Lamb is a sheep that is less than a year old, and has a tender, sweet flavor to its meat. It pairs equally well with pungent, exotic spices or delicate vegetables.
Leg of lamb and lamb chops are wonderful for dry-heat methods, like grilling, roasting, and broiling. It’s best to give the meat a seasoned rub or marinade first. Meat from the shoulder and shank (foreleg) is tougher and better suited to moist-cooking methods, like braising and preparing stews.
HOW TO BUY
In the United States, fresh lamb is in season from March through October. Frozen lamb is available year-round. When choosing lamb, let color be your guide: Look for lamb with firm, pink meat; good marbling; and moist, reddish bones. Dark meat indicates an older animal.
HOW TO USE
Some cuts of lamb retain a papery layer around the outer fat, which is called the fell; it is usually left on roasts or legs and will help keep the meat stay juicy while cooking. However, it is usually removed from smaller cuts. For information on how to cook lamb, see pages on lamb chops, leg of lamb, shoulder, and ground lamb.
HOW TO STORE
Keep lamb in the refrigerator in its original packaging. Try to cook it within a day of purchase or freeze for later use. Ground meat, which is more perishable since it is exposed to bacteria during grinding, should be used within 24 hours.
VIDEO: Testing Meat Doneness