Lamb is a favorite meat for grilling around much of the world, but not so much in the U.S. Lamb has had a tough road, here. The history of lamb in the U.S. dates back to the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom kept flocks of sheep. In the 19th century, immigrants from Greece, Spain and elsewhere brought their sheep farming traditions with them to the western U.S. During the industry’s height in the 1940’s and 50’s, some 55 million sheep grazed on U.S. grasses. Most of them were raised not for their meat, but for their wool. As synthetic fabrics took over, those numbers dropped, and by 2012 only 5.3 million sheep remained, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We lost a lot of producers,” says Angelo Theos, a third-generation Colorado sheep rancher whose grandfather came from Greece. Add to that a perception of lamb as strong-flavored and gamy, which dates back to World War II, when soldiers were fed government-issued canned mutton (adult sheep). Competition from Australia and New Zealand, which account for 50 percent of lamb consumption in the U.S., has also taken its toll.

“Americans eat less than a pound of lamb per person per year, compared with 54 pounds of beef”, says Megan Wortman, executive director of the American Lamb Board. Forty percent have never even tried it. “This disconnect exists”, Wortman says, “despite the fact that many of us have roots in parts of the world in which lamb is a staple—Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latin America, the Middle East and Spain, to name a few. The thought of Easter dinner without lamb is, for many, as inconceivable as Thanksgiving without turkey.” “Even so,” Wortman says, “many consumers are put off by lamb’s price (it is generally more expensive than beef, pork or chicken) and are intimidated by the thought of cooking it. They aren’t familiar with everyday, less-expensive cuts such as shank or sausages or shoulder chops. It’s just not on their radar.” The board also has started a “shepherd-to-chefs” campaign that connects local lamb producers with high-profile chefs in an effort to tap the growing awareness for local and sustainable food. In spite of the challenges, many ranchers and farmers remain optimistic. The number of small producers is actually on the rise, with many now keeping “farm flocks” of a few dozen to a few hundred sheep. In eastern states such as Tennessee, some farmers have replaced tobacco with sheep. And demand from chefs and new immigrants from lamb-centric cultures is changing the face of the business. Source: American lamb Board.

See Related articles below for sources of grass-fed lamb.

The rich, full flavor of lamb benefits from smoke and fire more so than other meats. Grilling mellows and softens the flavor of lamb, so that even folks who think they don’t like it become converts. The first step in cooking lamb is to select the right cut. This requires careful examination of the label and possibly a short conversation with the butcher. Loin, rib or sirloin cuts are tender and are perfect for grilling. Shoulder or leg cuts need a marinade to make them tender. The meat you choose should have light red, finely textured meat with smooth, white fat. Dark red cuts of lamb are usually older and less tender. Marbling is not as important with lamb as it is with beef, but the fat on the lamb should be evenly distributed. Also, lamb chops should be an inch thick for best grilling. The second thing you need to do is select your flavors. Lamb is excellent seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, fennel, lemon and mustard. Any rub, marinade or sauce made with these ingredients will enhance the flavor of your lamb cuts. Begin with a thin coating of olive oil and then a light sprinkling of seasonings, but you don’t need to go overboard. You don’t want to cover the flavor of the meat; you only want to add to it.

Lamb chops should be grilled on a covered grill over a medium-high heat. Ideally, you should grill them to medium rare or medium. Keep a close eye on them and remove the meat from the grill when you reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. And as always, let the meat rest for a few minutes before you serve it; five minutes is usually good. 

For safety, the USDA recommends cooking ground lamb mixtures like burgers and meatloaf to a minimum internal temperature of 160 °F. However, whole muscle meats such as roasts, steaks and chops are safe to eat at 145 °F (medium rare) or cooked further to 160 °F (medium), if you prefer. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy. Lamb is now leaner than ever. While this is certainly good news for health, leaner meat requires special attention to the cooking time and temperature to prevent overcooking and toughness.

The basic major cuts (primal) of lamb are shoulder, rack, shank, breast, loin and leg. Ideally, packages of lamb should be labeled with the primal cut as well as the retail name of the product, such as “shoulder roast” or “loin chop.” Primal cuts explain which part of the animal a piece of meat originally came from, which can be helpful when deciding how to prepare the meat. For example, a tough cut like the shank should be braised for more than an hour, while tender cuts like rib chops (from the rack) or loin chops can be quickly grilled or broiled. For groups of 6 or fewer, consider individual rib chops or smaller loin roasts. And for everyday meals, there are a wide variety of delicious, reasonably priced cuts such as the blade and arm chops (from the shoulder) or sirloin chops (from the leg).

Lamb Loin Chops

Lamb loin chops grill to perfection over direct heat in a matter of minutes. Just be sure to trim excess fat before grilling to avoid flare-ups.

To grill lamb loin chops:                   

Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

Brush lamb chops with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and any herbs of your choosing.

Place chops on preheated oiled grill grates.

Grill lamb chops, covered, over medium heat about 8-9 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into chops registers 145 degrees F for medium-rare to 160 degrees F for medium, turning once. Don’t overcook the lamb chops or they will dry out.

 

Lamb Kabobs

Lamb kabobs are one of the most popular methods of preparing lamb worldwide. Lamb kabobs are made from well-trimmed boneless leg of lamb. For an even easier method, you can buy lamb precut for kabobs.

To grill lamb kabobs:

Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

Cut lamb into 1-1/4-inch pieces with large chef’s knife.

lf using bamboo skewers, soak in cold water 10 to 15 minutes first to prevent burning.

Alternately thread lamb and other ingredients onto skewers.

Place kabobs on preheated oiled grill grates.

Grill kabobs, covered, over medium-hot heat 5-6 minutes.

Turn; continue to grill, covered, 5 to 7 minutes for medium or until desired doneness is reached.

Lamb Burgers

Like other ground meat, ground lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F for food safety reasons.

To grill lamb burgers:

Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

Shape seasoned ground lamb into patties, about 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.

Shape patties on a cutting board or cookie sheet so you can easily carry them right to the grill.

Brush one side of the patties with oil; place on preheated grill, oil side down. Brush other sides with oil.

Grill burgers, covered, over medium-hot heat 8 to 10 minutes for medium or until desired doneness is reached, turning halfway through grilling time.

 

Leg of Lamb

Grilling a butterflied, boneless leg of lamb is quite simple. A whole bone-in leg of lamb is delicious, grilled, too, but it takes longer because it must be cooked over indirect heat. Leg of lamb is often sold in two pieces — the sirloin or center-cut portion and the shank portion (the part with the bone sticking out).

To grill leg of lamb:

Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

Season butterflied boneless leg of lamb on both sides.

Insert meat thermometer into center of thickest part of lamb.

Place lamb on preheated oiled grill grates.

Grill lamb, covered, over medium heat 35 to 40 minutes or until thermometer registers 145-160 degrees F or until desired doneness is reached, turning every 10 minutes.

Transfer lamb to carving board; tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. Slice leg of lamb thinly across the grain.

Lamb Sausage

Place thawed sausage over a medium to low fire and cook slowly for 20 or 30 minutes, turning as needed. The internal temperature should reach 160 ºF (insert the thermometer into the link from the end to get an accurate reading). Slowly cooking the meat insures that the inside is cooked without burning the outside.

All Purpose Marinade For Lamb

This is enough marinade for 1 1/2 lbs. of lamb.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Stir together honey, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper and transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Add lamb, then seal bag, pressing out excess air and turning to distribute marinade.

Marinate lamb in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, 1 hour. Bring lamb to room temperature before cooking. 

Be sure to brush the meat with olive oil before grilling. You can also add your favorite minced herbs to the meat before grilling.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Roasted Summer Squash

6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)
• 3 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)
• 6 (5-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
• Olive oil

Directions:

To make parsley sauce:

Place garlic, parsley, 2 tablespoons olive oil, shallots, oregano, sherry vinegar, lemon juice and red pepper in a food processor; process 1 minute or until almost smooth. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; pulse 2 times. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450° F. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Combine squash, zucchini and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl; toss well. Arrange squash and zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Bake for 16 minutes or until tender, turning after 8 minutes. Alternately, you can wrap the squash in heavy duty foil and roast on the grill with the meat.

Lightly brush lamb with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place lamb on grill rack coated with oil; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Place grilled lamb and squash on a serving plate and top with the parsley sauce.

Grilled Lamb Brochettes with Lemon Marinade

This lamb is best if you can marinate it overnight. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 20 to 30 minutes before threading with lamb.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Grated peel from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds boned leg of lamb, fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Lemon wedges

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix olive oil, lemon peel, lemon juice, 1/4 cup dill, garlic, salt and pepper. Add lamb and mix to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill overnight.

Thread cubes of lamb onto 7 or 8 skewers.

Lay skewers over a solid bed of medium-hot coals or medium-high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 3 to 4 seconds); close lid on the gas grill. Cook, turning skewers as needed, until lamb is browned on all sides but still pink in the center (medium-rare), 5 to 6 minutes, or just barely pink in the center (medium), 6 to 7 minutes.

Transfer skewers to a platter. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon chopped dill and serve with lemon wedges for a final squeeze of juice. Brochettes are delicious with an Arugula Salad topped with Parmesan cheese strips.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Grape Sauce

Grilled eggplant slices are are a great side dish for this recipe. They won’t take any longer to cook than the lamb chops.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 frenched lamb chops (ones with meat trimmed from bones; 1 1/2 lbs.)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 of a spicy green chile, roughly chopped
• 3 tomatoes (12 oz.), quartered
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups seedless red grapes, divided
• Eggplant Slices, about ¼ inch thick
• Olive oil

Directions:

Heat a grill to high (450° to 550°). Rub lamb with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Set aside.

Pulse chile, tomatoes, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and half the grapes in a food processor until smooth. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling. Add remaining grapes; cook 2 minutes. Set aside.

If grilling eggplant. brush slices with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and grill on one side of the grill, while you cook the lamb chops on the other side.

Grill chops, turning once, 5 minutes total for medium-rare. Plate lamb and eggplant and pour sauce over both. Serve with rice, if desired.

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Feta Sauce

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

One 5 1/2- to 6-pound butterflied leg of lamb

Yogurt Sauce:

• 3 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 handful fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, ground
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse the mint with the parsley, garlic and coriander until finely chopped. Add lemon juice and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Stir into yogurt.

Spread the lamb on a cutting board and, using a paring knife, poke the meat all over on both sides. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper and coat with 1 cup of the yogurt sauce and transfer to a glass dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Meanwhile, stir the feta cheese into the remaining yogurt sauce, cover and refrigerate.

Before grilling, bring the marinated lamb to room temperature (about 1 hour).

Light a grill and oil the grates. Grill the lamb over a medium-high fire, turning occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125° (150° in the thinnest part).

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the lamb and serve with the feta yogurt sauce.

Mini Lamb Burgers with Cucumber Sauce

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated (3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground lamb (grass-fed, if possible)
• 1/2 minced onion (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped, (1 teaspoon dried)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 pieces pita bread (6 inches)
• Lettuce, Kalamata olives and 2 sliced tomatoes

Directions:

Heat grill to high and oil grill grates.

Squeeze cucumber in a paper towel to remove some of the moisture.

Make Cucumber Sauce:

In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, oil and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make Burgers:

In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine lamb, onion, parsley and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into 16 small patties, about 3/4 inch thick.

Grill until medium-rare, 3 minutes per side.

To serve, warm pitas on the grill turning occasionally. Cut pitas in half. Fill with lettuce, burgers, tomato and sauce. Serve with Kalamata olives on the side.

Related articles:

• Grilled Lamb (nicolesrosetti.wordpress.com)
• http://montanaorganiclamb.com/
• http://lvspa.org/
• http://www.lavalakelamb.com/lava-lake-information.php
• http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/slideshows/table-to-farm-september-2012#slide=1
• Braised Lamb Shanks (tastyadvice.wordpress.com)
• http://www.tendergrassfedmeat.com/tag/grass-fed-lamb/

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in arugula, Cheese, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, Healthy Italian Cooking, Lamb, lemon, Sauces, yogurt Tags: lamb