate it in yogurt before I grill or roast it, I don't need the fat to keep the meat moist.