Our lamb comes from local farms where it is reared to the highest quality by dedicated, skilled farmers. The lambs are allowed to mature and develop naturally, while grazing out of doors on the best grass. They are not fed any growth promoters, hormones or antibiotics. They are allowed to their own pace and exercise at will, resulting in healthy fit lambs which are nicely but not excessively fatted.

How to choose your lamb

Look for nice, plump-looking joints which show no signs of drying out, nor of excessive moisture. The colour of the flesh should be a clear, brownish- pink, with no signs of bloodiness. The fat should be parchment white, dry, brittle and waxy. Do not worry about the coloured stamps that you often see on lamb, they are made with vegetable dye and are safe to consume.

Lamb Cuts

Breast

This cut is one of the cheapest cuts and whilst the price is similar to scrag end, it is much more versatile. It can be roasted on the bone, boned, stuffed and rolled, or when well trimmed, can be used for mince, burgers or skewers (kebabs). If you cut  in strips they make an ideal choice  for barbecues.

 

 

Flank

Unlike other cuts from the loin area, the flank is much tougher and is usually sold as mince.

 

 

 

 

Foreshank

Also known as Lamb shanks, this cut is suitable for slow roasting, stewing and braising. It has become very popular in recent years especially when braised when a whole shank with the bone is served per person.  It is a very flavourful cut of meat.

 

 

Leg

This is a prime cut with little fat which is excellent for roasting as a joint. It is often cut into lamb steaks suitable for frying or grilling or into cubes for lean kebabs.

 

 

 

Loin

The loin is the most tender part of the lamb. It is from this area that loin chops come from as well as medallions, noisettes and all roasting cuts. Suitable for roasting, although the joints tend to be small. If you prefer you can use the whole saddle which is made up of a double loin roast, from both sides of the backbone.  Frying and grilling are excellent for the smaller cuts.

Rack

A "rack of lamb" is the name given to the whole rib section on either side of the backbone between the shoulder and the loin. A tender and flavoursome cut, it is suitable for dry heat cooking such as roasting or grilling. This cut has a layer of fat which, although it can be trimmed down, is best left on when roasting as it melts and bastes the meat during cooking. Racks are often "Frenched" which means that the upper ends of the rib bones are scraped clean of meat and fat thereby exposing the bones which sometimes have paper frills popped over the top. Once frenched, it can be used to create a "Crown" where two racks are tied together to form a circle, the middle of which is then stuffed or a "Guard of honour" where the two sides of the rack are stood vertically with the bare bones uppermost and rib ends interlocked to resemble soldiers' swords. Racks are not large pieces: one rack of lamb is usually large enough to serve three people.

Scrag

Also known as scrag end or neck end, this is one of the tougher cuts and is therefore one of the cheaper ones. The meat from this area is often more fatty than other cuts and is usually sold chopped or diced for use in stews and casseroles.

 

 

Shoulder

Shoulder is often sold as two separate joints, blade and arm (knuckle). The whole shoulder is also sometimes called "square cut" which consists of the arm, blade, and rib bones. This cut is excellent for roasting, but prefer to buy the cut without the bone as structure of the bones in the joint can make carving difficult. Shoulder meat when is trimmed of fat and cut in cubes, makes an excellent choice for curries, kebabs and casseroles. Shoulder chops are suitable for, pan-frying, grilling or braising

Lamb Nutritional Guide

Lamb is a valuable source of protein, minerals and B-group vitamins including niacin, thiamin and riboflavin. Also, lamb is lean and low in cholesterol compared to other animal proteins. In fact, half of the fat in lamb is mono-unsaturated, the same type of fatty acids found in olive oil. For instance, a 3-ounce serving of topside lamb steak has only 5 grams of fat compared to 8 grams in beef and pork composite cuts and 10 grams in Atlantic salmon. In addition to this, the correct ratio of all 8 of the essential amino acids is contained in lamb meat.

Eating lamb is an enjoyable way of supplying our body with vitamins B12 and protein, as well as the iron and zinc it needs.

Protein

Lamb is a great source of protein, rich and balanced in essential amino acids which cannot be synthesized by the body and which therefore have to be obtained from our food. A serving of 85gr of grilled lamb leg steak provides 43 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein of your daily protein needs.

B Vitamins

The vitamin B12 in lamb is great for the nervous system; iron helps carry oxygen to the muscles for energy and is important for brain performance, especially for memory and concentration. A serving of 85gr of grilled lamb leg steak provides 74 percent of the RDA of vitamin B-12, 30 percent of the niacin and 15 percent of the riboflavin that most people need in a day.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that the body needs to form enzymes and insulin. The zinc in lamb is essential for our immune system. A serving of 85gr of grilled lamb leg steak provides 33 percent of your daily zinc needs.

Iron

Iron is an important nutrient that helps carry oxygen to the muscles for energy and is important for brain performance, especially for memory and concentration. A serving of 85gr of grilled lamb leg steak provides 26% of your daily iron needs.