Aussie v. Kiwi v. 'Merica Lamb

legendaryhog

legendaryhog

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Seriously, no offense to any Aussies or Kiwis out there, and I actually am looking for your input as well as my fellow countrymen.

What would you say the difference is between lamb from Australia v. New Zealand v. America? Some of our older generation in the US have told me only buy American lamb because the lamb from overseas is more "mutton" tasting. Growing up, the rare times we would have lamb (it was expensive and at that time we did not have much money) it always had to be American.

This has got to be bs, right? Now I eat lamb more frequently, it awesome on the smoker, but I usually get it from a local farmer. However, I have seen Aussie and Kiwi lamb at the store. Is this worth trying? Is there a difference?
 
Yes, there is a difference. Until recently, the only available product at the local grocer was either NZ or Oz sourced. Now, I can get US raised. To me, the US cuts I've been getting seem to be a bit larger, as if from a slightly older animal, and not QUITE as tender. Close, and memory is having to serve me on this, but there does seem to be a difference. Not necessarily better, but there.
 
Dude....

This just begs for an honest non biased answer...

Kiwi lambs is best because its nice young and tender, transport distances to the works are low and its an industry that we are world leaders in.

Aussie lamb is a bit tougher due primarily to stress. The distance between farm and slaughterhouses are phenominal, its a blinking huge country..... but the real spoiler is all the "attention" the poor lambs get from every male that they come in contact with throughout their lives... Aussies are not called sheep shaggers for nothing and the poor old stressed out abused lambs show it!!!!

Muzza in Perth W.A. for a while.
 
Murray in N.Z. said:
Dude....

This just begs for an honest non biased answer...

Kiwi lambs is best because its nice young and tender, transport distances to the works are low and its an industry that we are world leaders in.

Aussie lamb is a bit tougher due primarily to stress. The distance between farm and slaughterhouses are phenominal, its a blinking huge country..... but the real spoiler is all the "attention" the poor lambs get from every male that they come in contact with throughout their lives... Aussies are not called sheep shaggers for nothing and the poor old stressed out abused lambs show it!!!!

Muzza in Perth W.A. for a while.
Click to expand...
So the Aussie's are exporting "entertainment centers"?
 
Getting back to topic, American lamb is, I believe, finished on grain.
 
legendaryhog said:
Seriously, no offense to any Aussies or Kiwis out there, and I actually am looking for your input as well as my fellow countrymen.

What would you say the difference is between lamb from Australia v. New Zealand v. America? Some of our older generation in the US have told me only buy American lamb because the lamb from overseas is more "mutton" tasting. Growing up, the rare times we would have lamb (it was expensive and at that time we did not have much money) it always had to be American.

This has got to be bs, right? Now I eat lamb more frequently, it awesome on the smoker, but I usually get it from a local farmer. However, I have seen Aussie and Kiwi lamb at the store. Is this worth trying? Is there a difference?
Click to expand...
There will be a difference.
US kill at an older age, and are grain fed to finish which mellows the natural flavour.
The Aussie/ Nz lamb will taste of....well...lamb, not mutton.
The US lamb is called hogget here, too old to be classed as lamb.
I believe the board making the decision to age and grain feed is doing a disservice to their Mericun customers, if you don't like lamb then buy another protein, but I'm pretty sure Mericuns will love it just fine.
 
buccaneer said:
There will be a difference.
US kill at an older age, and are grain fed to finish which mellows the natural flavour.
The Aussie/ Nz lamb will taste of....well...lamb, not mutton.
The US lamb is called hogget here, too old to be classed as lamb.
I believe the board making the decision to age and grain feed is doing a disservice to their Mericun customers, if you don't like lamb then buy another protein, but I'm pretty sure Mericuns will love it just fine.
Click to expand...

OK, that confirms my thoughts. The leg I cooked last week most definitely had a more, "beefy", taste that was really apparent upon reheating. Thought I was perhaps imagining something.
 
I was in Malaysia a few years ago and the only Lamb I could find was from New Zealand.
I could not tell any difference.
We had a lot of drought a few years ago, I believe lots was sold here then, never heard a complaint.
never tried Merican sheep, I hear they carry/packin
 
I've had lamb in US, NZ, and OZ. The Kiwi lamb was by far the best I've had. The lamb I bought from a Kiwi supermarket was better than many restaurants I've had in the U.S. Very tender and less gamey than the U.S. lambs. Aussie lamb was good too but not as tender/flavorful. American lamb is much more gamey than either, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
 
I'm partial to domestic lamb, and in addition to lamb, the Co-Op I purchase from does offer slightly larger cuts from yearlings.

The best advice is to try a side-by-side cook using the best quality from each source you can find. The lamb I buy is graded "Choice and Higher" and is raised right here in the Rocky Mountain states.

IMG_1148.jpg
 
Gore said:
All I know is what I've heard and that is that the red ones are definitely the fastest, ... or was that the green ones. Fark, what thread is this? :noidea:
Click to expand...
:pound:
Exactly what I have been thinking!

Look, saying one is better than the other be it Wales, NZ Aus USA is a pretty stupid discussion.
If you took USA lamb at the same age(Under 1 year with no permanent teeth and grass fed) and matched it to any other eating breed from similar conditions in the other countries, you are going to flat out fail a blind taste test.
Then, there is the fact that its an agricultural product and changes from area to area and season to season, as does the food it eats.
Wales and NZ have premium conditions as a rule, but that fluctuates.
Australia benefits from breeding that compensates, but I couldn't pick between Welsh, NZ and say, Southern NSW highland lamb, it is impossible.
Here we get some great varients depending if they fed on saltbush, Tassie grass or high altitude grass and so on.
Even semi arid breeds with natural wilderness feed have some remarkable flavours.
And orange sheep are fastest.:tongue:
 
I rotisserie cooked a Kiwi leg of lamb this past weekend. Here are my observations...

1. Fark! That chit is expensive.

2. Did I really just pay that much for five pounds of sheep?

3. For that price, I better not fark this up.

4. It did seem to have a more pronounced lamb flavor. That can be a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on how you feel about lamb flavor. I liked it.

5. i still can't believe I paid that much for five pounds of sheep. :becky:

CD
 
Murray in N.Z. said:
Dude....

This just begs for an honest non biased answer...

Kiwi lambs is best because its nice young and tender, transport distances to the works are low and its an industry that we are world leaders in.

Aussie lamb is a bit tougher due primarily to stress. The distance between farm and slaughterhouses are phenominal, its a blinking huge country..... but the real spoiler is all the "attention" the poor lambs get from every male that they come in contact with throughout their lives... Aussies are not called sheep shaggers for nothing and the poor old stressed out abused lambs show it!!!!

Muzza in Perth W.A. for a while.
Click to expand...

Strange that a Kiwi is making suggestions about Aussies and sheep.
In Australia we have known for years about the Kiwis!!!
Question: How do you spell "sheep" in New Zealand?
!
!
Answer: Put them in the top paddock and leave them alone for a few weeks!!!

Clearly the flavour/tenderness of lamb is a factor of breed, feeding & age.
For me one of the best cuts is a leg of mutton (old & tough). Brined as if making a ham or corned beef. Cold smoke for 6 hours. Then Sous Vide at 135F for 48 hours. Sear and serve. Wow. Tender and great flavour.
 
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