California Lamb

Roasted, grilled, smoked, braised, marinated, rubbed, stuffed, any way you slice it, California lamb is a perfect fit for any meal. Available year round, its wonderfully mild flavor bursts to life with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic. Or, enhance lamb with a myriad of herbs, spices and marinades, making it a ideal fit for today's bold flavor food trends.

Lamb is so easy to prepare and is packed with important nutrients. It is a prime source of high-quality protein and is high in B vitamins, niacin, zinc and iron.

The Thrill of Lamb on the Grill

Lamb is a favorite meat for grilling around much of the world. From Greece and Morocco in the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Central Asia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, grilled lamb is the preferred red meat in many ethnic cuisines. And it's no wonder -- Lamb's rich full-flavor stands up to the kiss of flame and heat of fire. With American's increasing interest in ethnic foods, lamb is fast becoming a favorite grilling choice in the US.

Grilling lamb over an open flame is quite easy. For quick and easy meals, select thinner cuts such as chops, butterflied leg and kebabs and grill over direct heat. Thicker cuts, such as whole legs and shoulders are equally as easy, but take more time and should be cooked over indirect heat.

Lamb is also enhanced with smoking. Cuts like whole legs and shoulders are especially good for smoking. Flavor with a dry rub, sear over high heat and then take it slow and low, checking with a meat thermometer. The meat will be fall off the bone tender. Shoulders can be cooked like briskets and used for pulled lamb applications.

Several recipes for grilling lamb can be found in our Grilling Recipes section.

Tips

For best flavor and texture, lamb should be cooked rare to medium rare.

Use an instant read thermometer for best results.

Always remove meat from the grill about 10 degrees below desired doneness. Wrap in foil and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes.

Large cuts like butterflied leg of lamb can feed a large crowd and because of it varying thickness can provide a range of doneness to please the pickiest of diners.

Slender cuts like lamb rib chops save time since they take only minutes to grill.

Inject a whole leg or shoulder with a marinade and slowly smoke until desired doneness.

Don't overcook lamb; it is best served rare to medium rare.

For more tips on grilling lamb, visit the American Lamb Board's Grilling page at www.americanlambboard.org/html/grilling/.