Lamb

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
Keltin mentioned lamb, so here's my question.
I am not really a fan of it, but have had it a time or two.
Last time I had a lamb chop, my Irish FIL pan fried it, sort of made it glazed and brown. Didn't taste so bad.
The lamb I've eaten in my youth always tasted too.. oh I don't know.. just something about it.. gamey, much like venison does to me.
Sooooo my question is.. what is a REALLY good way to prepare lamb for someone who really doesn't like it all that much?
 

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Keltin mentioned lamb, so here's my question.
I am not really a fan of it, but have had it a time or two.
Last time I had a lamb chop, my Irish FIL pan fried it, sort of made it glazed and brown. Didn't taste so bad.
The lamb I've eaten in my youth always tasted too.. oh I don't know.. just something about it.. gamey, much like venison does to me.
Sooooo my question is.. what is a REALLY good way to prepare lamb for someone who really doesn't like it all that much?

Fry it THIN with rosemary, back pepper anda garlic- tomato sauce
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
I know what you mean Sass, I'm not a big fan of it either for the same reason. I even had it at the Brazilian Steakhouse where it was seasoned with fresh mint and spit-cooked and I still wasn't fond of it and I liked ALL of the meats there.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
I know what you mean Sass, I'm not a big fan of it either for the same reason. I even had it at the Brazilian Steakhouse where it was seasoned with fresh mint and spit-cooked and I still wasn't fond of it and I liked ALL of the meats there.

Well Mama, if you can't help me, no one can! :sad:
*putting big black line through lamb* lol
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
:sorry::sorry::sorry:

Maybe "The Bushman" can help, I was just reading where he likes lamb and was planning to smoke some lamb chops this weekend. I just don't care for the strong, "gamey" taste it has.
 

sirena

New member
I've had some lamb shanks that were too gamey for my taste. But here's a lamb stew that is just lovely and not at all gamey. The lemon really helps to lighten and brighten it.

French Lamb Stew


3 lbs. Boneless leg or lamb shoulder cut in 1 1/2' cubes
4 Tb olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TB. Flour
3 c. chicken broth
Juice of 2 lemons (start with 1 1/2 and add more to taste)
2 tsp. Marjoram
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
20 or so frozen pearl onions
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
(I use baby carrots just for eye appeal)
10-15 baby red potatoes cut in halves or quarters
Chopped parsley for garnish.

Optional - asparagus and/or green beans. I like to roast them and place them across the stew for serving. The green with the orange carrots makes a lovely Spring-like presentation.

Remove excess fat from lamb. In a Dutch oven, heat oil and lightly brown the lamb cubes. Remove lamb and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic until slightly translucent. Add flour, blend well and cook on simmer for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, marjoram, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Return lamb to pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 minutes. Add pearl onions and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Taste for seasonings. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook until done, 30 minutes or so. Ladle into deep bowls and add asparagus/green beans or sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Great with French bread for sopping, and a fruity salad of some kind.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
I was thinking along the lines of a lamb tangine This is one version http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/moroccanlambtagine_6696.shtml)

I would probably use veg stock instead of lamb. I would also suggest trimming a lot of the fat off the lamb to reduce the gameiness flavour. In the tagine, you are also using spices that will build the flavours & the lamb won't be dominant.

That sounds lovely as well Ray!!
Thanks!
(Anthony Worrall Thompson, used to watch the cookery show of his all the time)
:)
 

buckytom

Grill Master
a simple roasted whole leg o' lamb is nice.

using a pairing knife, cut a matrix of 1 inch slits all over the leg. insert a slice of garlic, a piece of lemon rind, and a small piece of fresh rosemary into each slit.
sprinkle leg with a healthy amount of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then drizzle with just a bit of olive oil.

roast on a rack in a pan over olive oil tossed spuds, sweet onions, and root veggies and a cup of stock at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes (more or less, depending on the size) or until the meat at the thickest part reaches 140 degrees.

renove leg from oven, tent, and let it rest for 15 minutes. crank up the oven during the resting time and help the edges of the veggies crisp by stirring them so they're coated in the drippings.

slice and serve surrounded by the roasted veggies.

lemme go find some pics of the last time that i made it. i only put potatoes under the roast that time, 'cause dw, the health nut, wasn't about to eat veggies roasted in lamb fat. so i roasted them seperately while the lamb cooked. in the pan was a red pepper, garlic, a bulb of fennel, and an onion.
 
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FryBoy

New member
I'm a big fan of lamb, although I've known several people who are put off by it. My theory is that many people dislike it because it LOOKS like beef but doesn't taste like what their brain expects based on what they see, so they conclude it's not good. It's hard for some folks to get past that. Wine helps.

Also, a lot of people have never had it prepared properly -- the old school was to cook it until it was very well done, which tends to ruin the texture and the flavor, often intensifying the gaminess of the meat. When served alone, I think lamb is best medium-rare to medium. (One excepting is a French dish in which a leg of lamb is cooked for 7 hours in a slow oven in a sealed container, which results in a very soft and delicious dish that can be eaten with a spoon.)

I like chops simply grilled like a steak -- rub them with a cut garlic clove, then olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill quickly over a hot fire until medium-rare to rare.

Here are a couple of TNT recipes that I think most people would like:
_________________________________________________

COWBOY CASSOULET

3 pounds lamb shoulder blade chops
Salt
8 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 pounds fennel (3 small or 2 medium)
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup white wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 pound Great Northern white beans or navy beans
Freshly ground black pepper
Small loaf French bread (enough for 1¾ cups crumbs)
8 fresh sage leaves

1. Remove small bones and excess fat from meat; cut into serving pieces; lightly salt meat.

2. Remove tops from fennel and trim bottoms; cut lengthwise (top to bottom) into quarters.

3. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat; add half the meat and brown well;
remove to bowl; repeat with remaining meat.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add carrot and cook without stirring until lightly browned on
one side, 2 to 5 minutes; stir and cook 3 to 5 minutes more.

5. Add onion and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Add wine, bring to boil, and cook until it is reduced to a thick syrup, 7 to 10 minutes.

7. Add crushed tomatoes and cook 3 to 5 minutes.

8. Add 5 cups water, beans, fennel, and garlic; stir gently; add lamb and press gently into
liquid. (Note: Dried beans vary; more water may be needed during cooking.)

9. Cover pot with tight-fitting lid; place in preheated 325 degree oven.

10. After 1 hour, add ½ tablespoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper; stir gently
to avoid breaking up the fennel or crushing the garlic.

11. Check after 1½ hours (2½ hours total); if needed, add up to 1 cup water and stir gently.

12. After 1 hour (3½ hours total), remove from oven; increase heat to 400 degrees.

13. Remove crust from bread, cut into cubes, and place in food processor with sage; process
to form crumbs; spread mixture evenly over top of cassoulet; lightly drizzle with olive oil.

14. Return uncovered pot to 400 degree oven to brown crumbs, about 20 minutes.

15. Serve immediately. Servings: 6 to 8
________________________________________________

INDIAN LAMB WITH ONIONS
Kaliya

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 small onions (or 1 large – about 9 ounces total weight)
1 1- to 2-inch piece fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic
2 hot green chilies (such as serrano)
1 14½-ounce can of chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 6-ounce container of plain yogurt (low fat is okay)
1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds (see note A)
1 teaspoon salt
1½ pounds boned shoulder of lamb, cut into 1½-inch chunks
1 teaspoon garam masala (Indian spice mixture – see note B)

1. Put oil in 5-quart or larger pressure cooker; do not heat yet.

2. Peel onions and slice into thin rings; cut rings in half (cut in quarters if
using one large onion); add to pressure cooker.

3. Peel ginger and slice thinly, then cut slices into matchstick pieces; cut
in half or quarters lengthwise and add to pressure cooker.

4. Peel and finely chop garlic; add to pressure cooker.

5. Thinly slice chilies; do not remove seeds; add to pressure cooker

6. Add tomatoes and their juices, yogurt, ground cumin, salt, and lamb
to pressure cooker and mix well.

7. Cover and lock pressure cooker; cook over medium heat for 5
minutes, then turn heat to high and bring to high pressure; reduce
heat and cook for 15 minutes more, adjusting heat as necessary to
maintain high pressure.

8. Remove from heat and reduce pressure by quick release method;
add the garam masala and stir it in.

9. Return pan to stove and cook uncovered over high heat for about 10
minutes, stirring gently until the sauce is reduced and quite thick.

10. Serve with plain basmati rice.

Notes:

A. Roast cumin seeds in a small, heavy skillet until they are just lightly
browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes; grind with a mortar and pistil
or in a spice grinder until reduced to a fine powder.

B. Gram masala, which in Urdu means “hot paste,” is a mixture of many
different spices (don’t confuse it with western-style “curry powder”).
There are significant variations in the blend from region to region. If
you don’t have an Indian market near you, you may be able to find it
in the spice section of your supermarket (Spice Islands makes a good
version), or you can make your own from any of the numerous
recipes available on the Internet.

________________________________________________

Minted Lamb & Bell Pepper Kebabs

Mint Sauce:

1 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup boiling water
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

4 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and
cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 orange bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large bunch fresh mint, for garnish

1. Prepare the Mint Sauce: Place the mint in a small bowl. Pour the vinegar over the mint.
Dissolve the brown sugar and salt in the boiling water; add to the bowl along with the
pepper. Combine and set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. (Makes 1 cup.)

2. Place the lamb and bell peppers in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, oil, salt and
pepper; toss to coat well.

3. Pour the Mint Sauce over the meat and combine well. Let rest, covered, in the
refrigerator for up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

4. Thread four 12-inch metal skewers, alternating the lamb and the peppers. (Be sure to
leave a little bit of space between the ingredients for even cooking.)

5. Cook the skewers on a well-oiled grill over high heat for 4 minutes per side for rare to
medium-rare meat. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Arrange the skewers on a
platter garnished with mint.

_________________________________________________

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH WHITE BEANS

1½ pounds dried white Great Northern beans
5 garlic cloves
6 lamb shanks, about 1 pound each
flour seasoned with salt & pepper for dredging
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 cup canned Italian tomatoes, with liquid, chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain the beans,
place in a large saucepan, and add enough water to cover the beans
by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
Drain and set aside. Do not add salt or the beans will be tough.

2. Sliver 2 of the garlic cloves. With a pointed knife, make small incisions
in the lamb shanks and insert the garlic. Use more garlic if needed.

3. Pat the shanks dry and dredge them in the seasoned flour. Shake off
the excess. Heat the oil in a very large flameproof oval casserole over
moderately high heat and in it brown the shanks on all sides in
batches. Set aside on a plate as done.

4. There should be about 3 tablespoons of oil left in the casserole.
Reduce the heat to moderately low and in the oil sauté the onions,
carrot, and celery until lightly browned. Add the remaining 3 garlic
cloves, minced, for the last minute of cooking.

5. In a large bowl, toss the drained beans, sautéed vegetables, tomatoes
and their liquid, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Return the
shanks and any accumulated liquid to the casserole and pour the bean
mixture over the meat. Add the wine and enough stock to barely cover
the beans. Add the bay leaves.

6. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the stove top. Cover and bake in a
preheated 325-degree oven until the shanks and beans are tender,
about 1½ hours. Check occasionally to be sure there’s enough liquid.

7. Arrange the shanks around the rim of a large heated platter. Remove
the bay leaves, stir the parsley into the beans, and mound the beans in
the center of the platter.
SERVES 6
________________________________________________

LAMB WITH WHITE BEAN RAGOUT

2 tablespoons olive oil
2½ pounds lamb shoulder chops, well trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 large onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
3 stalks celery, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch slices
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 cup dry white wine
1 14½-ounce can chopped tomatoes
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 15-ounce cans white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Chopped fresh parsley or rosemary, for garnish

1. In a 5- to 7-quart pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon oil over
medium-high heat. In batches, add the lamb and cook, turning
occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate,
season with salt & pepper; set aside.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and return to medium
heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the
vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, and stir to
scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden
spoon. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, and bay
leaf. Return the lamb and any juices to the pot.

3. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Adjust the heat
to maintain the pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the
heat, quick-release the pressure, and remove lid. Discard bay leaf.

4. Let stand for 5 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface.
Return the pot to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Mix water and
cornstarch in a small bowl and stir into the broth and cook until
thickened. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 2
minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

5. Transfer to a deep serving bowl. Sprinkle with the feta and parsley or
rosemary, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Note: Can be prepared in advance through Step 3; transfer to a smaller
pot or storage container, if desired, and refrigerate; reheat and add
cornstarch and beans as directed in Step 4.

______________________________________________
 

lilylove

Active member
Don't give up on lamb!! It can be wonderful. It doesn't taste gamey at all if you get a young lamb and not a sheep...

Let me find my recipe for lamb shank stew. It's so good Sass!!!! :) :)

Might take a couple of days... it's in a folder (somewhere) !!

OR do it Bt's way. It sounds perfect.
 

lilylove

Active member
Here it is! I'd forgotten I'd posted it.


YUMMY!

You can use this recipe. It's one of our favorites. Just switch the loins in for the shanks.

Lamb Shank recipe
Lamb shank recipe questions
6 lamb shanks
8 garlic cloves
1 onion chopped
2 carrots chopped,
2 stalks of celery chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 bay leaves
1 piece fresh thyme
1 piece fresh rosemary
4 cups chicken stock
water to cover shanks

Salt and pepper the shanks.
Brown them in a heavy pan.
Remove and brown the celery,onions and carrots
Replace meat in pan.
Add the herbs and the garlic and rest of veggies
Add all the liquid
Cover your pan and place in 350 degree oven.
bake for one hour and then turn the meat over and cook for 90 minutes more. meat should be falling off the bones.
 

buckytom

Grill Master
here's the pics of my aforementioned garlic, lemon rind, and rosemary spiked leg o' lamb, roasted over potatoes, with a pan of roasted veggies.

before:

img1635m.jpg


img1634qy3.jpg



and the veggies:

img1641e.jpg






into they oven they went:

img1638w.jpg




after roasting:

img1645ho3.jpg


img1644gk6.jpg
 

buckytom

Grill Master
ya know, i guess i'm with miniman. i love lamb. well, no, not actual hedonistic or romantic love :mrgreen:, but they are truely tasty beasts.

for those who don't mind spending a few pesos, we love to very simply broil frenched lamb rib chops. dw prefers rib to loin chops as they're slightly less gamey, and frenching them removes even more fat/gaminess.

for me, gimme the whole lamb, from head to cute little wagging tail. (lamb's have tails, don't they? i never thought about that before...)

but, just sprinkle with s&p, and pop them under the broiler on the closest setting to the flame, for just about 2 or 3 minutes per side so that they're still medium rare inside. serve immediately, because they cool off very fast.

then save the drippings to mash into your potatoes. just don't tell dw...:thumb:
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I am a lamb fan, and ALL of the recipes and photos posted above look and sound absolutely wonderful to me!

This time of year, I love shish kebabs. Prepared much like the kebabs that Fryboy posted, but I skewer whole mushrooms and chunks of quartered onions along with the meat and peppers. I nuke the vegs just a little before skewering them with the meat. I also prepare a few skewers of cherry or grape tomatoes.

Brush full skewers with olive oil, sprinkle s and p. Grill. Remove food from skewers into large serving bowl, and serve with pita bread. YUUUMMMM!!!

Just like when I was a little girl! :)

Lee
 

GotGarlic

New member
I am a lamb fan, and ALL of the recipes and photos posted above look and sound absolutely wonderful to me!

This time of year, I love shish kebabs. Prepared much like the kebabs that Fryboy posted, but I skewer whole mushrooms and chunks of quartered onions along with the meat and peppers. I nuke the vegs just a little before skewering them with the meat. I also prepare a few skewers of cherry or grape tomatoes.

Brush full skewers with olive oil, sprinkle s and p. Grill. Remove food from skewers into large serving bowl, and serve with pita bread. YUUUMMMM!!!

Just like when I was a little girl! :)

Lee

I do this, too, but I also serve it with tzatziki sauce - gives it that cool, creamy texture that goes so nicely with crisply grilled veggies.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
Bucky - you mean you have never eaten lamb's tails - delicious. The bit I don't like is lamb's tongue.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Lot of great recipes here!!

I’m with Fryboy in my favorite way is simply with some salt, pepper, and garlic – grilled like a steak.

As Bucky mentioned in another thread, and Lily said here, it’s going to depend on the cut you get and how old the animal was. I’ve found that Australian Lamb can be more gamey than US Lamb. Check the meat you’re buying, and try US Lamb and not Australian Lamb.

Also, go for the tender cuts that aren’t going to be as gamey. One of the best are the Lamb Chops from the ribs. There are many cuts that will call themselves “chops” but they come from the shoulder, upper leg, etc. Look for a true rib chop.

If you pan grill it, cook it to desired doneness and then remove from the pan and keep warm. To the pan, add 1/2 cup chicken stock and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Reduce the liquid by half, pour into a boil, then add a dollop of butter. Once the butter melts, stir and pour over the chop if you like.

You can change the flavor of that simple sauce by using White Wine ( a sweet Moscato is nice) and adding fresh herbs like Thyme and Rosemary. You can even add some shallots while reducing.
 

buckytom

Grill Master
lol, no, and i had to google it 'cause i was unsure if you were pulling my leg, lol.

apparently you can eat them.

just how do you prepare lamb's tails? i would imagine that they're like pork ribs.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
This is from back in my childhood. I think they were boiled then roasted. They are quite fatty - bit like the parson's nose on a chicken.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Couldn’t you just use Lamb Tails like you do Ox tails? Make a good soup or stew. I’d imagine it would be great.
 

lilylove

Active member
lol...aren't lambs tails really small? Might take a lot to make that soup...but, yes it prbly be yummy!
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
lol...aren't lambs tails really small? Might take a lot to make that soup...but, yes it prbly be yummy!

That's what I was thinking....take a lot. But, where can you even find them. I find Ox tail all the time. Perhaps if you go to a Butcher he'd be more than happy to throw a few pounds your way since I doubt he does much more than throw them away.
 

buckytom

Grill Master
a person's nose???? lol.

j/k.

this reminds me of my korean buddy, who, when asked how koreans flip the bird (the hand gesture exclaiming for one to bugger off), he put the tip of his thumb sticking up through his index and middle fingers in a closed fist.

he asked me what that meant in america, and i responded, "got your nose"...lol.

he was completely befuddled. it took me all day to explain the game played with a very young child of tearing off one's nose and keeping it from them.

kinda sick, when you stop to think about it, no? but that's an aside. anywho....:whistle:

yup, i'd think you'd get a nice gelatinous soup from them, k.

i think we need some culinary fusion. southern style bbq'd lambs tails.
 
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