California Lamb - Quick Tips and Tasty Tidbits

California lamb, with its delicate flavor and succulent texture, is a versatile meat to cook with, both in terms of the number of cuts available and its affinity to a wide range of flavors. Its wonderfully mild flavor is enhanced by a myriad of herbs, spices and marinades, making it a perfect fit for today's trend toward more flavorful and healthful dishes.

  • When purchasing lamb, let color be the guide. Look for meat with a soft pink to red color with white marbling.
  • Serve rare to medium rare to preserve the meat's delicate, succulent qualities; overcooking can diminish the taste and texture.
  • Outdoor grilling season is here and lamb is a perfect choice whether you are preparing a quick weekday meal or are entertaining family and friends. Looking for grilling inspirations? Check out the suggestions below:
  • California lamb makes great kebabs. Marinating allows the use of less expensive cuts such as sirloin and shoulder and it adds a flavor boost to every bite. Cut lamb into 1-inch cubes, marinate for 8 to 24 hours in favorite marinade; thread on skewers with red bell pepper, red onion and fresh mushrooms. Serve with a couscous salad for a complete meal.
  • Have a group of people that like their meat at different degrees of doneness? Then a butterflied leg of lamb is for you. Since the meat is different thicknesses, you will have different degrees of doneness when you pull the meat off the grill. (see cooking methods)
  • For a robust flavor of the Mediterranean, marinate a butterflied lamb leg in olive oil seasoned with fresh lemon juice, crushed garlic and fresh rosemary. Salt and pepper meat before grilling. Or if you prefer Asian, brush lamb with hoison sauce while grilling. Slice cooked lamb and serve in soft flour tortillas with shredded scallions and cucumber for a new take on Chinese crispy duck pancakes.
  • A plate of grilled lamb cutlets marinated in herbs and red wine can be served tapas style accompanied by dishes of kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, grilled slices of eggplant and crumbled feta cheese.
  • Serve grilled lamb steaks with savory fresh peach salsa.
  • Try a lamb burger! Salt and pepper ground lamb; add minced garlic, onion, bell pepper and parsley. Grill until no pink shows in center. Serve on focaccia rolls brushed with olive oil or aioli sauce and top with crumbled feta cheese and sliced tomatoes and red onions!
California Lamb Storage Tips

To maintain its outstanding flavor, fresh California lamb should be eaten within four days of purchase, unless the package lists an extended "use by" date. Refrigerate lamb until ready for cooking. If the lamb is to be stored more than four days, it should be frozen, with the exception of ground lamb, which should be used or frozen within 24 hours.

Refrigerating lamb: Store in packaging or loosely wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the coldest part of the refrigerator at a temperature between 32 and 40 degrees F.

Freezing lamb: Lamb should be stored at 0 degrees F. (or lower) for up to 6 months (ground lamb up to 4 months), and should be frozen in tightly sealed packaging. (When freezing meat air should not penetrate the package as this results in moisture being drawn from the surface of the meat, which can slightly affect the quality.)

Defrosting lamb: Defrost frozen lamb in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature. Leave within its wrappings and place on a plate to keep juices from dripping.