Lamb passed the test!!!

RustBeltCowgirl

I'm still trying different meats for dinner. Aldi had ground lamb for $5.99/lb. A little pricey; but for a trial, why not? Browned it with hamburger seasoning, added a can of cream of onion soup and a can of drained mixed veggies. Topped with mashed potatoes and some shredded cheese.

So, at roughly $11 for the meal. I fed 3 people, have enough leftover for a 2nd dinner and possibly lunch for me. Comes out to roughly $1.57 a person.

And he liked it. Wow......Dad liked it!!!!!

vickeym

We found the younger the sheep (lamb) was the better it tasted. As the animal got older the meat tasted stronger (gamey) and could only be used in dishes with strong flavored ingredients to help mask it.

Tave

Wonderful! I found out last week that lamb is actually cheaper than beef where I live. So I stocked up and told all my friends who I thought would appreciate it. My friend from Mexico sent me a YouTube video on how to make Mexican barbacoa de cordero. It was awesome. I shared it with her and her husband, and she said it tasted just like she remembered.

I was about to post the video, then remembered that it's in Spanish.

RustBeltCowgirl

@Tave not a really big deal for me. My grasp of Spanish needs refreshed.

Tave

https://youtu.be/2wJX7NNeb90

Here it is:)

These are the adjustments I made for what I had. She uses the whole lamb, but I just had a leg of lamb. I used a big steamer, but I'm sure you could make it as a stew, too.

2 kilos lamb

2 teaspoons salt

2 dried guajillo chiles

1dried pasilla o ancho

Remove seeds, stems, pith, and soak in hot water to rehydrate, liquify with enough water. Strain.

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

6 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon peppercorns

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons cumin (and maybe some ground coriander)

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon epazote

Blender with enough chiles soaking water to puree. Adjust salt and vinegar to taste.

Coat pieces of lamb well with marinade. Add a beer and mix well. Cover, and let marinate until the next day.

Layer 1 large white onion, sliced (and two of the Anaheim peppers) with the meat into the steamer

3 fresh Anaheim or chilaca peppers (2 went in the meat and the third one for the broth)

Another onion quartered for the broth

3 bay leaves

LaurieLovesLearning

We talked with an ethnic entrepreneur restaurateur that has a Turkish background. Shwarma is his specialty and it is very popular in his home country. He was thrilled that we would ask questions about his food and homeland practices. His face just lit up! We had a bit of an accent to contend with (as did he, most likely, haha), but it was enjoyable chatting with him.

He said that the best lamb was 3 months old and still not weaned. He said that in North America, they butcher them too late to have the best flavor. He also told us that the best quality lamb is found in New Zealand.

The lamb he used was absolutely spectacular.

ltwickey

@RustBeltCowgirl Congrats on getting the dish passed and approved by your Dad!! I have sneak ground lamb passed my family by hiding it in chili dishes!!

VermontCathy

Has anyone tried to make spicy raw kibbeh, a dish from the eastern Mediterranean? It is supposed to be a delicious dish made from ground lamb with spices added.

One recipe here: http://discoverlebanon.com/en/recipes/spicy_raw_kibbeh.php

I've never tried it, but it sounds amazing. Since you are eating the meat raw, you would want to know where it came from!

COWLOVINGIRL

I have never had lamb, but it sounds so good! Do you guys usually eat in ground or roast form?

RustBeltCowgirl

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/895453#Comment_895453

For concealment purposes, I bought ground. Would like to try other cuts. I've got 2 good butcher shops in the area that I ought to go browse.

RustBeltCowgirl

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/895273#Comment_895273

Maybe meatballs in the spaghetti or added to another meat like ground turkey in meatloaf.

Megan Venturella

It was so funny reading this post- we also had ground lamb from Aldi for dinner! I used it to make a shepherd’s pie for dinner and never mentioned it was lamb. 😊 Sometimes the less they know, the better!

RustBeltCowgirl

@Megan Venturella Same thing I did. Except I told him after he approved.

Tave

Wow, a three-month-old lamb has the best flavor. That is good to know.

The best leg of lamb I've ever made I bought at the international farmers' market on Buford Highway in Atlanta. They freeze it soon after processing. The lamb that comes to the States from New Zealand is very good, but you have to be careful of the expiration date. If it's fresh, it will say it's good for a month. Not true. If it's less than two weeks from its expiration, I don't buy it.

Torey

Gotta say, not a fan of lamb. I buy it a side every so often cause my husband likes it so much and we get it from a reliable source. I will eat it but it has to be very freshly cooked. Can't cope if the fat starts to congeal at all. I've never had ground lamb, though. Maybe I will have to give it a try. Or better yet, have someone cook it for me and not tell me, so I could have an unbiased taste test.

karenjanicki

That sounds delicious! My husband and I love lamb. It's so good!

Monek Marie

I love shepherds pie. I lived on it in England but I have to admit its never been quite ther same since I have had it here.

I'll have to try more lamb

Michelle D

I have never cooked lamb, but it is on my list to try at some point.

@RustBeltCowgirl Great job! and thanks for the ideas. I'm thinking meatballs will be the way to go to sneak it past my crew.

@Tave thanks for the advice on expiration dates. I wouldn't have known.

blevinandwomba

Mmm. I love lamb- though my favorite is lamb breast. So fatty but sooo good.That reminds me, I found out about a local source for lamb a while ago- I even have their address, but I've never looked them up. I'll have to get on it.

Actually, I would love to get a source of mutton- I had mutton curry once and it was so good.

MissPatricia

Ground lamb tastes awful to me so when I buy an organic pasture-raised lamb, I get boneless stew meat instead of ground. The roasts taste truly wonderful to me. Even my husband who didn't like lamb eats lamb now. I never cooked lamb nor ate it as a child, but now I eat it regularly. The meat is very healthful too.