1 How to Buy m LAMB 1 < 21 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE How to Buy LAMB By Sandra Brookover, Consumer Meat Specialist; Livestock Division, Consumer and Marketing Service. Versatility never had it so good! Today's lamb means zesty flavors and sen possibilities that challenge the imagination. Sri kabobs impaled over the barbecue, sizzling la chops, roasted leg of lamb, bubbling lamb stew lamb is today's word for good eating! Because lamb is from animals usually less than one year old, it is a tender and delicately flavored meat. This tenderness rates lamb a high degree of kitchen "workability" (most cuts may be cooked by the dry-heat method and are best when served hot). Nutrition, too, has its role in lamb's popularity. One serving of lamb will provide the average adult with significant quantities of vitamin B-l, vitamin B-2, iron and niacin. The large variety of lamb cuts available today opens up a world of tempting and attractive serv- ing suggestions. It is the purpose of "How to Buy Lamb" to guide you in selecting these cuts ac- cording to quality grade and your serving needs. Then proper preparation, which is also discussed, will be your personal tribute to lamb's natural delicacy and flavorful tenderness. ^P ABOUT LAMB QUALITY Today's lamb is a quality product for the ity-conscious. It does vary to some extent i generally high quality level, but you don't have learn to judge that quality for yourself. USDA grades are a reliable guide to lamb quality — its tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. The grades are based on nationally uniform Federal standards of quality and are applied by USDA graders. There- fore, you can be sure that USDA Choice lamb chops, for example, will provide the same good eating no matter where or when you buy them. In addition to lamb, USDA also has grades for yearling mutton (meat from animals one to two years old) and mutton (over two years). Graded yearling mutton and mutton are seldom found, however, in retail stores. ABOUT LAMB YIELD USDA also grades lamb for yield. The yield grades measure the ratio of lean meat to fat and bone. They are based on a rating system of five— vJfcYield Grade 1 representing the highest yield ^^pan meat, and Yield Grade 5 the lowest. ^^^ariations in the yield result primarily from ^ne differences in fatness on the outside of the carcass and in fat deposited on the inside of the carcass. If you buy a carcass or wholesale cuts of lamb for your freezer, you should be aware that there are considerable differences in the meat yield between carcasses in the same quality ■ grade, and take this into consideration in arriv- ing at the carcass price you should pay. The pic- tures below, of two lamb rib chops, illustrate an extreme variation in the proportion of lean which results from differences in the amount of fat cov- ering. Based on retail prices of lamb in early 1971, there was a value difference between car- casses of adjacent yield grades of nearly 4 cents per pound. USDA HOW LAMB ( CHOICE IS GRADED Meat grading is a voluntary service provided by USDA's Consumer and Marketing Service to meat packers and others who request it and pay for it. Approximately two-thirds of all lamb pro- duced is graded for quality. The grading is done by highly trained USDA graders. Only whole carcasses or wholesale cuts graded for quality since quality differences difficult or next-to-impossible to recognize tail cuts. When the carcass is graded, a purpl shield-sliaped grademark containing the letters USDA and the grade name — such as Prime or Choice — is applied with a roller-stamp. The grade shield is rolled in a ribbon-like imprint along the length of the carcass and across both shoulders. Then when the carcass is divided into retail cuts, one or more of the grademarks should appear on most of these cuts. Only lamb which has first passed a strict in- spection for wholesomeness may be graded for quality. So you may be sure when you see the grademark that the meat also came from a healthy animal and was processed in a sanitary plant. % Durpl^ INSPECTION FOR WHOLESOMENESS All meat must be inspected for whole; ness, by either State or Federal inspectors, processed in plants selling their products acfl State lines must be federally inspected to see that it is clean, wholesome, unadulterated, and truthfully labeled. However, meat processed in plants which sell their products only within the same State may be State inspected in any State having an inspection system equal to the Federal. Otherwise, such meat must be federally in- spected. Federal inspection is another service provided by USDA's Consumer and Marketing Service. Meat which passes the USDA inspection for wholesomeness is stamped with a round mark which bears the legend "U.S. INSP'D. & P'S'D." This mark is placed only once on wholesale cuts, so that you are likely to see it only on large cuts of meat. Packaged meat foods, however, such as frozen dinners and canned meats, that are sold in interstate commerce, carry the USDA inspec- g^r\ mark on the label. ^^R_earn to recognize both the inspection mark — Bcircle — and the grademark — a shield. Remem- ^P>er they mean different things. The inspection mark tells you that the meat is clean and whole- some. The grademark tells you the quality of the meat. LOOK FOR THE GRADE Each USDA lamb grade is a measure of a distinct level of quality. Five grades span the range of quality — Prime, Choice, Good, Utility, and Cull. The two lower grades are seldom, if ever, sold as retail cuts. MjSDA Prime is the ^Khest quality grade, but ^^e grade most widely sold at retail is USDA Choice. Choice lamb is produced in the greatest volume and retailers have found that this quality pleases most of their customers. USDA PRIME USDiA CHOICE USDA UTILITY Pictured below are lamb rib chops in the two top grades, together with a description of the quality that can be expected in each of these grades. USDA PRIME Prime grade lamb is very tender, juicy, and flavorful. It has generous marbling — flecks of fat within the lean — which enhances both flavor and juiciness. Prime chops and roasts are excellent for dry-heat cooking — broiling and roasting. Prime grade lamb is not carried widely at the retail level. USDA CHOICE Choice grade lamb has slightly less marbling than Prime, but still is of very high quality. Like Prime, Choice chops and roasts are very tender, juicy and flavorful and are suited to dry-heat cooking. LOOK FOR THE CUT Regardless of their quality grade, some cuts of lamb are naturally more tender than others. Cuts from the less-used muscles along the back of the animal — the rib and loin sections — will always be more tender than those from the active mus- cles such as the shoulder, flank, and leg. The most tender cuts make up only a small proportion of the lamb carcass — and they are in greatest demand. Therefore, they command a slightly higher price than other cuts. ^•Consistently tender lamb cuts include the sir- ^K\ chop or steak, the loin chop, loin roast, rib ^Rop, and rib roast. You will find that most cuts ^Rf USDA Prime and Choice lamb — including shoulder cuts — are tender and can be oven roasted, broiled, or pan-broiled. A leg of lamb graded Choice or Prime, for example, is a deli- cate delight when oven roasted. The less tender cuts — the breast, riblets, neck, and shanks — can be braised slowly to make ex- cellent (and tender!) lamb dishes. The best way to identify lamb cuts is with the standard terminology shown on the following pages. These terms are generally recognized throughout the meat industry. Illustrated on the following pages are the most widely sold and widely known retail cuts of lamb, along with descriptions of the cuts and suggested cooking methods. LAMB Sirloin Half of Leg Shank Half of Leg Leg, Sirloin on Leg Chop (Steak) Leg, Sirloin off LEG Sirloin Roast Sirloin Chop SIRLOIN Loin Roast Loin Chops / LOIN Rib Roast 44 Rib Chops HOTEL RACK / Square Shoulder Arm Chop Blade Chop Neck Slices y CHUCK 8 CHART Hind Shank HIND SHANK Lamb for Stew* Ground Lamb* LAMB FOR STEW. GRINDING OR CUBING MAY COME FROM ANY WHOLESALE CUT FLANK Breast BREAST Fore Shank FORE SHANK RETAIL LAMB CUTS RIB CHOPS Cut from the rib (rack), these tender chops (on the left in photo) are delicious broiled, pan-broiled, or panfried. For best results, have rib chops cut at least 1 inch in thickness. Ap- proximate cooking time for 1 inch — 12 minutes; IV2 inches — 18 minutes; and 2 inches — 22 min- utes. LOIN CHOPS One of the most popular of lamb cuts, loin chops (on the right in photo), can be easily identified by the T-bone. These chops are delicious when broiled, pan-broiled or panfried. Cooking time is the same as for rib chops. SIRLOIN STEAKS or CHOPS Cut from the sir- loin section of the lamb leg, these chops can also be broiled, pan-broiled, or panfried. Follow cooking suggestions given for rib and loin chops. 10 LEG OF LAMB Since the leg of lamb is often too big to fully use, sirloin chops can be cut from the sirloin sec- tion of the roast, and the remaining portion pre- pared as an oven roast. The French-style leg has a small amount of meat trimmed from the end of the shank, and the exposed bone can be decorated after roasting. The American-style leg differs from the French- style in that the shank bone has been removed and the shank meat folded back into a pocket on the inside and fastened with skewers. 11 The sirloin half/ leg of lamb (butt half) is the upper half of the leg — usually with the sirloin on. This cut makes a delicious oven roast. The shank or lower half of the leg (see identifi- cation chart) is often merchandised separately. It is sometimes sold at a slightly higher price than the butt half because it yields more meat. Whenever the shank and butt are sold at the same price, the shank half of the leg is the better value. For any leg roast weighing 5-8 pounds, allow approximately 35 minutes per pound in a 325° F. oven. The meat thermometer reading will be 175- 180° when the roast is done. RIB ROAST This cut is the section used for making rib chops. In wholesale terms, the rib roast cut is called the "rack." You can fashion the rack into a "French roast" by removing about IV2 inches of meat from the 12 (pu ■oa ends of the ribs. Then after roasting, cover rib ends with paper frills for a decorative touch. The elegant "crown roast" is made with at least two rib roasts (racks), with the back bone re- moved, shaped into a crown and secured with twine. Ends of the ribs are trimmed so that they can be decorated like the French roast. Any of these roasts, which are all fashioned from the same basic cut, are perfect for oven roasting. A rib or crown roast weighing 4-6 pounds (put in a 325° F. oven) will require approximately minutes per pound cooking time. Your meat rmometer will read 175 to 180° when the oast is done. LEG STEAK Leg steaks are lean meaty slices cut from the center area of the leg, and are easily identified by the round leg bone. This cut is suit- able for broiling, pan-broiling, or panfrying. SHANKS Economical and best prepared by sim- mering in liquid or braising, lamb shanks are also nutritious! Shank sections are delicious, too, in lamb stew. If prepared by braising, shanks will require approximately IV2 to 2 hours total cook- ing time. 13 SHOULDER ROAST (Square-Cut and Boned ai Rolled) The square-cut shoulder roast (on right ii photo), identified easily by the arm and blade bones, is considered an economical cut of lamb. The boned shoulder roast (on the left) is con- venient to serve, and is commonly sold at retail as illustrated here — boned, rolled and tied. A boneless shoulder can also be fashioned into a cushion shoulder roast for stuffing. Both shoulder roasts are suitable for oven roasting (preferably at a low temperature of 325° F., at 35-45 minutes per pound) OR suitable for braising (slowly browned and cooked with a small amount of liquid added). Cook to an internal tem- perature of 175-180°, as indicated by your meat thermometer. BLADE or ARM SHOULDER CHOPS These cuts (from the shoulder roast) are fine for broiling, pan-broiling or panfrying. Preferably, for best re- sults in cooking, they should be at least 1 inch thick. To broil a 1-inch chop requires a total cook- ing time of approximately 12 minutes. 14 iREAST The breast contains the rib bones and breast bone and is considered an economical buy. Often this cut is boned and rolled or boned for stuffing. A nice variation is to include fruit or vegetables in the stuffing. A less tender cut, the breast should be prepared by braising or simmer- ing in liquid. When braising at a moderate oven temperature of 325° F., a boned and rolled breast roast requires IV2 to 2 hours total cooking time. RIBLETS These economy lamb cuts are made from the breast by cutting between the rib bones. They are best prepared by braising (requiring an approximate total cooking time of IV2 to 2 hours) or simmering in liquid. They are also delicious when cooked over charcoal on the outdoor grill. 15 *SHISH KEBABS Shish kebabs are cubes of boneless lamb usually cut from the shoulder or leg and skewered. They may be found pre- threaded on wooden skewers in some retail stores or the lamb cubes may be sold in bulk. A favorite way to prepare lamb shish kebabs is to marinate the cubes for a period of several hours, then put them on long skewers to charcoal broil or oven broil. "GROUND LAMB Boneless lamb from the neck, breast, shanks and flank is generally used in m, ing ground lamb. However, any part can be b and ground. The ground lamb is best prepared patties for broiling, pan-broiling, or panfrying OR — as a lamb loaf for oven roasting. * Not illustrated. \ A FEW VARIATIONS Although the above terms are quite standard, the names given lamb cuts do vary among stores and restaurants in different parts of the country. It would be impossible to list all of the variations here, but some terms are known in the trade. These include: the English chop, a double loin lamb chop; lamb cutlets, meat from the lamb leg cut similar to round steak in beef; crown roast of lamb, the "sovereign" of the lamb kingdom, a formal-looking cut from the rack or rib area; rack of lamb, usually a restaurant menu item for two, from the rib; and Saratoga chops, boneless lamb chops from the inside shoulder muscles. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 3 1262 08582 9785 \ CONSUMER AND MARKETING SERVICE HOME AND GARDEN BULLETIN NO. 195 AUGUST 1971 GPO : 1971 O - 437-951 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 15 cents Stock Number 0100-1457