Lamb and mutton
229275
225812472
2008-07-15T14:57:29Z
BOT-Superzerocool
338065
robot Adding: [[es:Carne de cordero]]
{{onesource|date=July 2008}}
{{Redirect6|Mutton|goat meat used interchangeably with mutton|Goat meat}}
[[Image:TernascoAragonDO-Pierna.JPG|thumb|250px|Leg and rack of lamb]]
'''Lamb''', '''hogget''', and '''mutton''' are the meat of [[domestic sheep]]. The meat of an animal in its first year is ''lamb''; that of an older sheep is ''hogget'' and later ''mutton''.
The meat of a lamb is taken from the animal between one month and one year old, with a carcass weight of between 5.5 and 30 kilograms (12 and 65 lbs). This meat generally is more tender than that from older sheep and appears more often on tables in some [[Western countries]]. Hogget and mutton have a stronger flavour than lamb because they contain a higher concentration of species-characteristic fatty acids and are preferred by some.[http://www.muttonrenaissance.org.uk/whatIsMutton.php] Mutton and hogget also tend to be tougher than lamb (because of connective tissue maturation) and are therefore better suited to [[casserole]]-style cooking.
Meat from sheep features prominently in cuisines of the [[Mediterranean cuisine|Mediterranean]], [[Cuisine of Iceland|North Atlantic islands]], [[Australian Cuisine|Australia]], [[Cuisine of Africa#North Africa|North Africa]], the [[Middle Eastern cuisine|Middle East]], [[South Asian cuisine|South Asia]], and certain parts of [[Chinese cuisine|China]] because other red meats are eschewed for religious or economic reasons. Barbecued mutton is also a speciality in some areas of the [[United States of America|United States]] & [[Canada]].
==Nomenclature==
[[Image:Lamb shank.jpg|thumb|Lamb shanks]]
'''Milk-fed lamb''' is meat from an unweaned lamb, typically 4 to 6 weeks old and weighing 5.5 to 8 [[kilogram|kg]]; this is almost unavailable in countries such as the [[USA]] and the [[United Kingdom|UK]], where it is considered uneconomic. The flavour and texture of milk-fed lamb when grilled (such as the tiny lamb [[meat chop|chop]]s known as ''[[Cuisine of Spain|chuletillas]]'' in [[Spain]]) or roasted (''[[Cuisine of Spain|lechazo asado]]'' or ''[[Cuisine of Spain|cordero lechal asado]]'') is generally thought to be finer than that of older lamb. The areas in northern Spain where this can be found include [[Asturias]], [[Cantabria]], [[Castile and León]], and [[La Rioja (autonomous community)|La Rioja]]. <!-- In the [[United Kingdom|UK]], '''lamb''' generally implies older animals, slaughtered between 3 and 9 months. --> A lamb is usally a female, not a male.
The term '''sucker lambs''', used in some parts, <!--where?--> includes young milk-fed lambs as well as slightly older lambs up to about 7 months of age which are also still dependent on their mothers for milk. Carcasses from these lambs usually weigh between 14 and 30kg. Older weaned lambs which have not yet matured to become mutton are known as '''old-season lambs'''.
In many [[Eastern world|eastern countries]] including [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Malaysia]] and [[Singapore]] the term ''mutton'' refers to [[goat]]'s meat (which is also called ''chevon'') and usually not to [[sheep]]'s meat. Often, the so-called mutton [[curries]] of the Indian cuisine use goat meat when cooked at home, although in Indian restaurants sheep meat is often used.
According to Jewish [[Kosher]] law, sheep may be eaten, but, as with cows, they must be killed while conscious, and the [[sciatic nerve]] as well as certain types of fat on the back half of the animal may not be eaten. Similar rules apply for the [[Islam|Islamic]] dietary code, known as [[Halal]].
==Butchery and cookery==
[[Image:Lambp.jpg|thumb|left|Lamb chops]]
Lamb is often sorted into three kinds of meat: [[forequarter]], [[loin]], and [[hindquarter]]. The forequarter includes the neck, shoulder, front legs, and the ribs up to the shoulder blade. The hindquarter includes the rear legs and hip. The loin includes the ribs between the two.
[[meat chop|Lamb chops]] are cut from the rib, loin, and shoulder areas. The rib chops include a rib bone; the loin chops include only a [[chine]] bone. Shoulder chops are usually considered inferior to loin chops; both kinds of chop are usually [[grilling|grilled]]. Breast of lamb (baby chops) can be cooked in an oven.
Leg of lamb is a whole leg; [[saddle]] of lamb is the two loins with the hip. Leg and saddle are usually [[roasting|roasted]], though the leg is sometimes [[boiling|boiled]]. Roasted leg and saddle may be served anywhere from rare to well-done. <!-- not sure this last sentence adds anything .. true for all meats -->
Forequarter meat of sheep, as of other mammals, includes more connective tissue than some other cuts, and if not from a young lamb is best cooked slowly using either a moist method such as [[braising]] or [[stewing]] or by slow [[roasting]] or [[barbecue|American barbecuing]]. It is, in some countries, sold pre-chopped or diced.
===Cuts of lamb===
====American====
(please expand)
====British====
[[Image:British Lamb Cuts.svg|right|thumb|350px|British Cuts of Lamb]]
Approximate zones of the usual [[United Kingdom|British]] cuts of lamb<ref name="LarousseGastronomique2001">''[[Larousse Gastronomique]]''(2001), ISBN:0-600-60235-4</ref>:
* [[Scrag end]] (of neck)
* Middle neck
* [[Best end]] (of neck)
* [[Loin]]
* Chump (and chump chops)
* Leg
* Shoulder
* Breast
==Classifications==
Because of dramatically differing economic values of each type of animal (lamb being the most expensive), classification systems have developed to ensure consumers receive the product they have purchased. The strict definitions for lamb, hogget and mutton vary considerably between countries. In [[New Zealand]] for example, they are defined as follows:
*'''Lamb''' — ''a young sheep under 12 months of age which does not have any permanent incisor teeth in wear''
*'''Hogget''' — ''a young male sheep or maiden ewe having no more than two permanent incisors in wear''
*'''Mutton''' — ''a female (ewe) or castrated male (wether) sheep having more than two permanent incisors in wear.''
In [[Australia]] the definitions are extended to include ewes and rams, as well as being stricter on the definition for lamb which is:
*'''Lamb''' — ''0 permanent incisors; female or castrate entire male ovine 0-12 months'' (note that the Australian definition requires 0 permanent incisors, whereas the New Zealand definition allows 0 incisors 'in wear'.)
Other definitions include:
*'''Lamb''' — a young sheep that is less than one year old
*'''Baby lamb''' — a milk-fed lamb between six and eight weeks old
*'''Spring lamb''' — a milk-fed lamb, usually three to five months old, born in late winter or early spring and sold usually before July 1st
*'''Yearling lamb''' — a young sheep between 12 and 24 months old.
The younger the lamb is, the smaller the lamb will be, however, the meat will be more tender.
Sheep mutton is meat from a sheep over two years old, and has a less tender flesh. In general, the darker the colour, the older the animal. Baby lamb meat will be pale pink, while regular lamb is pinkish-red.
==See also==
{{fixhtml|beg}}
{{Commonscat|Mutton}}
{{Commonscat|Lamb dishes}}
{{Cookbook|Lamb}}
{{fixhtml|end}}
* [[Lamb (disambiguation)]]
* [[Muttonbird]]
* [[Mutton Renaissance Campaign]]
* [[Smalahove]]
* [http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-1538:1 ''Boning lamb cuts''] hosted by the [http://digital.library.unt.edu/browse/department/govdocs/ UNT Government Documents Department]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.scrapsofwisdom.com/Recipes/_Lamb.htm Lamb and Mutton Recipes]
* [http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/entry?id=3221 Food Dictionary]
{{sheep navbox}}
[[Category:Meat]]
[[Category:Sheep]]
[[cs:Jehněčí maso]]
[[de:Lammfleisch]]
[[es:Carne de cordero]]
[[eo:Ŝafidaĵo]]
[[fr:Viande d'agneau]]
[[ja:羊肉]]
[[no:Lammedeig]]
[[pl:Baranina]]
[[ru:Баранина]]