Lamb & Mutton

Ontario, with it's fresh air and green farmlands, is an ideal place to raise prime quality lamb and mutton, and that is what you will find at the Manotick Village Butcher.

Lamb is the culinary name given to the meat of young sheep, less than 12 months of age. The meat of an older sheep is called hogget and later is known as mutton. Lamb is expensive and much more healthy and delicious, as compared to its counterparts. It has a mild and unique taste and is a highly prized meat. It's taste and colour is directly related to the animal's diet and the place where it is raised.

Lamb and mutton are lean meats, known for being a source of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals. The protein is nutritionally complete, providing all eight essential amino acids in the proper ratios, in addition B vitamins, zinc, iron and antioxidants are also found.

Mutton in recent years has developed something of a bad reputation but is in our opinion a much underrated meat. As Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall puts it in his River Cottage Meat Book “mutton is to lamb, as beef is to veal”.

Prime cuts - rib and loin cuts

• Rib: rib chop; rack; rib roast; crown roast
• Loin: loin chop; double loin chop; top loin chop; loin roast
• Use dry heat methods: roast, pan- fry, broil or barbecue

Versatile cuts - leg

• Leg (bone-in): whole leg; short cut leg; centre leg roast; leg steaks (or chops); shank
• Leg (boneless): butterflied leg roast; sirloin roast
• Use dry heat methods: roast, pan- fry, broil or barbecue

Economical cuts - shoulder, foreshank, neck, breast

• Shoulder: boneless or bone-in roasts; chops; neck; stewing cubes
• Foreshank: foreshank; rolled roast; spareribs; riblets
• Breast:  ground; sausages