Understanding Lamb Verses Mutton:

What is the Difference?

How Lamb &Mutton Meat is Classified Lamb
Classification by Age Grass Fed Verses Grain Fed Common
Cuts of Lamb & Mutton Where to Buy Spring Lamb Meat
How To Distinguish Lamb from Mutton
How To Cook Lamb (Baby &Spring Lamb) How To Cook
Mutton
Lamb Verses Mutton: What is the Difference?
The difference in sheep meat that is referred to as lamb
verses mutton is the age at which they were slaughtered.
Lamb meat is generally from sheep
about1yearold.Muttonmeatisgenerallyfrom sheepthatare2-
3yearsold.
The Major Differences of Lamb Meat Vs Mutton Meat
Age Lambis1yearoldorless.Muttonisgenerally2-3 year sold.
Size
Lamb are smaller Mutton are larger. Flavor & Texture Lamb is mild and
tender. Mutton is generally more gamey and tougher.
Color & Smell Lamb is pale pink and mild. Mutton is deeper red and
more pungent.
Color & Smell Lamb is pale pink and mild. Mutton is deeper red and
more pungent.
Color & Smell Lamb is pale pink and mild. Mutton is
deeper red and more pungent. Preferred Cooking Methods
Lamb is best suited for grilling, roasting. Mutton is best
suited for braising and stewing
Cost Lamb is generally more expensive. Mutton is
generally cheaper.
How Lamb &Mutton Meat is Classified Lamb can be
classified in different ways that are based on either the age
or marbling of the lamb being sold.
Like beef, lamb in the United States is graded by marbling
into Prime, Choice, Good and Utility categories. The best
cuts, labeled Prime, will have more marbling (and been sure
day younger lamb,
Under 20 months).On the other end of the spectrum ,utility
cuts are the toughest and leanest cuts-used mainly for dog
food and animal feed.
Lamb is also classified by it sage, and I have found this to
be the more important factor. However, sadly, in the United
States classifying by age is optional and rarely disclosed.
Unfortunately, this leaves a lot of guess work for the
consumer, a slamb in the US is commonly mislabeled.
Lamb Classification by Age Younger lamb has a beautiful balance
often dearness and mild flavor. Older lamb, labeled‘ mutton‘ will
have a stronger gamier taste but will also be a tougher.
BabyLamb:6-10weeksold;incrediblytender, prized mostly for its
delicately flavored, tender chops. Spring Lamb:5-6 month sold ;
this is the lamb I look for when roasting or grilling (like form
baharats piced kebabs),it has a balance of both tenderness and mild
flavor. Yearling Mutton: 12-24 month sold; fearless
Commonly found in markets
Grass Fed Verses Grain Fed Like beef, grass fed lamb will
have a different flavor, texture and health benefits as
opposed to grain fed lamb. Grass feeding is more nature
land sustainable practice. When ever possible, we
recommend choosing grass-fed lamb. Here area few of the
key reasons and differences you can expect from grass-fed
verses grain-fed
Benefits of Grass Fed Lamb Grass fed lamb has many benefits for
the body and environment.Beaw are the "grass -finished "lamb
refers to lamb that has been grain fed for the majority of its 'life.
Flavor-mild , natural flavor Texture-Despite being incredibly lean,
grass fed lamb tends to be more tender and juicy(due to a feed
with naturally higher water content). Health-higher protein, less
fat and lower calories than grain fed; higher concentration of
Omega3s, vitamins and antioxidants
Happier animals – Grass fed live stock generally have free
range of pastures, easier digestion, and over all a less
stressful living environment which contributes to fewer
diseases. Sustainable-helps to renew heal they co systems,
fertilize soils and reduce green house gases
Benefits of Grain Fed(Grain Finished) Lamb Grain , corn
and soy feeding is a common practice amongst US
ranchers. It is used to fatten the lambs either through out
the entirety of or end of their lives. In this sense , l am bare
treated similarly to cows and other commercial livestock.
The majority of grain fed lamb are raised in commercial
feed lots
Marbling-Lamb are fed grain to increase the animals fat
content result in gin more marbling and a richer flavor.
Flavor-More fat content can result in a less gamey, more
beef-like flavor(especially in mutton). Larger-Grain fed
lamb will be much larger than grass fed , result in gin
bigger cuts that tend to appeal to Americans.
Cheaper-In theory , grain fed lamb should be less
expensive than grass fed. Common Cuts of Lamb & Mutton
Lamb(and mutton) are but cheered into these main groups
of muscle. From there , the cuts are often broken down into
small earpieces .The fame drack of lamb is the most
popular cut ,hailing from the rib section of the animal.