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A simple guide to telling lamb and mutton apart
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Lamb and mutton both come from sheep, but make no mistake, there’s a world of difference between them. But what is that difference, exactly? It all comes down to age, and this one single factor influences everything from the flavor to the color of the meat. Don’t be caught scratching your head the next time you’re leaning over the butcher counter—we’re here to explain what sets lamb and mutton apart, as well as how to cook them and their common cuts.
Things You Should Know
- Lamb is the meat of a sheep slaughtered before it’s 1 year old, while mutton is the meat of a sheep slaughtered at any age older than 1 year.
- Lamb meat tends to be more tender and lighter in color, with a milder flavor. Mutton is tougher, darker, more gamey, and stronger in flavor.
- Prepare mutton using a slower cooking method that better tenderizes the meat, like roasting or slow cooking. Prepare lamb by roasting, braising, or grilling it.
- The most common cuts of sheep are the shoulder, rack, loin, leg, shanks, and neck.
Steps
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References
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/275002/heres-the-difference-between-mutton-and-lamb/
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/11/26/781652195/after-wwii-mutton-fell-out-of-favor-in-the-u-s-can-it-make-a-comeback
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/275002/heres-the-difference-between-mutton-and-lamb/
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/275002/heres-the-difference-between-mutton-and-lamb/
- ↑ https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/1630-why-lamb-tastes-like-lamb
- ↑ https://www.upr.org/arts-and-culture/2020-01-20/why-does-lamb-taste-so-weird
- ↑ https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/1630-why-lamb-tastes-like-lamb
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/275002/heres-the-difference-between-mutton-and-lamb/
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/color-meat-and-poultry
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/275002/heres-the-difference-between-mutton-and-lamb/
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/differences-between-mutton-lamb-goat-meat-pratik-maitra/
- ↑ https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/1630-why-lamb-tastes-like-lamb
- ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/A-Guide-to-Lamb-Cuts/
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/lamb-farm-table
- ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/A-Guide-to-Lamb-Cuts/
- ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/A-Guide-to-Lamb-Cuts/
- ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/A-Guide-to-Lamb-Cuts/
- ↑ https://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/A-Guide-to-Lamb-Cuts/
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