In the second of our ‘Spotlight On…’ series we will be focusing on our grass-fed lamb, tying in perfectly with Love Lamb Week 2022, the annual week-long celebration of UK lamb.
Running from September 1-7, the aim of the week – now in its eighth year – is to highlight the sustainability of the sheep production industry, as well as to prompt consumers to discover the delicious flavour and quality of British lamb. Love Lamb Week offers the perfect excuse to bang the drum about the unique qualities of Lakings grass-fed lamb.
Firstly, you can trace the provenance of our lamb. Owner of Lakings, Andrew Wright and his family, run a small farm at the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Here, a mix of Beltex, Badger Face Texel, Rouge and Blue Du Maine roam freely outdoors, grazing on the lush vegetation.
All quality breeds, the sheep have been chosen to bring lamb-lovers the best in flavour, succulence and eating quality. While the family farm isn’t big enough to completely fill our butchery, two Lincolnshire farmers situated in nearby Spilsby – Paul Tuplin and Martin Clough at Beverley Pastures – fill the void.
Their similarly traditional approach to farming ensures happy animals and results in delicious produce. You may be wondering why grass-fed lamb is considered superior to the grain-fed alternative and animal welfare and land management aside, it ultimately comes down to the eating.
The flavour of grass-fed lamb is often described as well-balanced, robust or pastoral and, if you want to understand the science, its signature flavour comes from branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) in the animal’s fat.
So, with its sustainability, provenance and animal welfare credentials established, let’s look at the cuts of lamb available from Lakings…
New Season Lamb Special
Whole boned and rolled leg of lamb | Skilfully tunnel-boned by our award-winning butchery team, a whole boned and rolled leg of lamb is an all-meat, incredible value for money family roasting joint. Weighing approximately 3kgs, suitable for home freezing too, you can even cut this in half to create two smaller joints.
Lamb leg steaks | From the leaner part of the leg, these steaks make a perfect quick and easy meal. Simply brown on both sides, we like to serve ours with seasonal vegetables and a sprig of rosemary.
Lamb mince | A much-underrated alternative to mince beef or pork, this frugal lamb option is packed full of flavour – making even the most basic mid-week meal spectacular. Try it in a moussaka.
Lamb chops | Possibly the most popular cut of lamb after the leg, lamb chops are cut from the naturally tender loin, with the bone left in for extra flavour.
Rack of lamb| One of the finest, most beautiful, cuts of lamb favoured by restaurants a rack of lamb not only looks spectacular but tastes it too. Brown it in the pan, then roast gently to serve up a simply unbelievable flavour. Incredibly easy to carve – simply slice down between the bones.
Boned and rolled leg of lamb| Great value for money when it comes to a roast joint that will feed the whole family, our boned and rolled legs are skilfully tunnel-boned to ensure you get as much meat as possible in your cut.
Boned and rolled shoulder of lamb| The foodies’ choice of lamb roast, a boned and rolled shoulder has so much to offer. Put it in the oven and forget about it for hours. We love roasting ours with lemon and thyme for a spectacularly tasty family dinner full of flavour.
Crown of lamb | A classic cut, one which makes an unforgettable centrepiece at a special dinner party or Sunday lunch, our crowns are created using both loins of the lamb and tied together to create the succulent joint we know as a crown.
Ahead of Love Lamb Week, head of marketing at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Carrie McDermid said: “We are delighted to be supporting Love Lamb Week for an eighth year. It provides us all with the opportunity to celebrate UK lamb, a family favourite due to its superior taste and quality and shine a light on our world-class food and farming standards. This campaign is about championing the hard work of our sheep farmers, who produce delicious lamb, while also maintaining the country’s unique landscape.”
