"Steve Wertz" > wrote in message
news
> On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 22:35:48 GMT, "Kathy" > wrote:
>
> >Does anyone here know how to tell if what's for sale is lamb or
> >mutton?

Lamb is smaller and lighter in colour. When cooked lamb is "sweeter" and
less gamey, and more tender than mutton. Lamb is good prepared in almost
any way including roasting and grilling (depending on cut) whereas older
beasts are better stewed to tenderise them. The strong flavour of older
sheep meats may require special attention and be less attractive to those
who are used to more bland meats.
>
> Sheep/Mutton is inedible. You'd know if you got an old lamb. It
> wouldn't be anything like lamb. It's not possible for a retailer
> to sell mutton as lamb.
>
> -sw

Mutton is not inedible unless you treat it like it was lamb. Would you say
shin of beef or chuck steak was inedible just because it is a little chewy
when treated like eye fillet?

It is quite possible for an unscrupulous retailer to sell, or attempt to
sell, more aged sheep as lamb. In some places lamb meat is marked at the
abattoir specifically to try to prevent this substiution. However this is
generally to prevent hogget (which might be called two-tooth) being confused
with lamb not the older mutton, because as you infer mutton is fairly
obviously different once you have seen them both.

David