- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Only the French could make the word Mutton sound sexy
Mouton is hot, full stop
And she knew it
is the word 'mutton' off putting?
- Thread starter spark_28
- Start date
Mouton is hot, full stop
And she knew it
Only the French could make the word Mutton sound sexy
Blasted sophisticated continental types, the savages even managed to give snails and frogs legs an enticing name
but poor old mouton never received such inspiration .I like this, that's similar to how the cured meat trade has become fashionable the past 10-15 years. I agree with various posts that the mince route for fast cooking via kebabs and burgers could be key to getting younger generations to appreciate the great flavour that comes from all ages of sheep. Once they have a taste it should be easier to sell prime cuts as high end fancy food. I'm getting hungry reading this thread, will have to pick out a few for the freezer shortly
Got to love it, much better flavour & texture than most lamb,although hard to come by for most folk.
Some great recipes here https://www.bbc.com/food/mutton
I have an arrangement to buy a side from a local chap now & then.
Some great recipes here https://www.bbc.com/food/mutton
I have an arrangement to buy a side from a local chap now & then.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
The problem with mutton is not the name, it's the taste. It tastes like an old sheep unless it's lathered in mint sauce, whatever you call it. I quite like it lathered in mint sauce but find it too sheepy without something added. Smell your hands after working with sheep and smell a piece of mutton and it's pretty much similar.
It can also be rendered palatable by the addition of various herbs and spices to make a tagine or such like. We had a Morrocan visitor who brought some spices with her and turned the toughest old fattiest mutton into a very tasty dish. Somehow she had the knack of getting the spices right to neutralise that "old tup" taint. You can't get those spices in the UK at the moment. I am not sure what they were as I wasn't really paying attention at the time.
It can also be rendered palatable by the addition of various herbs and spices to make a tagine or such like. We had a Morrocan visitor who brought some spices with her and turned the toughest old fattiest mutton into a very tasty dish. Somehow she had the knack of getting the spices right to neutralise that "old tup" taint. You can't get those spices in the UK at the moment. I am not sure what they were as I wasn't really paying attention at the time.
primmiemoo
Member
- Location
- Devon
It needs someone admirable who loves British produce, has already done a series of cookery programmes using British food, and has also won Great British Bakeoff to talk about mutton/mouton.
Nadiya Hussein would be ideal.
Nadiya Hussein would be ideal.
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
My preference is 18 month old sheep, is this Mutton or just Lamb ?
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Young mutton or hogget, I suppose. That's what usually goes in my freezer too. There's a Hampshire x gimmer with a dodgy leg that will be heading that direction shortly
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
We can get through 4-5 year here, but i have a bad habit of giving a bit away to anyone who dose me a favour or something , anyway its blooming delicious, i like the poorer cuts cooked and just pluck it for sandwiches mmmmmmmmmm. Romney ofcourseYoung mutton or hogget, I suppose. That's what usually goes in my freezer too. There's a Hampshire x gimmer with a dodgy leg that will be heading that direction shortly
Were you eating old tup??
- Location
- Welshman living in Nottinghamshire
I don't think Mutton necessarily has a bad image, it just has no image at all. You don't see it in the supermarket, and you would probably have to make a special request to a butcher if you wanted it. Mutton is totally off the average shoppers raidar and lamb is only on the periphery.
The funny thing is , people eat it more than they think
all our animals goes through our own shop. At the minute we are kiling 5 lambs & 2 ewes a week. In run up to Christmas, we'll be slaughtering 5 ewes a week for mutton. Admittedly it's predominantly older generation but they keep coming back, some traveling a fair distance & bulk buying.
Same but not quite as much as you, about 1 mutton animal week. Your mutton - are you putting through anything which is fit/any age or only using a set type? What are you finding works? For me, the bulk is diced, then strip loins/maybe chops and then mince/merguez and occasional joints. Welcome any ideas/experiences. Cheers.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Lamb burgers are very good. Mutton burgers are excellent.
Something I haven't tried yet but may well do.. would be good to come up with a unique flavour blend to differ from the standard mint.
I think/wonder of there is much confusion with mutton and what is best. I know of people that wouldn't put a lambed ewe through as mutton, or over a certain age and then people that have said the best sheep meat they have eaten was say the oldest ewe or a 6 year old ram.
The only bad one I have had so far is an underfinished animal with the yellow fat. Didn't look nice at all. Still trialling it all.
It would be nice to standardise and do it at the same age at some point, hence the unlambed ewe lamb or problem ewe lamb idea, guess the thing is getting them cheap enough to begin with.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
For burgers, I wouldn't think you would need to be too fussy. And if you wanted to be a bit more selective, plenty of choice at the mart at this time of year and as cheap as you'll buy them.
- Location
- Welshman living in Nottinghamshire
At the minute they are suffolk mules, 3 - 4 crop ewes. We decided to get out of suffolk for one reason or another. But they are by no means just a field of cull animals. We appreciate them as a prime product, as the lambs (but I know that's not going to work for everyone).
Agreed, diced (shoulder) is popular this time of year, peole making stews. Summer we mince more & the butchers make them as kofta kebabs.
Joints (legs) are consistently popular through year. I don't know why but mutton chops aren't as popular (comparing legs & chops of lamb & mutton).
- Location
- Welshman living in Nottinghamshire
spark_28
Member
- Location
- Western isles
whats the price to kill and pack a hogget?
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
Ive probably got a couple of 18 month whethers knocking about still if you want to try them? Just noticed them running with one mob of ewes. Would only ever have seen grass. And would be fit.
Just called into one of my locals for a few pints and to do some car park meat sales. The pub bought 6kg of diced mutton off me previously and had it on the menu tonight as a curry on the special board..
Landlord said it cooked up like a fine pint (drinkable) and that 5 portions had gone in the hour I was behind the bar. Pretty good I thought.
Im not sure the word mutton necessarily puts people off, though it does some. It's largely that it is not readily available and seen. With a bit of marketing advising the benefits of the product, getting it out there and people trying it I think it has huge potential.
If consumers look on price - it's generally cheaper than lamb.
If they look on welfare - it's largely about as free range you can get and has lived a longer life.
If they look on environmental credentials - it satisfies that in most peoples views.
If they want taste - it may not suit some, but cooked right etc it would satisfy many.
Landlord said it cooked up like a fine pint (drinkable) and that 5 portions had gone in the hour I was behind the bar. Pretty good I thought.
Im not sure the word mutton necessarily puts people off, though it does some. It's largely that it is not readily available and seen. With a bit of marketing advising the benefits of the product, getting it out there and people trying it I think it has huge potential.
If consumers look on price - it's generally cheaper than lamb.
If they look on welfare - it's largely about as free range you can get and has lived a longer life.
If they look on environmental credentials - it satisfies that in most peoples views.
If they want taste - it may not suit some, but cooked right etc it would satisfy many.