Where is all the lamb?

[Campo Steve]

Another butchers in Torre Del Mar that sells lamb is the one by the car park/Thursday market. I think it is just leg of lamb they have and, apart from one on display, it is kept in the freezer behind the counter. The last one we bought there was delicious so got another two yesterday.

[El Cid]

There is no problem finding legs and shoulders, as Luckyjim said, it's the other bits that are hard to find.

Lamb's liver is very hard to find but pig's liver is everywhere!

It must go somewhere.

Sid

[Devils Advocate]

Steve, there's 2 butchers there 50 metres apart, both good shops. We use the one called Jimenez a lot.

Sid, if you're not adverse to Halal then the Halal butchers in Torre does all cuts of lamb, although admittedly they do look like small lambs once more although nothing wrong with the taste.

I'm still certain if you ask for lambs liver in a butchers shop they'll get it for you.

[El Cid]

I'm still certain if you ask for lambs liver in a butchers shop they'll get it for you.

Yes, I am sure they will, but the interesting point is that all these cuts do not seem to be on general display.

This suggests that most Spaniards do not want them - if there was a demand they would be there.

My guess is that they get exported. It works both ways, Eroski a year or two ago were frequently selling the thin bony chops, but on closer inspection, they were Welsh Lamb. None of the other cuts were Welsh so I mush assume they were exported because most people in the UK prefer the big fat chops.

Perhaps all the chump chops in the UK come from Spain

Sid

[Devils Advocate]

This suggests that most Spaniards do not want them - if there was a demand they would be there.

That's just about the size of it Sid in reality. It would not be too difficult for Spanish butchers to bring in New Zealand lamb as the Brit butchers do but would they sell it?

It has fascinated me just how different we and the Spanish cook our meats and what we are used too.

We've now got a few Spanish families cooking none trad Spanish cuts................and they in turn have introduced us to things we'd never have tried.

In the butchers that Steve mentioned before in Torre they sell Lamb Sweet breads of all things (if you ask). We cooked them over there and were amazed at how they went down. The local shop/butcher now gets them in for a couple of the blokes

[luckyjim]

Glad we have gone back to the original question. I went into a butchers yesterday and asked if they had lamb fillet. They looked at me as if I was mad followed by "Que?". I repeated the question in Spanish again. Sheer non plussed look, rolled his eyes and said no. I am sure I saw lambs liver in Eroski. Lambs sweetbreads that is a blast from the past. When I started my Kitchen training they were on every menu. Those were the days.
.

[gerryh]

I am sure I saw lambs liver in Eroski.
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Yes they usually have it, we quite often buy it there.
Cheers
Gerry

[Devils Advocate]

Glad we have gone back to the original question. I went into a butchers yesterday and asked if they had lamb fillet. They looked at me as if I was mad followed by "Que?". I repeated the question in Spanish again. Sheer non plussed look, rolled his eyes and said no. I am sure I saw lambs liver in Eroski. Lambs sweetbreads that is a blast from the past. When I started my Kitchen training they were on every menu. Those were the days.
.

I've a hunch Jim that they probably don't buy in the complete carcass for butchering and just buy in the cuts they know they'd sell. Unless they are the tiny "milk sheep" that is.

The only full size carcasses I've seen are Pig and goat.

[Manchesteral]

How old do think the pig is before it's killed? I bet most are not 1 year old.

In six to nine months a piglet will turn into a 80kg beast that to all intents and purposes looks a lot older.

Our friend has one he's going to prepare for Christmas, purchased in March it's simply massive now.

Lamb is just the generic name for the meat, ie it is sheep when in the field and lamb when on the plate, I bet most lamb is no younger than the pork on your plate.

Any ex farmers here? When does lamb become mutton? without resorting to google I bet it's 3 years max.

Interesting thing too, the local Spanish only grow sweetcorn to feed the animals. They never eat it.

Lamb is considered to be Mutton by the time it's two years old (by which time it's inedible)

I'm convinced that the lamb to be found in SOUTHERN Spain is generally **** because of the very bad grazing conditions, the lamb in north east Spain and south west France (Basque region is far superior

[El Cid]

Lamb is considered to be Mutton by the time it's two years old (by which time it's inedible)

That depends how you cook it - mutton can be perfectly edible - if you can find it!

Sid

[Campo Steve]

Mutton is fine in a Scotch Pie.

[Manchesteral]

Lamb is considered to be Mutton by the time it's two years old (by which time it's inedible)

That depends how you cook it - mutton can be perfectly edible - if you can find it!

Sid

Considered to be inedible by me, mutton's fine if you want to boil it for hours !

[gerryh]

Since I posted about being able to get lamb's liver in Eroski I haven't seen it there any more.
Perhaps some A.com members read what I said and have bought it all as soon as it appears in the meat section.
Cheers
Gerry

[rafiki]

Our local Mercadona has begun stocking fresh lamb chops. We have had them a couple of times now and are very good. Avoid their packs of frozen lamb chops. They are horrible.

[luckyjim]

This has gone slightly off topic but on the original question, I have asked two different butchers if they have lamb fillet and lamb shanks. Well you would have thought that I had tried asking for gold bars. Lots of rolling of eyes and shrugging of shoulders. I might try and coax my local butcher with a picture!

[Pintxo]

Hi Luckyjim,
I too am an ex chef, here for 3 years now, and hello to anyone else I havent spoken to on the forum, as I dont get on here as often as I should, there are some good topics.
For lamb shanks, Jim, I just buy the legs and cut the shanks off, but I too will enquire as to avalability ad hoc.
I cant remember without re reading the whole thread but there is an English butcher near Alhaurin/Coin that delivers everywhere.
The few butchers I have used in Rincon where I live have always obliged with a large cut of belly with skin on, although it is not as thick as I would want it.

Dear Gordon, wild boar were around long before we domesticated them so I am afraid your theory about porkers doesnt hold water.

[luckyjim]

Hi Pintxo. Beat you by 27 years. I use the butcher from Alhaurin(he is delivering today). Meat is great and all cuts are available. He also can get me salt beef! The shame is that I would like to use the local butchers but cant always get what I want. Perhaps in time things will change.

[Nimrod]

Hi Luckyjim,

For lamb shanks, Jim, I just buy the legs and cut the shanks off, but I too will enquire as to avalability ad hoc..

Ad hock....!

[Pintxo]

I AM known elsewhere for my dry/black/acid humour filled with puns!

[oliveview01]

When we first moved here I found a whole tray of lamb kidneys in Carrefour in Lucena. Mercadona had fresh whole lamb Christmas a year ago in the fresh meat counter- they had kidneys- so I bought every kidney they had. Never seen lambs liver here though.
I did once ask the butcher if they could get lamb kidneys- yes - 50€ a kilo I didn´t want them that much!