Trends that should disappear

[Rascal]

I too do not like american grown lamb. Superior Farms makes lamb raised in the USA. It's more like beef than it is lamb, I swear. On the other hand, I don't like overly gamey tasting New Zealand lamb.

We've discussed this topic of lamb before. Lamb grown in the USA are fed mostly grain now (little or no grass) their entire life. No wonder it resembles beef nowadays. Hardly any lamb taste.
Lamb from New Zealand are fed mostly grass, up until butchering time when they switch to feeding them grain. However, too much feeding of grass can make NZ lamb taste way to gamey for me. Too little grass (usa grown lamb) makes the lamb resemble and taste like beef. Feeding grass to lambs is too costly in the US today, so they've switched to feeding them mostly grain their entire growing cycle (little grass at all, too costly). The end product isn't lamb, it's more like beef.

USA Superior Farms "lamb for stew" packages resemble cubes of beef. Very little fat on them to have to trim off, which is nice, but at the cost of true lamb flavor. I've resorted to buying and cutting up shoulder lamb chops for my lamb curry recipe. More expensive? Yes, very much so.

I have a few farming friends, our lamb are grass fed, I'm not aware of any being fed grain. Same with beef, grass fed, again not aware of grain fed beef. I used to breed racehorses, I fed these with Lucerne hay along with grass. Our lamb is the best tasting meat IMHO. If I lived in Texas I would prolly say beef was my fave. Tandoori lamb cutlets is my wife's fave dish. So tender. I hope you guys get to try kiwi lamb.

Russ

 

[Andy M.]

Here, the last time I bought a rack of lamb, Costco lamb was from Australia. It's smaller and tastier than American lamb racks.

 

[Rascal]

I love lamb from any country, but my wife will only eat American lamb for the exact reason that it is the least gamey.

I like to buy a couple of round bone chops (slices of a leg, really) and a couple of shoulder chops. They get well seasoned with s&p and garlic powder, then simply grilled alongside thick slices of sweet onion.

When they're done, the chops are rested over the onions so the onions soak up the juices.

Served alongside a baked spud topped with Herbs de Provence infused sour cream.

This is the only time I've ever seen my wife and son actually eat some of the pure fat that on every other meat they would trim and discard.


Mmmm, I need to make this again soon.

This sounds so good. I too like the fat on the humble leg chop !

Russ

 

[Rascal]

Here, the last time I bought a rack of lamb, Costco lamb was from Australia. It's smaller and tastier than American lamb racks.

You need to try nz lamb. Australia do I believe feed their lamb and beef on grain.we don't.

Russ

 

[Andy M.]

You need to try nz lamb. Australia do I believe feed their lamb and beef on grain.we don't.

Russ

I'm game. It's a matter of availability.

 

[Kayelle]

I don't think gamey taste is there at all with NZ lamb. When I think of "gamey taste" it has nothing to do with domestic meat, only game. Mutton is another story, and it tastes just plain horrid no matter where it came from. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Andy M.]

I don't think gamey taste is there at all with NZ lamb. When I think of "gamey taste" it has nothing to do with domestic meat, only game. Mutton is another story, and it tastes just plain horrid no matter where it came from. Just my 2 cents.

I agree. Lamb tastes different form beef. Some call that being gamey, I call it not beef.

 

[Kayelle]

I agree. Lamb tastes different form beef. Some call that being gamey, I call it not beef.

Haaa...perfectly said.

 

[buckytom]

I don't think gamey taste is there at all with NZ lamb. When I think of "gamey taste" it has nothing to do with domestic meat, only game. Mutton is another story, and it tastes just plain horrid no matter where it came from. Just my 2 cents.

The only mutton that I've ever enjoyed was in scorchingly hot West Indian dishes. You probably wouldn't have tasted any other meat through that sauce.

 

[taxlady]

The only mutton that I've ever enjoyed was in scorchingly hot West Indian dishes. You probably wouldn't have tasted any other meat through that sauce.

That might have been goat. In the West Indies, goat, as well as sheep, can be called mutton. I like both goat and lamb. I don't think I have ever eaten adult sheep.

 

[buckytom]

I've had both goat and sheep. Goat here: Le Soleil Haitian Restaurant in New York City

and the sheep was at a coworkers house at a summer bbq. He is Bangladeshi, but he married a Haitian woman. Holy moly did her mother cook up some spicy hot food.

 

[caseydog]

That might have been goat. In the West Indies, goat, as well as sheep, can be called mutton. I like both goat and lamb. I don't think I have ever eaten adult sheep.

Cabrito is very tasty. That is young goat -- less than one-year old. It is kind of like lamb vs mutton. Same animal, but lamb is young sheep, while mutton is older.

CD

 

[Addie]

Cabrito is very tasty. That is young goat -- less than one-year old. It is kind of like lamb vs mutton. Same animal, but lamb is young sheep, while mutton is older.
CD

Mutton makes great stew on a cold wintry day. I like to add barley to my stews.

I would love to see more "American" type restaurants opening. We seem to be losing our food heritages from when this country was still wild and just being settled.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...However, I just thought of a trend that I'm happy to see less often: a wedge salad...

We love wedge salads my way - I chop the lettuce up on the plate, then put all the other ingredients on top! We like the concept of the salad, but the original execution is less than desirable.

 

[Addie]

My mom commented you get "some" "ruffage" from iceburg lettuce (meaning beneficial).

I doubt that. Some trace elements maybe. Iceberg lettuce was made for sandwiches (IMHO).
Romaine lettuce is better for sandwiches , but very expensive.

Every time I see Romaine lettuce, it looks like it would be better for a multi layered club sandwich standing on end , than a BLT laying flat across the other ingredients.

 

[Cheryl J]

Mutton makes great stew on a cold wintry day. I like to add barley to my stews.

I would love to see more "American" type restaurants opening. We seem to be losing our food heritages from when this country was still wild and just being settled.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Addie. What kinds of foods do you think "American" restaurants should serve? Just curious....

 

[Addie]

We love wedge salads my way - I chop the lettuce up on the plate, then put all the other ingredients on top! We like the concept of the salad, but the original execution is less than desirable.

Now that sounds sensible.

I once worked in a restaurant kitchen cutting up salad ingredients. Everything that could be was cut into wedges. It took a couple of months for the head chef to see that his concept wasn't working. Every salad came back with the celery untouched. Every outside piece was cut into four pieces. By the time the diner got everything cut up, they had lost their appetite. The hearts that had more flavor were saved for soups and stews. Or other dishes where they were finely cut. Have you ever tried to fit a wedge of lettuce or a large tomato into your mouth in a polite manner?

 

[Addie]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that, Addie. What kinds of foods do you think "American" restaurants should serve? Just curious....

Foods that haven't been drowned in sauces and gravies brought over from our immigrant settlers. I look at a recipe and see a list of ten or more ingredients. Mashed potatoes. Milk, butter, salt and pepper. Is anything else needed? A simple steak on the grill. Or even in the oven.

Our ancestors cooked in a fireplace. And they ate a good solid balanced simple array of foods. Think campfire foods. Even Boston Baked Beans are made with a simple recipe. Beans, salt, brown sugar and molasses.

We used to have a cafeteria style place in Boston. Come lunch time, and the line was always out the door. And you got a real plateful of food that was edible. You had to ask for gravy or a sauce. It was well worth the run up there at around two p.m. after the rush when all the fresh trays of food came out. And the prices didn't leave you a pauper.

 

[Just Cooking]

We love wedge salads my way - I chop the lettuce up on the plate, then put all the other ingredients on top! We like the concept of the salad, but the original execution is less than desirable.

We do the same...

Not as attractive a presentation but, I'm not known for attractive presentations anyway.. I'm more of a plop and eat kinda guy..

Ross

 

[Just Cooking]

Foods that haven't been drowned in sauces and gravies brought over from our immigrant settlers. I look at a recipe and see a list of ten or more ingredients. Mashed potatoes. Milk, butter, salt and pepper. Is anything else needed? A simple steak on the grill. Or even in the oven.

Our ancestors cooked in a fireplace. And they ate a good solid balanced simple array of foods. Think campfire foods. Even Boston Baked Beans are made with a simple recipe. Beans, salt, brown sugar and molasses.

We used to have a cafeteria style place in Boston. Come lunch time, and the line was always out the door. And you got a real plateful of food that was edible. You had to ask for gravy or a sauce. It was well worth the run up there at around two p.m. after the rush when all the fresh trays of food came out. And the prices didn't leave you a pauper.

I understand your meaning and I agree..

That's what I love about all the small diners here in Missouri... Flavorful, simple meals.. My only caveat is quantity intake.. Missouri isn't known for skinny people...

Ross