American lamb where to buy

For over 70 years, Strauss has partnered with the best family farmers in the Midwest. The long-standing relationships with these farmers ensure the consistency and quality our customers have come to trust. Strauss American lambs are born and humanely raised without the use of artificial growth hormones and animal by-products.

It is a little more expensive to buy lamb meat than mutton, but the flavor profile makes the slight extra expense worthwhile. Lamb is classified as red meat due to the high quantities of myoglobin found in it. It is also found in chicken and turkey, but not in nearly the same quantities. There are several grades of sheep meat quality.

It will be classified as lamb, mutton, or yearling. The age of the sheep, fat streaking, conformation, and the firmness of the lean meat are all factors. The nutrient profile between the different grades is pretty similar. Overall, it is a very nutrient-dense food. The nutritional profile of lamb is impressive. It is high in protein, healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins.

It is slaughtered at a younger age, so despite the lack of grain feeding and lesser marbling, it is still very tender.

It is important to note that in New Zealand, as in Australia and many other countries, only animals under 12 months old and without incisors can be labeled " lamb ," whereas in the U. Lamb from New Zealand is also cheaper—even after shipping—than American lamb. While shopping for lamb , you may come across other types although more uncommonly , such as Australian, Icelandic, and French.

Australian lamb, like that from New Zealand lamb, tends to come from smaller animals that have been entirely grass-fed on open pasture. It is leaner and has a deeper flavor than American lamb. Icelandic lamb is rarely found in U. It tends to be the smallest in the lot, with a remarkably delicate flavor and a very tender texture. French lamb is famous, particularly the tender young lamb that feeds on salt marshes a practice growing in frequency in the U.

Like the U. Even much of the lamb for sale in France come from Ireland. The lambs were raised primarily for their wool and the meat was almost a by-product of that industry. This meant a very inconsistent product in size and quality. Today Aussie lamb is also raised for consumption to a specific size and weight which produces a quality product that is less expensive than American domestic lamb.

It is of a medium size and resembles that of American lamb the most. New Zealand has long produced lamb for its wool industry. This breed is of small stature and many believe is of the least quality compared to American and Australian lamb.