The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: twizzel on August 07, 2012, 11:50:03 am

Title: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: twizzel on August 07, 2012, 11:50:03 am
I've noticed that different places that offer half/whole lambs butcher their lambs slightly differently to have different cuts. So I'm wondering what you ask for when your lambs are butchered, and how much you get of each cut per half lamb? Just trying to work out how we want ours cut as they will be going off in the next month or so.


Thanks
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Foobar on August 07, 2012, 11:57:34 am
Have a look on the Eblex site, there are cutting specifications for lamb.  You can see all the possible combinations :).
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Hazelwood Flock on August 07, 2012, 12:07:29 pm
Standard butchery for a half lamb would be whole leg or halves (giving 2 leg joints), same with shoulder, chops individually cut, and the breast as a joint or minced. Some people leave the chops together as a rack of lamb, others cut straight accross the saddle of a whole lamb to create barnsley chops.
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: twizzel on August 07, 2012, 12:10:58 pm

Had a look at that eblex site very helpful although finding it a bit hard to find the cut combinations?

This is one list I found on the net whilst searching, does that sound like a good list?
1 Rear Shank1 Large Leg Joint (Bone-in)4-6 Chump Steaks4-6 ChopsFrench-trimmed rib rack (7-8 ribs)Whole Shoulder Roasting Joint (Bone-in)Neck FilletScrag End of NeckLamb Belly


Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Deere on August 07, 2012, 01:00:38 pm
Hi,
That list you have looks about right.

The neck fillet and scrag end as its called there plus any trimmings usually end up as mince.

We tend to do so many whole leg and so many half leg as a half leg is a good size portion for two, giving the option to smaller familys to gain an extra roast.

By the time you've read the eblex cutting lists and the info on here you'll be impressing your butcher! Although some cuts fall under different names when regional dialect comes into play.

Most butchers will have some cuts or boxes for other people in so you could always take a look at them so that you are both sure of what you'd like?

Enjoy your lamb when you get it back, home reared, fresh rib of lamb is soooooo nice!

Tim
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Fleecewife on August 07, 2012, 01:59:49 pm
It will depend a little bit on the breed of sheep too.
 
Hazlewood Flock - are Barnsley chops what we would call Valentine chops, where two are joined together to form a heart shape?  We get those done from our Hebs, as otherwise the chops are tiny.
 
We also usually have our shoulders rolled as they don't make a good whole roasting joint, not being very muscle-y
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: wallyward on August 07, 2012, 02:26:52 pm
Hi

do get the neck fillet rather than having it minced as its great in stews or Moroccan type dishes, its one of my favourite bits!

We get most of the lambs done as shoulders, legs, chops & mince. As we try to have enough orders in place for the lambs before they go off we ask the buyers to say if they want whole or half legs/shoulders. we dont give the offer of breast joints etcetera as if someone cant take the lamb when its ready we find it easier to get someone else to take it if its the common cuts above.

At the momment we are still trying to educate people that hogget is best, but most people are stuck on "lamb".

enjoy your lamb when its ready however you get it chopped up!
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Fleecewife on August 07, 2012, 02:28:55 pm
 :thumbsup: for hogget  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: SallyintNorth on August 07, 2012, 02:44:12 pm
do get the neck fillet rather than having it minced as its great in stews or Moroccan type dishes, its one of my favourite bits!
Totally agree.  I'm hard pushed to decide between navarin of lamb (made with neck, bone in - the meat falls off by the time it's cooked, and the flavour is awesome) and apricot-stuffed breast of lamb  :hungry:  Lots of people mince both neck and breast but they're my favourites!  :yum:
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: twizzel on August 07, 2012, 03:44:34 pm
Thanks everyone. Don't worry I'll be getting the neck fillet rather than mince, I love it as fillet one of the best cuts (and can't normally afford it... lamb is a treat at the moment!).


So judging by this diagram...
http://www.eblexretail.co.uk/assets/pos/cut-chart-posters_lamb_pic.jpg (http://www.eblexretail.co.uk/assets/pos/cut-chart-posters_lamb_pic.jpg)


I think I'll go with
Leg cut into 2 half joints
1 rear shank
Chump steaks
Loin chops
Rack of ribs
Rolled shoulder
Neck fillet
Boned Rolled breast


Does that sound about right? Have I missed any bits of the lamb out?! How many chops/steaks can I expect from half a lamb, is it 4-6 of each?


Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Fleecewife on August 07, 2012, 04:04:03 pm
Ah I see from the Eblex diagram that Barnsley chops and Valentine chops are not the same.
 
I envy you all the breast and neck bits as we don't get them on Hebs, which are quite skinny at the front end.
 
Sally, how do you make your apricot stuffing - that would do for a shoulder too  :hungry: :yum:
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: SallyintNorth on August 07, 2012, 07:57:03 pm

Sally, how do you make your apricot stuffing - that would do for a shoulder too  :hungry: :yum:
What I do is incredibly simple - it's 'breast stuffed with apricots', rather than with apricot stuffing.  I just cut up dried apricots and roll the breast around them.  The juices from the meat get soaked up by the apricots.  Sorry, gotta stop typing, I'm drooling on the keyboard.  :yum:
Title: Re: Cuts of lamb- what to ask for when butchered?
Post by: Dougal on August 07, 2012, 08:11:31 pm
Got 4 of last years lambs to go fat in the next week or so as well as a 4 crop ewe who had a bad udder at lambing and so is with out lambs!  :yum:  they have tasty written all over them. There is also a pinch of revenge for one of them caught me sweet while I was trying to shear the little &%^&$*%! I usually ask for half joints, chops, rolled shoulders, shanks and mince from the scrag and belly. I will some times ask for the ribs for bbq spare ribs and for gigot chops. The mutton I will ask for half joints for slow roast. Half shoulder rolled other half diced with the neck. Belly minced while the chops and the shanks as normal but used for slow boiling in pasta sauces and and irish stews! Happiness is a dancing lamb and a fat hogg on a hook!