Different Ways Lamb Is Eaten

A domesticated sheep when served in food is called as lamb or mutton. Lamb refers to young sheep that are not more than a  year; Mutton refers to adult sheep, though in some parts of Asia goat meat is also referred to as mutton irrespective of the  age of the goat. The younger the animal, the more tender is the meat, the older the animal the more tough is the meat,  although some recipes have ingredients that tenderize the meat when cooking.

Tough meat is usually eaten in most of Europe  and North America. Tenderized meat is eaten in parts of Asia. Some parts of Europe like Spain, Greece and Turkey eat tender  lamb or kid meat which is a typical flavour enjoyed there. Different parts of the lamb are eaten differently; it is not just the recipes pertaining to every region or area. The most  common types of lamb pieces available are: lamb shanks, rack of lamb and lamb steaks.

Lamb shank refers to that piece of lamb that is the leg bone under the knee. It is also referred to as the shin; it resembles  the drumstick in appearance sometimes. Rack of lamb refers to the spine of the lamb cut with the sixteen ribs also known as chops. It is sold in a pair of eight and  called as single, the double means all sixteen of it. When sold single the lamb is cut in the middle of the spine. Three  inches of bone from beyond the meat is exposed and sold. This part of the lamb is used for roasts and is a big favorite of  many people.

Lamb steak is the piece of meat cut near the shoulder also called chops. This meat can be cooked in various ways such as  grilling, pan broiling, sautéing, frying, breading, baking. In parts of Asia the meat is chopped up either with bone or without and cooked with spices. Some are cooked with rice and  served like the Mutton biryani. Another specialty found in Asia is Kheema which is grounded mutton, which has been chopped up  and thus tenderized. This meat is prepared with a lot of spices and usually eaten with pav – a type of bread.