7 myths about lamb and why they are not true (plus an exciting announcement!)

Lamb is delicious, full of nutrients and incredibly versatile, so why don’t we eat more of it? I think the problem is so often we believe in myths surrounding lamb, myths which simply are not true. So today it’s my aim to bust those myths!

 

 

 

An Exciting Announcement!

But before I do, I have some very exciting news to tell you all. As you know, I am a huge fan of lamb and there are loads of delicious lamb recipes on my blog. I’m also a big champion of easy, hassle-free recipes – I believe food should be delicious, easy and fun, not stressful and time consuming!

 

So I am very excited to tell you that the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ campaign has asked me to become their Lambassador in 2017!

 

 

‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’, is an EU funded campaign to encourage us all that lamb is exciting, delicious and so much more than a Sunday roast with mint sauce (although that’s really nice too!). 

 

This year, in my role as a Lambassador, I will be sharing lots of delicious, easy and exciting lamb recipes, as well as interesting facts and information about lamb and generally encouraging everyone to think a little differently about this tasty and versatile meat – it’s not just for Sunday, but makes a great, easy and delicious meal any day of the week!

 

 

 

7 myths about lamb and why they are not true

I’m passionate about lamb – lamb is delicious, full of nutrients and incredibly versatile, so why don’t we eat more of it? Sadly lamb is all too often seen as too expensive, tricky to cook or simply a meat to be saved for Sunday roasts, but none of this is true! I think the problem is so often we believe in the myths surrounding lamb. So today it’s my aim to bust those myths!

 

 

 

1. Lamb is expensive

NOT TRUE! Economical cuts of lamb, such as shoulder and neck fillet mean you can still enjoy lamb on a midweek budget. Diced lamb and lamb mince are also good choices. Why not try this quick and delicious Lamb Keema Biryani, made using lamb mince as a midweek option?

 

 

And don’t forget larger cuts, like leg of lamb, which you might have for a Sunday roast, go a long way. Leftovers can be used for delicious midweek meals, such as shepherd’s pie, chilli con carne or even stuffed into a pitta for a tasty workday lunch. During my lambassadorship I will be sharing delicious recipes for using up your roast lamb leftovers.

 

 

2. Lamb is difficult to cook

NOT TRUE! The lamb recipes on my blog show that lamb is easy peasy too cook with! You just need a few good recipes. Why not try this easy peasy Moroccan Lamb Traybake – a show stopping main that takes less than 45 minutes to make and only uses one pan! Plus most of that time the lamb is in the oven doing its thing. Perfect for a stress-free midweek meal (but impressive enough to make for a special occasion too!).

 

 

During my lambassadorship I will be sharing lots of really easy lamb recipes that take very little effort or expertise, yet really deliver on flavour.

 

 

3. Lamb is just for Sunday roasts

NOT TRUE! While a leg, shoulder or rack of lamb does make a beautiful and delicious centrepiece for Sunday lunch or a dinner party, there are plenty of quick, easy and delicious ways of cooking lamb midweek too:

 

• Lamb Mince: This can be quickly and easily turned into lamb burgers, lamb meatballs, lamb chilli or even a lamb bolognese! Why not try this fabulous recipe for Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, or my delicious and super simple 30 minute Lamb Keema Biryani?
• Lamb Steaks and Chops: These can be grilled or pan-fried in just a few minutes and served with potatoes, rice or pasta and a quick salad or steamed veggies for a quick and easy midweek dinner.
• Cubed Lamb Shoulder: Don’t you just love meals where everything can be thrown into one pot and left to do its thing in the oven while you relax, go to the gym or run errands? I find these kind of meals especially great for those days when the kids have clubs after school – I can simply prep my stew, tagine or chilli earlier in the day when I have more time, pop it in the oven and it’s ready and waiting for us when we are back late. This fab Lamb Stew with Spices and Butternut Squash works perfectly in this scenario. Cubed lamb shoulder is a great cut for the slow cooker too.
• Mini Roast: What about having all the fun and flavour of a good roast lamb dinner in the middle of the week and all ready in under an hour? Sounds too good to be true? Then let me introduce you to the lamb mini roast. Tasty lamb mini roasts come from the same areas as larger roasts, such as the leg and the shoulder, they are just a little bit smaller. A mini roast is easy to cook and is perfect for a mid-week dinner as it cooks in under an hour. If you want to try out this cut, check out this delicious recipe for Herb Crusted Lamb Mini Roast Traybake

 

 

 

4. Lamb doesn’t go with anything apart from mint sauce

NOT TRUE! Lamb is an incredibly versatile meat and pairs well with an amazing array of different flavours – top flavour pairings for lamb include, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cumin, chilli, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, garam masala, harissa, red wine, coconut milk, tomato based sauces and fresh coriander. Lamb even works well with Asian flavours, such as soy sauce and sesame oil, as this fab recipe for Chinese Style Lamb Fried Rice demonstrates.

 

 

 

5. Lamb takes a long time to cook

NOT TRUE! Well, ok not ALWAYS true. Of course a lovely slow cooked shoulder of lamb could take up to 5 hours to cook (but it would taste AMAZING and be well worth it.) But let’s face it, most of the time I don’t have 5 hours to hang around while my lamb cooks, especially not midweek, and I’d sure you don’t either! But the good news is most cuts of lamb don’t take nearly this long. If you don’t have long try this quick and delicious Harissa Lamb with Chickpea and Pomegranate Salad, which can be in the table in just 25 minutes.

 

 

If you are looking for more inspiration for more lamb recipes which can be cooked in under an hour, check out www.tastyeasylamb.co.uk, where you can find lots of recipes that can be prepared in less than an hour and many that can be on the table in under 30 minutes!

 

 

6. Lamb is boring

NOT TRUE! You only need to take a quick peek at my lamb recipe collection to know that this is certainly not true! Lamb is a fantastically versatile meat that pairs well with many flavours from around the globe. Lamb is wonderful in a curry, such as this tasty Lamb Rogan Josh, but is equally at home with Mediterranean flavours, for example in this delicious Greek-Style Lamb Traybake and is completely delicious in Middle Eastern cuisine too – such as this fab Lamb and Apricot Tagine.

 

 

 

7. Lamb is unhealthy

NOT TRUE! Lamb is a rich source of protein, as well as providing seven vitamins and minerals, such as zinc and B vitamins, that contribute towards good health and wellbeing.

 

 

 

 

Don’t miss out!

As part of my role as a Lambassador I will be sharing lots of tasty, easy and fun lamb recipes as well as lots of interesting facts and information about lamb.

 

 

If you want to make sure you don’t miss any of this lamby inspiration, makes sure you follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Or why not subscribe to the blog and get tasty, easy and fun lamb recipes (as well as a whole host of other delicious things) straight to your inbox every week?

 

Look out for my first lamb recipe of 2017 coming very soon!

 

 

*This is a collaborative post with the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ campaign.