Properties: Lamb
Fresh lamb meat provides around 250 to 300 calories per 100 grams in terms of nutritional values. Macronutrients are: 15 and 25 grams of proteins per 100 grams, about 10 to 21 grams of fat per 100 grams, and correspondingly 0 grams of carbohydrates. The fat contained in lamb meat consists of approximately 40 percent saturated fats and 60 percent healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, lamb meat is considered relatively low in fat and offers a variety of valuable proteins.
The cholesterol content of lamb meat averages between 90 and 100 milligrams per 100 grams. In addition to the aforementioned macronutrients, lamb meat also contains a wealth of micronutrients: between 300 and 320 milligrams of potassium, 72 milligrams of sodium, and 23 milligrams of magnesium. Lamb meat is also rich in vitamins: about 0.1 milligrams of Vitamin B6 and 2.5 micrograms of Vitamin B12 per 100 grams, as well as small amounts of Vitamin D.
Origin: Lamb
Lamb has a millennia-old tradition especially in the Orient. Around 10,000 years ago, the first sheep and thus lambs were domesticated in the area of today's Anatolia. Besides using these livestock as milk suppliers, they served from the beginning as a source of meat. However, preference was given to the Mouflon or wild sheep here. The animals were particularly adaptable and robust against harsh weather conditions. Around 3,000 years before Christ's birth, the keeping of sheep and lambs increased drastically, as they were no longer kept solely for their meat and milk but also for their wool. With this, the consumption of lamb also spread to large parts of Europe. Lamb only became popular in Germany during modern times.
Around the 17th and 18th centuries, lamb also became increasingly popular in Germany. Today, sheep and lambs are kept as livestock almost everywhere in the world. Therefore, lamb is available year-round and seasonally independent at retail stores or butchers. It can either be purchased fresh directly from the meat counter or frozen. Since lamb only keeps for a few days, it should be consumed accordingly quickly.
Uses: Lamb
Since lamb is a particularly tender, aromatic and nutritious meat, it is mainly used here as soup meat. Furthermore, its use as roast meat is common. In the Orient, lamb is served with a variety of side dishes such as rice, couscous or beans and peas. Lamb in this context is more of a festive dish and is comparatively rarely used. Lamb is particularly suitable in combination with creamy sauces or spicy curry dishes. Its use as an ingredient in salads is, however, very rare. In the fast food sector, lamb is also widely used for preparing doner meat.
Health: Lamb
Lamb meat is a relatively healthy type of meat that contains only small amounts of fat. Due to its high cholesterol content, however, lamb should be consumed rarely by people with cardiovascular diseases. Lamb provides a protein-rich base for muscle building as well as numerous macronutrients that strengthen the body's immune system. Additionally, the micronutrients contained in lamb are good for healthy cell and blood formation. The regular consumption of lamb is harmless for healthy individuals.
What is considered mutton
Mutton comes from animals that are not older than two years. It refers to the meat of castrated male sheep or female sheep that have remained without offspring. Mutton can be well distinguished from lamb by its strong flavor, dark red color, firm consistency, and clear marbling.
What is mutton
Mutton refers to meat from castrated animals of both sexes that are older than two years, whose meat is heavily marbled, dark red, and coarse. Most of the lamb and mutton comes from milk lambs, which mainly enter the food trade.
Use of cuts from lamb and mutton
The breast, also known as the brisket in trade, whose meat is well marbled with fat and very juicy, is suitable for goulash, stew, and soup and ideal for preparing stuffed lamb breast. The shoulder, under blade or butt, which is also offered in rolled form, is excellent for roasts or grilling for skewers.
Tender loin chops for grilling
The chops are offered as shank and loin chops and are very tender and juicy. The lamb meat of the removed chop strip is often found under lamb chops in trade. Butterfly chops refer to small, double-cut loin chops that are ideal for grilling or short roasting.
Lamb rack or saddle as the most delicate lamb meat
The back of lamb and mutton, also known as lamb rack or saddle, provides the most tender meat from the lamb. It is offered in pieces or cut as lamb loin fillet, lamb rack, or lamb fillet. This meat is excellent for grilling, short roasting, braising, and oven roasting.
Lamb leg or mutton leg as roast cuts
The lamb leg or mutton leg (shank) is the best roast cut because it is particularly lean, meaty, and tender. This part is available in pieces or sliced and is excellent for goulash, roasting or grilling skewers or steaks.
Rare delicacy of lamb and mutton
Although lamb and mutton are nutritionally valuable foods, they are rarely eaten in Germany. With a meat consumption of 60.3 kg per year and person, the consumption of lamb and goat meat in 2007 according to CMA was only 700 g per capita.
The livestock lamb serves as the basis for the production of lamb or lamb products. Lamb is a dark pink to slightly brownish meat that is only very lightly marbled with fat. Lamb is also known under the synonyms mutton or sheep and represents one of the most popular types of meat worldwide. Specifically, lamb refers to meat from young lambs. These are animals that are less than 1 year old when slaughtered. Under the term lamb, several other types of meat are listed:
• Meat from milk lambs (between 8 weeks and 6 months old)
• Meat from fattening lambs (maximum 1 year old)
In addition to lambs, young sheep, mutton, as well as ewes and rams are used for the production of meat products. The meat specifically from lamb is divided into a variety of cuts. Trade recognizes, for example, the lamb neck, which comes from the neck or comb of the lamb. There is also the lamb breast, lamb shoulder, and lamb back. Special pieces of lamb include lamb shanks as well as lamb chops. While lamb shanks are the legs that are usually offered with bone included, lamb chops are very fine, often also very small meat pieces that have only a very low fat content and are extremely tasty. Unlike other types of meat, the taste of lamb is generally described as slightly gamey. At the same time, lamb has a certain spiciness and tenderness.