There are five basic parts of lamb to choose from when selecting a good
cut:
- leg
- shoulder
- breast
- loin
- rib
When shopping for lamb, it is best to go with the most fresh.
Always check dates that are stamped on the packaging to know if you are
getting a fresh cut of meat. If lamb is not contained in a packge that is
dated, look at the color of the meat, as that is a great factor in
determinging how fresh it is.Lamb should be pink/red in color. Any meat that is
darker red is older and will not be as tender.
Also, look for other markings on the label that will give you more
information about the lamb.
USDA Prime will have the highest in
tenderness and flavor.
USDA Choice is still high quality meat, but slightly
less tender. While Prime has somewhat of a higher fat content, all grades
of lamb have similar protein, vitamins and nutrients.
Depending on the lamb dish you are making, it is good to select the
correct cut for the dish you are preparing. For roasting, the rib, loin,
breast, and shoulder are recommended. Legs are good for the obvious
leg of lamb,
or can be cut into cubes for use in [linkurl=http://mideastfood.about.com/od/lambrecipes/r/lambkebobs.htm]lamb kabab[/link] dishes.
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