Does Lamb Stink?

SmokinParrotHead

Wifey says she can't eat lamb because she use to get physically ill when smelling it being cooked when she use to work in a restaurant way back when. I have never done lamb, but reeeeaaaalllly want to try some. Does it have a distinct odor when being cooked on the Egg??

texasAUtiger

I marinated mine in soy and it had a little of a savory smell (this was rack not leg) while cooking. Out of the package it smelled the way I like my meat to smell---like nothingness! ;-)

Slotmercenary

Greetings,
I would venture to say that mutton has more of a strong odor than spring lamb. Unfortunately I have no desire to eat either as I got my fill while living in the middle east.

Desert Oasis Woman

NO!

Hoss

MUTTON! It even sounds FUNKY! :unsure:

Hoss

I think they are first cousins to a GOAT! :laugh:

Firetruck

Kinda has that armpit sorta bouquet :laugh: JK I think :huh:

Sure taste fine though

Desert Oasis Woman

:woohoo: I LOVE cabrito!!!! Laredo style -- pre drug wars

Hoss

:laugh: It is a 2nd cousin to venision! A deer is just a woods goat! :laugh:

Little Chef

Lamb smells like lamb...but it certainly doesn't "stink". Your wife may have been around Mutton (which is stronger), or, bad lamb in the restaurant. If you are going to try to re-introduce her to lamb, do a frenched RACK of lamb. See Reelgems "Sunday Night Dinner" post posted today.....she did a phenominal job, and provides a perfect example to follow.

mkc

You might try brining lamb overnight in buttermilk - that's what I do to minimize the gaminess. Just trim off the obvious fat, sprinkle with kosher salt then cover with buttermilk (non reactive container) and let soak in the fridge overnight. Besides minimizing the gaminess the buttermilk also seems to tenderize the meat.

-M

Hoss

Anne's cook looked FAB!She credited you for the recepie!Guess that's what I get for missin the Florida fest! :( I got a room booked for Pat's mini fest at Tuckaway!Can't wait!All the BEST to you and Tim!!!

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I have had lamb twice out side of me cooking it:
Once at the Caspian Bistro (very Middle Eastern) and once on (of all places, who would have thunk?) Amtrak’s Empire Builder. Both were excellent!! And, if memory serves, both were roasted leg or shank of some sort.
I have only done chops a few times here at home, once in the buttermilk as LC has mentioned and once with just S&P! Both were grilled and both were very good! But then I really like venison too !
But really though...I didn’t get any off taste or stink with any of the preparations.
I have to say that I have had mutton too (my late uncle went from dairy to sheep in the early to mid 60’s) and it was good. Yes, Lamb is better!
Now I’ll give, my auntie was a hell of a good cook, making stuff from stuff that you just didn’t even want to know about!
And, uncle maintained that it was the butcher that made for good or bad taste. He ALWAYS cut everything fresh and the “critter” was never stressed!
Also...Somewhere in my brain, I seem to remember something about the skinning process and how great care had to be taken not to contact the meat with the wool.
But hey...That was a long time ago and I have perhaps forgotten more than I really think I have forgotten !
No matter, I have liked the lamb I have cooked and eaten and I have never experienced any “stink”!

Gator Bait

You might want to start out with some New Zealand lamb. It is extremely mild, more so than Australian or Colorado lamb. Most of what I find today is from New Zealand. When I was young, most of the lamb was probably domestic (Colorado) and a lot stronger than what we get today. I love lamb chops and did these about a week ago. They were as good as any steak I have had in a long time. :cheer:

Gator

 

Village Idiot

I have no new information, but will reinforce what others have said.

When I was growing up, my mom would fix mutton. To me, "stink" is an understatement. It is the most vile aroma I can remember from my youth. 20 years later, I tried it again, this time from my sis-in-law's show lamb. It was OK until I got a faint wisp of that mutton smell. I pushed my plate away.

However, about a month ago, I fixed my wife a rack of lamb that I bought cryovaced from Costco. It was absolutely great !!! No "mutton" smell or taste at all.

So, bottom line, if you get a good one, it's great. Otherwise, I'd rather eat tofu.
:(

Primeggister1

That is called chemically raised lamb. My father raises 150-200 per year and when we cook it, there should be no odour at all from the meat, what so ever. End of story!

fishlessman

rare to med/rare its got a sweet smell and taste, after that it tastes like mutton to me. i sometimes eat it raw and its served that way around here. its the fat that stinks on lamb, dont like the way it tastes either, i trim it off before cooking

fishlessman

those little center cut lamb chops are like candy

irishrog

I worked in hotels for many years, and cook lamb on the egg at least once a week, so I can give you a definitive answer.
When quantities of lamb are cooked commercially, you will certainly get a smell when they come out of the oven. If they are being carved in a kitchen for a party or dinner then there is a distinctive smell around for a while, and if the chef collects the juices and uses them to cook boulangere potatoes then you will certainly get a smell of lamb.
Like all smells, some people like it, and some people hate it.
Lamb on the egg on the other hand is a very different matter. First, you are cooking in the fresh air, so the smell is not contained within a kitchen environment. 2, you are only cooking a small amount of meat, whereas in a restaurant or hotel you are cooking large quantities.3, chefs often try to impart additional flavours into lamb, especially is it is not top grade and needs flavour or indeed tenderising.
I was regularly in the kitchens when the chef would cook up to 70 legs of lamb on the same day, and then use the juices for boulangere potatoes. After the lamb was cooled and carved, it was later reheated and served at dinners and parties. Everything was done to the highest standards by an excellent chef, but yes, there was a very distinctive smell around for a few hours, which could be a little off putting. However, that has never stopped me cooking lamb, and I have to say the only strong smell I get when cooking lamb in the egg is from the garlic, rosemary, thyme and wood flavours I deliberately add to create beautiful food.
I have cooked a whole lamb in the egg with spectacular results and would recommend this to anybody who is adventurouse, and wants a wow factor from a cook.
I hope this helps to persuade your wife to enjoy a beautiful meat, just dont over cook it and you will be rewarded.n Start with a butterflied leg, this cooks in 40/50 minutes, and will give you med rare to med well done meat all on the same joint.
Greetings from Ireland, Roger

Unknown

According on which end your smellin of.