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Chapter XIII − LAMB AND MUTTON
LAMB is the name given to the meat of lambs; mutton, to the meat of sheep. Lamb, coming
does from the young creature, is immature, and less nutritious than mutton. The flesh of
ranks with the flesh of beef in nutritive value and digestibility. The fat of mutton, on account
larger percentage of stearic acid, is more difficult of digestion than the fat of beef.
as it
mutton
of its
1
Lamb may be eaten soon after the animal is killed and dressed; mutton must hang to ripen.
Good mutton comes from a sheep about three years old, and should hang from two to three
weeks. The English South Down Mutton is cut from creatures even older than three years.
Young lamb, when killed from six weeks to three months old, is called spring lamb, and
appears
in the market as early as the last of January, but is very scarce until March. Lamb one year old
is
called a yearling. Many object to the strong flavor of mutton; this is greatly overcome by
removing the pink skin and trimming off superfluous fat.
2
Lamb and mutton are divided into two parts by cutting through entire length of backbone;
then
subdivided into fore and hind quarter, eight ribs being left on hind quarter,−while in beef but
three ribs are left on hind−quarter. These eight ribs are cut into chops and are known as rib
chops. The meat which lies between these ribs and the leg, cut into chops, is known as loin or
kidney chops.
3
Lamb and mutton chops cut from loin have a small piece of tenderloin on one side of bone,
and
correspond to porter−house steaks in the beef creature. Rib chops which have the bone cut
short and scraped clean, nearly to the lean meat, are called French chops.
4
The leg is sold whole for boiling or roasting. The forequarter may be boned, stuffed,
and roasted, but is more often used for broth, stew, or fricassee.
rolled,
5
For a saddle of mutton the loin is removed whole before splitting the creature. Some of the
bones are removed and the flank ends are rolled, fastened with wooden skewers, and securely
tied to keep skewers in place.
6
Good quality mutton should be fine−grained and of bright pink color; the fat white, hard,
flaky. If the outside skin comes off easily, mutton is sure to be good. Lamb chops may be
and
easily
Chapter XIII − LAMB AND MUTTON
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