Lamb

Buyer's guide

Mike Robinson shows how to choose the best cuts of lamb, from fillet to breast.

When and where to buy

Lamb in Britain is called lamb if it's marketed in the year of its birth, or if born after 30 September and marketed in the following calendar year. After this it becomes known as a hogget or an old season lamb but the meat is still called lamb.

Only when the animal has its first permanent incisor tooth (around 1-1½ years) will the meat from it become known as mutton. However the majority of mutton comes from breeding animals which have reached the end of their productive contribution to the flock. Although early lamb is very tender, the meat coming from older animals will have developed more flavour.

The choice of meat at supermarkets has improved in recent years, but usually you'll have to settle for what's on the shelf or at the meat counter (if there is one). A good butcher is likely to stock a greater variety of cuts or be able to order exactly what you want. Butchers should also be able to give advice on preparing and cooking, and tell you where, and from which breeds, their meat came from - as should producers at farmers' markets.

Also worth considering are mail-order companies, which can provide amazing choice and quality. Mutton is starting to regain some popularity but remains difficult to find, though you should be able to order it from a good butcher.

Tips on buying

Recognising high-quality lamb is as important as deciding on the right cut. When buying lamb, choose the leanest cuts with firm, creamy-white fat (although fat colour alone should not be used as a reliable indicator of quality).

Avoid cuts with excessive fat or with fat that looks crumbly, brittle and yellowish (this means it's old). The colour and flavour of the flesh will vary depending on where the sheep are raised: usually lowlands or hillside, or even salt marshes. Look for pale-pink flesh for a very young lamb, to a light or dark red for an older animal. A blue tinge in the knuckle bones also indicates that the animal is young. Large cuts are often covered in a white papery sort of membrane that should be removed before cooking.

Mutton is greatly underrated in this country. The cuts are similar to lamb, but tend to be larger, darker in colour with a richer flavour (almost 'gamey'). Choose mutton of a rich brown colour; avoid any grey meat with yellowy fat. Mutton lacks the mildness and tenderness of lamb and tends to have more fat.

For information on Quality Standard Marks for British lamb go to the Meat Matters website.

Breeds and regions

Lamb is produced all over Britain and excellent quality lamb can be produced from a wide range of breed types and geographical locations. Much 'chilled' New Zealand lamb is also found in supermarkets.

Lamb from rare British sheep breeds, of which there are 26, can be a special treat. The recent developments in encouraging people to eat meat from rare breeds has done enormous good for their conservation - by creating a vibrant market for them, more farmers keep more of them and they gradually cease being rare.

The small 'primitive' breeds generally do not become ready as lamb until their second year. The meat is dark, closely textured and lean and tastes like a cross between lamb and venison. Cook it slowly in a slightly cooler oven than the recipe states or marinate it first.

All the breeds have slightly different eating qualities and you can try different breeds at different times of the year.

Rare breeds are farmed non-intensively and you can buy named, pure-bred, rare breeds from speciality butchers, over the internet using specialist meat mail-order companies and from farmers' markets. Rare breed meat costs a little more than commercial lamb, but many chefs and gourmets agree that the difference will be noticeable in the extra flavour which is worth paying extra for.

Rare breeds include: Boreray, Castlemilk Moorit, Hebridean, Manx Loghtan, North Ronaldsay, Soay, Balwen Welsh Mountain, Cotswold, Devon and Cornwall Longwool, Dorset Down, Dorset Horn, Greyface Dartmoor, Hill Radnor, Leicester Longwool, Lincoln Longwool, Llanwenog, Norfolk Horn, Oxford Down, Portland, Ryeland, Shropshire, Southdown, Teeswater, Wensleydale, Whitefaced Woodland, Whiteface Dartmoor.

For more information on the rare breeds and butchers who stock their meat go to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust website.

Storing and freezing

Ensure that the fridge maintains a temperature below 4 degrees C (inexpensive thermometers can be bought for this purpose). Always store meat in the coldest part of the fridge (on the bottom shelf ). If the meat is in a cling-filmed tray, leave it in the packaging until ready for use. If not, put the meat on a plate, loosely wrap in greaseproof paper or foil, and store in the fridge away from cooked meats and other ready-to-eat foods.

Lamb will keep for about three to five days in the fridge. Mince, offal and small cuts of lamb are best eaten on the day you buy them or within one to two days. Joints, chops and steaks will keep for two to three days and large roasting joints up to five days. Leaner cuts last longer than fatty cuts because fat goes rancid before meat. Never let the meat or its juices come into contact with other foods in the fridge, particularly food that doesn't require further cooking.

Quickly freezing lamb reduces the chance of damage to the texture or succulence of the meat. Smaller pieces and large joints can be frozen. For ease of use, freeze cuts tightly wrapped in individual portions. Don't freeze lamb for more than six months. When ready to use, defrost, loosely wrapped, in the fridge allowing five hours per 450g/1lb.

Roasting lamb

Leg of lamb is the favourite cut of lamb to roast as it's very tender and has enough fat to keep the meat from drying out when cooking. Most cuts, except scrag or neck, are suitable for roasting.

Roast leg of lamb is a favourite for Sunday lunch. Alternatively, ask your butcher to butterfly a leg of lamb or do it yourself. This can then be marinated or stuffed with various flavourings; try Paul Merrett's Butterflied leg of lamb marinated with sherry and honey.

Rack of lamb is also a popular roast as is shoulder - a slightly less expensive option than leg. Roast shoulder on or off the bone, or rolled and stuffed.

To be sure your meat is cooked you can use a meat thermometer. There are two varieties available - one you insert in the thickest part of the raw joint and cook until the desired internal temperature is reached. The other is inserted into the cooked joint after roasting.

Recommended temperatures for lamb are: Medium 70-75C; well done 75-80C.

Slow cooking lamb

Pot roasting and braising - lamb shanks or knuckles are full of flavour. They're best gently cooked until the meat almost falls from the bone. Any cut of lamb can be braised or pot-roasted, and this method also works well for mutton. A whole shoulder, boned and rolled, is perfect for braising or as a pot roast. Lamb neck pieces also respond well to slow, moist cooking and are a popular choice for making a British favourite, Lancashire hotpot. They're slightly less meaty than other cuts, but have a great flavour. Stewed and braised lamb should be cooked gently in wine, stock, tomato juice or similar liquid until the meat is tender.

Stewing or casseroling - lamb stewing meat sold in supermarkets generally comes from the shoulder, neck, breast, or shank. For a leaner cut you can also buy diced leg. Meat from the shoulder and neck has the best flavour and is traditionally used in Irish stew. There are various versions of this dish; some cooks brown the meat first, some add carrots, others cook the meat on the bone. The French have some delicious lighter lamb stews such as Navarin of lamb. Slow-cooked lamb curry or tagine is also a great way to cook stewing lamb.

Other methods of cooking

Because lamb is such a tender meat, most cuts lend themselves well to the main cooking methods. Marinating lamb works wonders, helping enhance its flavour and making it meltingly tender. Lamb is popular in many cuisines - used in rich spicy stews, kebabs and rice dishes in French, Spanish, Greek and Middle Eastern cookery. Mutton frequently appears in Indian recipes.

Chops of all kinds are suitable for grilling, barbecuing and pan-frying. Leg or shoulder steaks are excellent cooked whole. For kebabs and stir-fries use diced leg or neck fillet.

Other lamb dishes might involve a combination of cooking methods - such as shepherd's pie (traditionally made with minced lamb) where the meat is fried first and then put into a casserole dish with a potato topping and oven-baked. Minced lamb is the traditional meat used in moussaka and can be shaped into Koftas (delicious fragrant kebabs flavoured with spices and fresh herbs). It makes a great stuffing for vegetables. Minced lamb can also be used to make juicy burgers - as in Spicy lamb and carrot burgers - but remember that lamb has more fat than beef or pork, so fry off as much as possible.

Accompaniments

Mint and rosemary spring to mind immediately, but lamb sits well with many different ingredients including French mustard, tarragon, tomatoes, olive oil, aubergine, yoghurt, couscous, apricots, coriander and cumin. Although lamb doesn't often feature in oriental cookery, it's delicious with soy sauce, ginger or honey. Because of its seasonality and its mild flavour, new season lamb goes well with spring vegetables.

Recipes

Butterflied leg of lamb with sherry and honey by Paul Merrett (video recipe)

Orange braised lamb shanks by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Irish stew by Richard Corrigan

Lamb, shallot and date tagine by Paul Merrett

Dry lamb encrusted with spices by Madhur Jaffrey

Shepherd's pie by Antony Worrall Thomspon

Moussaka by Rick Stein

Lamb koftas with a cucumber and mint yoghurt by Mike Robinson

Spicy lamb burgers with coriander, tomato and yoghurt relish by Jo Pratt