The clocks spring forward soon, and this always brings thoughts of daffodils, Easter and lamb to mind. Many of us will be getting a leg of lamb for Mothering Sunday or Easter Sunday. Let us have a look at the lamb and some of the better cuts. What are you going to choose to pop into your basket?

 

Lamb or Mutton?

Lamb is defined as a sheep from 1 month old to 12 months old. Anything over a year old is classed as mutton. Either is wonderful and full of flavour. Aficionados swear that older mutton is best covered in sauces or made into curries whilst keeping the younger lamb for spring joints.

 

The leg of lamb

The epitome of spring joints is the leg of lamb, either rolled and boneless or on the bone Although lambs have four legs, we tend only to use the back legs for this classic joint and the lamb leg steaks. The forelegs generally produce the shoulder and lamb shank. The leg can be the whole leg, including the upper and lower or leg of lamb, which is the upper thigh part. The thigh is soft and tender and best cooked to a medium-rare. The shanks are chewier due to the higher amount of collagen, and so people tend to cook them longer until the meat falls off the bone.

 

Other joints

I love the shoulder joint, smaller, cheaper and still packed with juicy flavour. Tricker to carve, but you can get around this by having a boneless rolled joint. Loin joints are very tender and so more expensive. Most customers seem to prefer chops cut from this area of the lamb. A rack or crown of lamb can make for a spectacular display on your spring table.

 

Chops and steaks

You cannot speak of lamb chops in Yorkshire without mentioning the Barnsley chop, cut across the saddle forming one piece of meat and effectively two loin chops back to back. It may be debated as to which actual hotel in Barnsley ‘invented’ the cut, but what is not in dispute is the wow factor when it lands for the first time on your plate. It is hard to think of lamb chops in any other way! However, there are still the classic lamb chop and leg steaks for your evening meal. Now and again, we have the valentine steak, cut to resemble a heart, available to woo your loved one.

 

Other cuts

Lamb chunks are superb for your tagines and delicate lamb curries. Minced lamb is, of course, the best for shepherds pie, not to be confused with cottage pie! Lamb Henry is a lamb on the bone marinated in a mint sauce, a fantastic supper dish. And finally lamb burgers, again the mince is marinated in the mint sauce before being shaped into burgers; these are great, naked, sans bun and served with a salad on the lighter, sunnier spring days

Offal

Choosing to eat ‘nose to tail’ means looking at offal. As we have explained, offal contains the most bio-available nutrients per ounce than any other foods! We have both lamb kidneys and liver available. The kidneys can be used with beef chunks in your steak and kidney pies ( puddings are for Lancastrians). The lamb liver is softer and smoother than the venison liver and smaller than both the beef and venison livers. Try blending this up and mixing it in with your mince or chunks for a fuller flavour in your dishes, it makes the meal go further, plus the added side bonus of nutrients; the kids will never know!