Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It seems like in the US and Canada, sheep meat's not one that's consumed very much, and few people seem to eat it on a regular basis, compared to pork, beef or chicken.
Is it because of it's "gamey" taste? It's supposed more popular in the UK and Europe for instance, so it's curious why it's an example of cuisine hasn't carried over historically. North America does have lots of land that's good for pasture, but beef is the big thing.
Lamb or mutton seems far more popular in the Old World cultures (at least from anecdote or the general feeling I get). I've heard lamb is becoming a bit more popular in some large cities with immigrants whose home regions often eat it (ie. Middle East or other parts of Asia).
It seems like in the US and Canada, sheep meat's not one that's consumed very much, and few people seem to eat it on a regular basis, compared to pork, beef or chicken.
Is it because of it's "gamey" taste? It's supposed more popular in the UK and Europe for instance, so it's curious why it's an example of cuisine hasn't carried over historically. North America does have lots of land that's good for pasture, but beef is the big thing.
Lamb or mutton seems far more popular in the Old World cultures (at least from anecdote or the general feeling I get). I've heard lamb is becoming a bit more popular in some large cities with immigrants whose home regions often eat it (ie. Middle East or other parts of Asia).
The cattle lobby is big money, has been for a long long time. Just like the corn lobby got big tariffs slapped on cane sugar imports to quell competition, the cattle lobby worked to actively keep sheep ranchers out. Thus, the American public has much less taste for sheep than they do for beef.
As an Aussie in the Pacific NW USA, I really really miss my lamb. It is DEFINITELY more pricey here though when you CAN get it - and I've given up even looking for places to get lamb's liver (which is way less coarse than beef liver that is generally available here).
I have noticed however that Australian and New Zealand lamb has a MUCH milder flavour than the USA raised lamb, not sure why that is.
Mmmmm laaamb. I love lamb and like mutton too. I actually prefer a lamby taste to lamb, instead of the really young or milder tasting lamb. My mouth is watering now thinking of lamb marrow from a double cut loin chop.
Anyway, I think it's the price and the different taste (than beef). We don't even eat a lot of veal here in the US and I don't think it's for ethical reasons but because it's different and pricey. Of course, hunters will get their own venison and that suffices for the game taste, I guess.
I would say it's because lambs are cute. It's like eating a little poodle. I've eaten lamb, and taste-wise, I can take it or leave it, but all I could think of was "this was once a cute woolly little lamby-pie."
I also think most of us don't like the idea of eating a "baby" anything.
Veal and lamb are babies...cute. We prefer to buy calendars with pictures of baby cows, lambs, puppies, kittens, baby chicks, rather than eat them. I gave up veal in high school because of the torture/hobbling thing, but even now when there is grass-fed, free range veal, I can't eat it because it's a "cute widdle baby cow."
I also think that we've been fortunate in that we haven't really experienced periods of actual hunger here in the US. If you come from a country where there were hundreds of years or even several decades of hunger, you get less hung-up on the cuteness of the animal. If you've been generally well-fed most of your life, more and more animals go into your "cute & cuddly" category than your "yummy tasty" category.
Just my 2 cents.
Yes, I believe all the economic reasons too, like the cattle industry, tariffs, etc, but you can't rule out the cuteness factor.
Mmmmm laaamb. I love lamb and like mutton too. I actually prefer a lamby taste to lamb, instead of the really young or milder tasting lamb. My mouth is watering now thinking of lamb marrow from a double cut loin chop.
Anyway, I think it's the price and the different taste (than beef). We don't even eat a lot of veal here in the US and I don't think it's for ethical reasons but because it's different and pricey. Of course, hunters will get their own venison and that suffices for the game taste, I guess.
Oh for sure, I haven't had veal since I left Australia nearly 10 years ago - sigh.
I would say it's because lambs are cute. It's like eating a little poodle. I've eaten lamb, and taste-wise, I can take it or leave it, but all I could think of was "this was once a cute woolly little lamby-pie."
I also think most of us don't like the idea of eating a "baby" anything.
Veal and lamb are babies...cute. We prefer to buy calendars with pictures of baby cows, lambs, puppies, kittens, baby chicks, rather than eat them. I gave up veal in high school because of the torture/hobbling thing, but even now when there is grass-fed, free range veal, I can't eat it because it's a "cute widdle baby cow."
I also think that we've been fortunate in that we haven't really experienced periods of actual hunger here in the US. If you come from a country where there were hundreds of years or even several decades of hunger, you get less hung-up on the cuteness of the animal. If you've been generally well-fed most of your life, more and more animals go into your "cute & cuddly" category than your "yummy tasty" category.
Just my 2 cents.
Yes, I believe all the economic reasons too, like the cattle industry, tariffs, etc, but you can't rule out the cuteness factor.
Having raised my fair share of poddy lambs and calves yeah I agree with the "cuteness" factor - but I'm willing to close my mind to that for a nice lamb roast or viener schnitzel
We have boneless leg of lamb and also lamb chops when they are on sale. Both, however, tend to be very expensive, but if they were not we would have them more often. Most of the time, when I buy them they're from Sam's Club.
It is not because lambs are cute. All animals we eat are cute.
I guess any meats that are not widely used are more expensive, so it's vicious circle.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
