Sides of Lamb

[attie]

The bargin of the year is on here, "Sides of Spring Lamb" only $3.99kg, wow! - bargin. Due to the drought our southern states are selling off all their spring lambs because they can't feed them. I bought a couple a few weeks back so I've got a fair stockpile in the freezer ------ so what am I going to do with it all ???????? It realy is quality meat, lean and tender and each side weighs about 6kg.
It comes cut up with the leg for roast, a variety of chops etc but I've been wondering if they could be made in to different cuts and what cuts do you people like and what do you do with them.
The butcher says that he can cut them in many ways, just tell him what I want, but, I don't have any idea.
Any thoughts?

 

[daisy]

You can ask the butcher to bone the shoulder (or leg, for extravagance) and you can cut it up for stirfries, mince, or cubes for stews etc. Or you can place a layer of your favourite stuffing onto the opened out boned shoulder, roll it up, tie with string or secure with skewers, and roast it.

You can bone the flap, too, and stuff it in the same way. It's a bit fatty, but at least you're using it! These bones, with a bit of meat left of, are very good for making stock, soups, etc.

If you have the leg boned, it will make very good 'steaks'. You can cut some very thick, so that you can split them for stuffing, or cut them very thin for schnitzels, or however you like.

Just remember that the rear end of the animal will be more tender than the top end. The muscles in the shoulders get more use, so those bits aren't as good as the other end.

Your butcher will be able to advise you further, and will cut it up to suit you own requirements. Don't forget when asking for 'a side' to keep the kidney on that side! Ask him to keep the kidney fat too - it can be rendered down and used as suet. Good for pastries etc. Keep the neck, ask the butcher to cut it into 'rosettes' for you. This makes the best soup/stock/stews of the whole animal. The shanks make good eating, too - very tender. Also ask him to keep the liver and heart if possible. (Even if you don't like offal yourself, you dog certainly will!)

Definitely put aside a fair portion of the leg or shoulder and off-cuts and turn it into mince. You can then make a whole range of dishes - sausage rolls, pies, meatballs (good for Greek dishes) etc.

You can turn some of the loin chops into a roast rack of lamb by not completely separating them. Of course, cutlets are loin chops with the fat removed from the bone.

 

[Loprraine]

Great ideas, Daisy!!! Attie, you're going to be eating very well!!!!

 

[cjs]

Oh, and lamb shanks, Attie!! How fun to have enuf to play with!

 

[Robo410]

a boned and butterflied leg is excellent barbeque material. give it a greek marinade with olive oil, onion garlic rosemary and lemmon! grill it (barbeque ) to a nice medium done...so delishious.

 

[Andy M.]

A side of lamb has the same cuts as a side of beef. So you can get tenderloins, racks, steaks, roasts, whatever.

 

[attie]

Thanks one and all, I can see why they're selling them off now by the news tonight. The bush fires are out of controll down there and they've ask for help from New Zealand, Canada and the US to try and controll them.

 

[Gretchen]

I get a whole lamb every year. We get the leg and shoulder roasts boned, rolled and tied. I personally would not cut them into steaks. There are such good recipes for grilled butterflied leg of lamb, braised leg, or just plain roasted. You could get the rib chops done into a rack. Be sure to get it "Frenched"--with the chine bone cut off.
Get a set of loin lamb chops.
If you get the neck, it makes a wonderful stew.
Any trimmings that are lean, get ground into burger meat.

Here is a really good site for recipes. I have a favorite called Lamb you can eat with a spoon, which is an adaptation of the French classic lamb dish, Roti Agneau au Sept Heures. I would never have thought of braising a wonderful cut like a leg (have always grilled or roasted) but this dish is simply OUTSTANDINGLY good--a true French bistro dish.

http://www.sheepscreek.com/recipe_list.html

 

[attie]

Lots of information there, thanks Gretchen

 

[Gretchen]

Take a look at the links across the top of the page. They are "keyed" to the subject of the thread and there are lamb recipes there also.

 

[shpj4]

I have a whole lamb in my freezer that a neighbor gave me. When I am ready I will use it for a variety of dishes.

 

[ChefJune]

http://americanlambboard.org/ There's a wealth of information on this web site, Wayne, even tho it features American Lamb.

I love to to shanks. You can have them cut into shape for Osso Buco, if you want, too. As well, especially in the summer, I love Grilled Butterflied leg with Provencal Herbs.

Have you ever made my leg with the Red Wine Garlic Sauce?

 

[ChefJune]

...and then, there are the sweetbreads! don't forget to make sure those get included. They're among my favorite foods of all!

 

[Gretchen]

For this size lamb, I imagine the shanks are pretty small--but still a possibility. The ones on the lambs I have gotten would need a couple or 3 to make a serving!