Written by: Junaid Ahmed
Traditionally, the consumption of lamb has been linked to festivities and at family and friends gatherings. This type of celebration was accompanied by a specific type of gastronomy that also conditioned the cuts that the lamb was used for. The traditional cuts of lamb and the most common cooking techniques are as follows:
- Ribs – Grilled.
- Shoulder and thigh – In the oven or on the grill.
- Stockings or yolks, bone – in thigh cuts – Grilled.
- Knuckles, both thigh and shoulder – In the oven or on the grill.
- Neck – Stew or grilled.
- Offal (gizzards, liver, kidneys, etc.) – Most are eaten stewed or fried.
- Chest – For bowl.
Derived from the new culinary and cultural needs of the population (less time to cook and less culinary experience), the following cuts are proposed that will allow different cooking techniques and that, therefore, will be linked to different times and consumption habits.
The cuts that are proposed from the Gremis de Carnissers are the following:
- Rib strip
- Whole rib strip
- It is obtained by making a cut perpendicular to the ribs at the bottom of them, including a part of the skirt in the cut. From each half lamb, about 3 or 4 strips are obtained.
- Rib strip into chunks
- The same strip can be cut into pieces coinciding with the part of meat between bone and rib bone. You get pieces that are very similar to those of the pork rib and with similar uses.
- Knuckle
- The knuckle can be opened so that the meat separates, in part, from the bone, and is of a thinner thickness. This cut allows for shorter cooking times.
- Thigh meat. Scallops
- Cross-sections of the boneless thigh of different thicknesses.
- Thin cuts (escalopes)
The cuts can be thin and small, thus obtaining pieces that can be called escalopes and that allow quick cooking.
- Small cuts (like steaks) – The cut is made of approximate thickness of 0.5 cm. And larger than schnitzel can be treated, and named, in the same way as beef steak.
- Medium cuts (like steaks) – The shallow cut and the medium cut (between 1 and 2 cm). May be viewed as a beef intercota with more than one section with meat.
Other elaborations
- Strips – Less uniform cuts of the boneless thigh can be cut into thin strips to facilitate cooking and eating.
- Dices – The thigh cuts can be cut into cubes of about 2 cm. Sideways approximately.
- Mince – The meat, mostly from the thigh, can be minced and used for various elaborations, the same ones that can be made with minced meat from other animals.
Lamb’s kitchen
- Fast – The cuts shown here permit fast cooking and even the following recipes. The estimated completion period is defined in each of them. This form of cut helps us to cook dishes that usually cook longer (such as fricandó) in less time and make with other pieces.
- Easy – Most cuts allow for simple cooking, such as on the grill or in the pan, adapting the cooking time to the type of cut.
- Tasty – Lamb meat allows us to combine it with different types of marinades. These provide different taste nuances while enabling meats to tenderize and partially reduce cooking time.
- Versatile – Although the proposed cuisine is simple and fast, the multitude of possible combinations makes lamb meat as versatile as beef, chicken, or pork.
- Balanced – The proposed cuts allow you to cook the right amount of meat, which, combined with the corresponding carbohydrate and vegetable rations, can create a balanced dish.
- Affordable – There are cuts of lamb that the consumer did not know, and that at an affordable price will allow them to make tasty and surprising elaborations.
How can you preserve lamb meat?
- In the fridge, 3 to 4 days.
- It is best to change the container when you get home. Make sure the new container is clean and dry.
- In an airtight container to prevent it from taking flavors from other foods.
- If there is a considerable quantity, it is better not to pile up the pieces. You have to avoid sweating and losing water while ensuring that the cold reaches you in the fastest and most uniform way.
- If the meat needs to be in the refrigerator for longer than one day, it is not necessary to cover with food plastic films. Long interaction with the material stops the meat from chewing, sweating, and breaking down more quickly.
- If you notice that the lamb is sweating, pat it dry with an absorbent paper to remove excess moisture.
- It can be frozen properly wrapped. To defrost it, it must be done in the fridge, waiting for the necessary time and on top of a grate to separate the meat from the water that it releases when it defrosts.
There is a famous and delicious Indian recipe named Mutton Curry Andhra Style that you must try.