| Lamb Cut | Tenderness Score | Ideal Cooking Method |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless Lamb Leg | Medium | Oven or Barbecue (Low Heat) |
| Lamb Rack | Extremely Tender | Sear on Pan, Finish in Oven |
| Lamb Rib Chops (Best for Pan Frying) | Extremely Tender | Pan Fried or Air Fryer |
| Lamb Loin Chops (Best for Pan Frying) | Extremely Tender | Pan Fried, Air Fryer, or Barbecue |
| Lamb Side Ribs | Medium | Slow Roasting or Barbecue (Low Heat) |
| Lamb Neck Chops | Low | Slow-Cooked or Instant Pot |
| Lamb Shoulder | Low | Slow-Cooked or Instant Pot |
| Lamb Shoulder Chops | Medium | Pan Fried or Air Fryer |
| Lamb Shank | Medium | Slow-Cooked or Instant Pot |
(AVERAGE 37-40 LBS)
$16.25 / LB
(AVERAGE 18-20 LBS)
$16.95 / LB
(AVERAGE 35 LBS)
$14.95 / LB
All lamb products can be paid by major credit or debit card. Accounts must be settled in full before pickup.
Each cut of lamb is vastly different yet incredibly delicious. It is highly beneficial to familiarize yourself with these main cuts to distinguish which type is best to use for certain dishes.
Just like Beef, the more work a muscle makes on the animal, the tougher it will be. For example, a Leg of Lamb is ideal for slow roasting as it moves a lot and supports the weight of the Lamb, whereas Loin Chops are extremely tender as the loin muscle is never used hence it tastes best when grilled or pan fried.
This cut of Lamb is made with the animal’s two hind legs. Boneless Lamb Leg produces juicy, tender, and lean meat when cooked, especially if using dry heat methods like roasting. We also suggest removing the bone to take advantage of this lamb cut’s impressive natural presentation, which is perfect for dinner parties, weddings, banquets, and other special events. Boneless Lamb Leg meat also makes great Lamb Kabobs!
The Lamb Rack is one of the most sought-after and expensive cuts of Lamb on the market. It consists of the Lambs’ rib section. Approximately eight rib chops can be butchered from this lamb cut, which we will discuss further below. Most butchers also French Trim Lamb Racks, hence the reason for the meat cut’s hefty price tag.
A typical Lamb Rack weighs 1.5 to 2 lbs. in weight. It’s always best to eat lamb rare including lamb rack, to enhance flavour and juiciness.
Lamb Rib Chops are made from the Rack of Lamb, usually after French trimming with a simple cut in between each rib bone to make individual rib chops. This cut boasts a mild flavour and incredibly juicy meat that pairs wonderfully with a host of the best lamb marinades. It is also super versatile to prepare and tastes great when grilled, air-fried, pan-seared, or roasted. As Rib Chops come from Lamb Rack, these are quite expensive.
The tender soft lean meat and rich fat on lamb rib chops mean they pair great with a huge assortment of side dishes lamb chops. Lamb Rib Chops typically weigh around 5oz to 7oz. per chop. Because these are so tender with a nice fat cap, you can cook lamb rib chops in the oven, grill, air fryer, or pan.
Lamb ribs are also known as Denver style ribs or lamb riblets and are the equivalent of pork spare ribs. They are part of the breast primal cut, typically separated from the breast bone, and then split. They typically weigh about 1.5 pounds.
The best way to cook lamb ribs are the same as pork ribs – slow roasting, smoking, or braising. This gives time for the fat to slowly melt, lubricate the meat and help it loosen away from the bones as it takes on more flavour. Typically lamb ribs are glazed and then broiled to finish. Indirect cooking on a barbeque at low heat (225 degrees) gives lamb ribs a decadence that you just do not get with traditional pork ribs.
The loin produces the most flavourful and tender cuts of Lamb in our opinion, due to its generous and tasty fat cap. Lamb Loin is located in between the ribs and sirloin. Lamb Loin Chops look like miniature bone-in T-Bone steaks or Porterhouse, that are straightforward to grill or pan-fry. Although most butchers have boneless lamb loin chops available to purchase, we recommend buying them bone-in. Lamb Loin Chops weigh around 5oz. to 8oz. each including the bone.
Though one of the less popular cuts, the Lamb Neck Chops has much to offer. It is tough yet flavourful, meaning you can create tasty lamb dishes with a bit of patience using slow and low cooking. Many choose to incorporate Neck of Lamb in stews or grilled shish kebabs
Lamb Neck Chops can be enjoyed like a steak by slowly cooking over low heat first, then finishing by grilling the Lamb Neck Chops to attain a nicely charred finish on the outer layer.
This Lamb cut is produced from the animals’ shoulder blades. It is a thick, tough, and slightly fatty part of the lamb. However, the fat is relatively easy to trim and guarantees that the meat will come out perfectly juicy every time.
Lamb Shoulders are commonly slow-cooked as a stew or roasted in the oven, allowing for a budget friendly alternative to Leg of Lamb roasts.
Due to its balance of tasty fat and lean, Lamb Shoulder is also commonly used to make Ground Lamb and Lamb Burger Patties. Lamb Shoulder will weigh between 2lbs. and 3lbs.
Making Lamb Shoulder chops is the tastiest and easiest way to enjoy the shoulder blade cut’s stellar flavours. Shoulder Chops are much thicker than other Lamb Chop varieties, such as the rib or loin because these come in at a cheaper price point.
Lamb shoulder chops boast a stronger flavour that is further highlighted when cooked on an outdoor charcoal grill or a frying pan with grass-fed butter or ghee.
Lamb Shank is among the best cuts of lamb due to its versatility and value for money. Unmistakable in appearance with a bone through the center, Lamb Shank meat comes from the lambs’ upper thighs, including directly underneath the lambs’ hind legs (aka the iconic Leg of Lamb cut mentioned above). Lamb Shank is a large, lean, and tender part of the animal that is ideal for making lamb stews and braising other slow-cooked meals. A typical Lamb Foreshank will weigh 16oz. A typical Lamb Hindshank will weigh around 18 to 20oz.
With a flock of more than 1,000 producing ewes, Craigmore Farm is one of the largest seedstock breeders of Registered Commercial Rideau Arcott and Romanov sheep in Ontario. Our animals are raised indoors for most of the year and we breed on a year round basis.
Herd Health: Our flock is free of Scrapie and we are enrolled in the Ontario Sheep Maedi Visna program. Our flock is checked regularly for diseases that can severely affect production. Examples would be Caseous, Listeriosis, Coccidiosis, Chlamydia and Parasites. Disease can rob a customer of the kind of production needed to turn a profit. For that reason, we cull any animal that even shows a symptom of a problem. We have a regular vaccination program to safeguard the health of any animal that leaves our farm.
Performance: All registered and commercial animals are weighed at birth, 50 days and 100 days. All 100 day old rams and ewes are ultrasound scanned for two Backfat measurements and Loin area.
All birth, 50 day and 100 day weight plus Ultrasound scans are submitted to Genovis Canada for evaluation. Genovis then sends us important information needed to evaluate our breeding stock, allowing us to continually improve flock Genetics and Performance
Breeding Stock for Sale: We would not sell any animal that we would not retain for ourselves for breeding purposes. Commercial and Registered ewes and rams are sometimes available throughout the year. Because of our overall programm, our animals cost a bit more. But, as the saying goes, you “get what you pay for”!
The Japanese word “KOTTA” means exquisite. It is our Trademark Pending name that summarizes the quality eating experience of our meat products!
We did not select the Rideau Arcott and Romanov breeds by accident! Rideau Arcott and Romanovs are at the very top of sheep meat breeds in Canada when it comes to Intra Muscular Fat (IMF) or Marbling! The Rideau Arcott, Romanov and Finnsheep breeds are the top 3 breeds in Canada for Marbling. Marbling is not that backfat that surrounds the outside of a meat cut. It is ingrained in the fiber of the meat as thin white grains of fat that is actually good for you! Those thin white streaks cook off in the oven but it is what gives our lamb its tenderness and flavour.
At Craigmore, we feed our animals a mix of the best quality hay and balage with real natural grains meant to enhance Omega 3 content, flavour and tenderness. For the customer, that spells a quality, consistent eating experience.
One of the biggest issues facing the Commercial Food Industry is a lack of product consistency. There is no need for the consumer to have to gamble on the quality of their eating experience- good one day and bad the next. The origins of that inconsistent eating experience traces back to the producer. The distribution system does not pay a premium for a superior raised product, In fact, good and bad producers are paid the same. A superior product costs more to produce. If there is no premium paid, there is no incentive for producers to provide that superior product. Who does that hurt? The answer is the consumer! Until Now! When you see our Craigmore Farm KOTTA Lamb label on your favourite cut of lamb, you know you are getting the best product we know how to raise. It costs a bit more but isn’t it worth it to get the best!
Craigmore Farm and its subsidiary The Kobe Lamb Group Ltd. have the first flock of Tattykeel Australian White Rams and Producing Ewes on Canadian soil.
Specific cuts of fresh (and frozen) lamb will be distributed direct to Consumers through Craigmore Farm and Kobe Lamb Group Ltd. Via our website www.craigmorefarm.com. Commercial and Restaurant Distribution will also be available in 4th quarter, 2021 and early 2022.
1.) May/2020 Genetics of Omega 3 and Meat Eating Quality in Tattykeel Australian White Lamb S.B. Reason, J.R. Otto, R. Hearlimaan, A.M. Bodd et al.
Craigmore Farm / Kobe Lamb Group Ltd. 5626 3rd Line, Tottenham, Ontario L0G 1W0
info@craigmorefarm.com
