Market Sheep (Anatomy and Cuts) By: Dustin W. Warren

Parts of a Lamb

Carcass Breakdown Typical live weight = 120 lbs. Carcass weight = 60 lbs. (50% of live weight) Saleable retail cuts = 42 lbs. (70% of carcass weight) Fat and bones = 18 lbs.(30% of carcass weight)

PRIMAL AND SUBPRIMAL CUTS OF LAMB

Shoulder Shoulder The primal lamb shoulder is a relatively large cut accounting for 36% of the carcass weight. The lamb shoulder contains four rib bones and the arm, blade and neck bones as well as many small, tough muscles whose grains travel in different directions. All these bones and muscle groups make it nearly impossible to cook and carve a whole shoulder. Although the shoulder may be cut into chops, or boned and then roasted or braised, with or without stuffing, it is more commonly diced for stew or ground for patties.

Shoulder Cont. From the Shoulder (approximately 8 pounds per shoulder) Blade Chops = 1 lb. Arm Chops = 1 lb. Ground Lamb = 1 lb. Rolled Shoulder = 8 lbs. Fat and Bone = 5 lbs.

Breast The primal lamb breast contains the breast and foreshank portions of the carcass. Together they account for approximately 17% of the carcass weight and contain the rib, breast and shank bones. The primal breast is located beneath the primal rack and contains the rib tips, which are cut off to produce the rack.

Breast Cont. From the Breast (approximately 2 pounds per breast) Boneless Rolled Breast = 2 lbs. Fat and Bone = 2 lbs.

Rack The primal lamb rack is also known as the hotel rack. It is located between the primal shoulder and loin. Containing eight ribs and portions of the backbone, it accounts for approximately 8 % of the carcass weight.

Rack Cont. From the Rack (approximately 4 pounds per rack) Rack Chops = 6 lbs. Riblets = 1 lb. Fat and Bone = 1 lb.

Loin The loin is located between the primal rib and leg. It contains rib number 13 and portions of the backbone as well as the loin eye muscle, tenderloin and flank. It accounts for approximately 13% of the carcass weight. Except for the flank, the loin meat is very tender and is invariably cooked using a dry-heat method such as broiling, grilling or roasting. The loin may be boned to produce boneless roasts or chops or cut into chops with the bone in. The loin eye may be removed and cut into medallions or noisettes

Loin Cont. From the Loin (approximately 4 pounds per loin) Loin Chops = 6 lbs. Ground Lamb = .5 lb. Lamb Stew = .5 lb. Fat and Bone = 1 lb.

Leg The primal leg is a large section accounting for approximately 34 % of the carcass weight. It is the posterior portion of the carcass, separated from the loin by a straight cut anterior to the hipbone cartilage. As with veal, the cut of meat that would be the sirloin on a beef carcass is separated from the lamb loin by this cut and becomes part of the primal leg.

Leg Cont. The lamb leg contains several bones: the backbone, tail, hip, aitch, round and shank bones. The primal leg is rarely used as is. More often, it is split into two legs and partially or frilly boned. Lamb legs are quite tender-the sirloin end more so than the shank end-and are well suited to a variety of cooking methods Steaks can also be cut from the hone-in leg, with the sirloin end producing the most tender cuts. The shank end can he diced for stew or ground for patties.

Leg Cont. From the leg (approximately 10 pounds per leg) Sirloin Chops = 3 lbs. Frenched or American Leg = 11 lbs. Fat and Bone = 6 lbs.

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