I am lucky enough to have a freezer full of lamb. Seriously, I have a lot of lamb and I value it like gold.
My great-great-grandfather started a sheep farm many years ago and it has been passed down four generations. My grandfather raised lambs for sixty years and now my uncle is carrying on the tradition. The lamb they produce is amazing. I know I sound partial and I am, but there isn't anyone that I serve it to that doesn't think it tastes wonderful. Most lamb is good but this lamb is tender, not gamey at all and really flavorful. All you need is a little salt and pepper, maybe some garlic powder...and it melts in your mouth. I wish it were available to everyone.
I know it's probably not the first thing that pops into your mind for an evening meal, but lamb is now readily available and if you get some lamb chops or shoulder chops, they cook up quickly. You can pan fry it, grill it, or even put it under the broiler. Just cook to your desired doneness.
I never grew up eating lamb with mint sauce. It wasn't until my husband, who grew up in the U.K. and always ate mint sauce with lamb, introduced me to it. I grew to really like mint jelly with my lamb but it's not always the easiest to find. If you get some fresh mint, you can whip it up in no time and create a really impressive meal for your family. They'll love lamb with this mint sauce.
Lamb with Mint Sauce
6 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 cup white vinegar
4 lamb chops or shoulder chops
In a small saucepan, add sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes. The sugar will dissolve in the vinegar as it boils. Let it cook down to about half and it will become a little more syrupy. Pull it off the heat and add the mint. Let the sauce cool for one hour. Any remaining sauce can be refrigerated.
For the lamb, season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side (to your desired doneness). Let it rest 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle mint sauce over lamb and enjoy.
Mint Sauce from Cooks Illustrated Best Recipe Cookbook
Print Recipe
4 comments:
I have never made my own sauce before, always buy. Sometimes that mint jelly too. This will be nice. Lucky you to have a freezer full of lamb, I wish. Do you find a lot of people don't care for lamb until they have had a good lamb meal. Our friends always kind of cringe when we say lamb, until they come for a nice roast and then they are hooked.
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Hello. Just saw this post in my Foodblogs.com feed and had to take a peek. I wish your lamb was available to everyone too!! I'm Armenian on my Mom's side, so I grew up eating boatloads of Shish Kebab, Roast Lamb, Manti (lamb filled dumplings), etc. My problem is that most lamb I come across in the markets is from either Australia or New Zealand, and like you said - gamey! I have read that if you soak it in milk, it will lessen the gameyness, but I haven't tried it. I'm always getting weird looks from people in markets and restaurants when I ask them where their lamb is from LOL. Just added you to my Google Reader subscriptions, so I'll come back and wander around your site later. Oh, and by the way, as much as I love fresh mint and always have it growing somewhere, I've never really picked up the habit of eating it with lamb. I'll have to try your sauce. :)
Hi Chris! Thanks for stopping by. I enjoyed reading your comments. I haven't heard of soaking lamb in milk but I have fish to get rid of the fishy smell. It probably works. The dishes you mention sound really good, the Shish Kebab and Manti. I'm sorry you haven't found good lamb here. I can totally relate as it's hard for me to order lamb out. Sounds like we're both lamb snobs LOL. Come back and visit again soon!
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