Opinions on Lamb

[Barbara L]

All of the lamb at my local Costco comes from Australia or New Zealand.

Thanks. We can't afford membership right now, but I might be able to have a friend check it out for me.

Barbara

 

[Bigjim68]

I think that Costco does the 1 day guest membership thing. If you are on a tight budget and have a freezer, Costco might save you money.

 

[Barbara L]

Yes, I forgot they do have the guest membership thing. I will check it out.

Barbara

 

[CharlieD]

Tell them that you would like to check out the store to see how usefull it could be for you and ask for one day free stor shopping, not that shopping is free, but membership is free for one day. I know that is what I did when I wanted to decide on getting membership. I end up not getting one. Sam's club in my area is better. Though it is not true for all the places.

 

[Aussie Chick]

Lamb is something I do miss living here in Ohio. It is rarely found in any of the supermarkets and when I do find it, it is outrageously priced. We dont have Costco near us at all so I can not go there to get it. May have to look into a local farmer & buying a whole lamb to send to the butcher.

 

[Andy M.]

I think that Costco does the 1 day guest membership thing. If you are on a tight budget and have a freezer, Costco might save you money.

I don't think Costco does the one day guest membership thing. I believe BJ's and Sam's Club do.

 

[ChefJune]

Aussie Chick, there are several web sites where you can order lamb to be shipped to you.

Niman Ranch
Catskill Merino
Marx Foods
DeBragga
Jamison Farm
D'Artagnan

Some of them are pricy, but that usually corresponds to quality.

 

[Aussie Chick]

Aussie Chick, there are several web sites where you can order lamb to be shipped to you.

Niman Ranch
Catskill Merino
Marx Foods
DeBragga
Jamison Farm
D'Artagnan

Some of them are pricy, but that usually corresponds to quality.

Thanks you -- I will check the sites out

 

[Caslon]

I'm still searching for what I remember my parents buying from the local Navy commissary way back when. I finally nailed down what part of the lamb they used to buy. Lamb Shoulder Arm Chops.

About taste:
Lamb that's fed all grass and little grain is too gamey tasting for me (NZ lamb). I prefer US lamb that is fed grass during the early stages then fed grain about 2/3 of the way before butchering. Unfortunately, todays US lamb is now fed TOO MUCH grain. The faltering economy has US growers feeding almost all grain and little grass. That's why some say todays US lamb is not very lamby tasting and is almost like beef. I agree with that. What a shame.

Anyways, I now know what part of the lamb to ask for. Also, a site that discusses lamb being fed grain or grass or both.
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/grassfed.html

 

[buckytom]

we just started the 60 day free membership at bj's, and were happy to find they carry american lamb. yay, now i can get dw to eat lamb again, and not just frenched rib chops once a decade.

costcos near us carry aussie/nz only, where the legs, steaks, and roasts are too gamey for her. (i would eat nz lamb sashimi if i could )

 

[4meandthem]

(i would eat nz lamb sashimi if i could )

I am with you there! I would take lamb over beef almost any day.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Welsh Lamb is the best in the worldI prefer Hogget to Mutton. I like to buy my lamb whole in september not spring.
Scrag end stew is a favorite, shoulder/neck end fillet is so good as a kebab.

 

[Rocklobster]

Lamb from the Charlevoix region of Quebec is also exceptional. Apperantly it is due to the grass they eat which is grows in soil fed by the brackish water which is in that area.

I've only had it once and it was one of my most memorable meals..

 

[pmeheran]

Not meaning whether you like it or not, just this question: Has anyone noticed that lamb is getting more bland tasting these days (this question mostly applies to U.S. readers, but maybe others are finding the same problem). Nowadays I would have no problem passing off lamb as beef, and it's been that way for years, and in many states. Right now lamb costs more than beef where I live, and we can mostly not tell the difference. I found, and paid premium price, for ground lamb and made a sort of Mediterranian meat ball with taboule, etc. But I could have used a medium grade ground beef and we wouldn't have noticed the difference. Is it that they're breeding them to taste more like beef?

The cattle, sheep and goats are very closely related. Hence, if the you do some selective breeding, you get very similar tasting meat. A milder lamb means it was more carefully treated and is a better product. I really don't think it is a problem, unless you like violently seasoned foods.

 

[Kitchen Barbarian]

The meat must be inspected by the USDA to be resold. This type of regulation is what keeps Mad Cow disease out of the country.

Untrue. Meat is almost never actually inspected anymore. What they inspect are the slaughterhouses. Meat sold for resale must be processed in a USDA inspected FACILITY, but the meat itself is only ever spot-checked, so the vast majority of it goes right through to the consumer.

 

[Andy M.]

The cattle, sheep and goats are very closely related. Hence, if the you do some selective breeding, you get very similar tasting meat. A milder lamb means it was more carefully treated and is a better product. I really don't think it is a problem, unless you like violently seasoned foods.

Since KB resurrected this thread, I thought I'd address this post.

pmeheran, I don't understand it at all.

I assume you are NOT suggesting there is interbreeding among cattle, sheep and lambs that homogenizes the flavors.

Lamb meat has a stronger flavor when it's fed grass. If it's switched to grain, the flavor becomes milder because animals taste like what they eat.

What is a violently seasoned food?