FoodBanter.com - View Single Post

Peter A

In article om>,
says...
> TammyM wrote:
> > Interesting! My experience of American lamb doesn't even begin to
> > favorably compare with that of antipodean lamb (well, specifically in
> > New Zealand, not in Ocker Land!) New Zealand lamb was an entirely
> > different critter and I quite literally ordered it every time I dined
> > out and many a time when dining in. New Zealand stores have displays
> > of lamb that are similar to what an American store (typical one)
> > stocks in beef cuts. Then again, as my Kiwi pal says, NZ is a country
> > of 4 million people and 40 million sheep. Do the math :-)
> >
> > TammyM, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
>
> I love lamb. I think I've only had American lamb, but I love every cut
> I've tried, including the neck and breast (I think I like goat's neck
> better than lamb's neck). Lamb's head was a little too much work for
> the payoff, but maybe around Easter I'll try it again. I still haven't
> tried lamb's organ meats (except "sweetbreads" in a restuarant). My
> neighborhood grocery was advertising NZ lamb this weekend at $6.99/lb
> (US dollars, and hegemonic pounds). I bought American lamb instead--3
> shanks and the top half (is it caled the sirloin end?) of a leg of
> lamb. The shanks were $3.29 or $3.49/lb; the leg was $3.99/lb, I
> think. Gonna slash the leg to the bone a few times, slather it in and
> out with curried yoghurt, garlic, grated onion and lemon juice, let it
> marinate for a day or so, tie it back together and roast it in as hot
> an oven as I can get. Next week or the week after, I plan to braise
> the shanks in tomaotes, leeks and white wine. I prefer white to red
> wine for this. I think it adds acidity and backbone to the sauce. I
> like the neck and breast stewed with ((okra or tiny Indian eggplants)
> and tomaotes).
>
> -bwg
> Goin' to heaven in a groundnut shell.
>
>

Indeed, lamb is one of the Great Things. It is, however, touchy.
Mediocre quality beef is just OK, while mediocre quality lamb is awful.
The quality of the meat and the cooking technique are very important. I
have found CostCo lamb to be reliably good (not great, however). Don't
overcook, medium rare at most (chops and legs; breasts, shanks, and
shoulders are a different matter)!

--
Peter Aitken