# do you hang your lamb?



## InHisName

After butchering, do you hang your lamb- or immediately process it? Have you found it to make a difference?


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## Bearfootfarm

I like to age all meat for a week or so.
I think it makes it more tender


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## Ronney

No - other than for 24 hours to allow the meat to "set". If you don't do this you will find yourself chasing the meat all over the place as it is soft, pliable and rolls around.

BF, if you have to hang a lamb for a week there is something wrong with your lambs. Their age alone should make them tender. We don't eat lamb - find it a tasteless, insipid meat - and nothing gets killed under hogget and even that is only hung to allow the meat to set.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## houndlover

We hang it in our shop, at about 40 degrees, for about a week. Trim all the fat off first, every bit you can get to.


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## Ronney

houndlover said:


> We hang it in our shop, at about 40 degrees, for about a week. Trim all the fat off first, every bit you can get to.


Now tell me Houndlover, why would you want to do this. Why would you need to hang a lamb for a week and trim off every bit of fat you can get to. If this is how Amercans treat sheep meat of any age, no wonder so many can't stand it.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## LibertyWool

I think it is common to hang lamb here in the US. My butcher does hang it for up to a week, but that is probably just more his schedule than anything (he is very busy in the fall). He does not trim the fat and I end up with a nice covering on my chops, roasts, etc.


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## Carol K

Ronney, I have used several butchers in the US and they do tend to take almost all of the fat off. I have to be sure to give instructions to mine to leave a good fat covering on all my meat, but I'm a Brit and am used to having some fat on for taste.
I never asked my butcher if he hangs lamb, I am picking one up this weekend so will try and remember to ask him.

Carol K


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## Bearfootfarm

> BF, if you have to hang a lamb for a week there is something wrong with your lambs. Their age alone should make them tender


They are tender even if you don't age them.
Aging makes them MORE tender

I ususally have to do it on ice in a cooler since our weather is unpredictable and long cold spells are rare

http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/meat_quality/aging_meat.html



> Carcasses or meat are aged by holding them at refrigeration temperatures for extended periods of time after slaughter and initial chill.
> Aging (or conditioning as it is called in many countries)* improves the tenderness and flavor *of meat. There are two methods for aging meat: wet aging and dry aging.


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## suzyhomemaker09

Roffle...when taking hogget sheep from my DMiL's place to my local processor...he pronounced that he'd never in his life seen fatter sheep...there were occasions in the past where he actually charged me a bit more for processing as the animals were so large .


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## Slev

no Ronney, I think you're missing out. True that a lamb may not "need" the extra time hanging, but when you're processing an older one, that hanging time makes a world of difference. Also as mentioned before, I have not had a better tasting cut of meat than a leg of lamb after it has been smoked like a ham. (so why settle for "cull prices" on your sheep when you know the secret to get the most out of your farm?) you know, sometimes the old timers actually knew a thing or two... at least that's what I've found out from studying all of my history and stuff.... Happy Thanksgiving everyone


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## houndlover

I've been raising sheep for a long time. I trust what I'm doing. I don't know what you do, but it if works for you, great.


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## Slev

houndlover said:


> I've been raising sheep for a long time. I trust what I'm doing. I don't know what you do, but it if works for you, great.


..where's the stupid :like: button on HT..?


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## Jcran

I HATE the taste of old lamb...we are processing my dear departed friend's lambs tomorrow as her children (all my age, lol) are in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. These lambs will be 10 months old at butcher. I like mine no older than 6 months and I know you all will laugh at me, but I've got my big girl panties on and I can take it:gaptooth: Shortly after Jean died in July, I suggested butchering in August. But they decided to go with her "master plan" which had the lambs set for slaughter in October. I don't raise lambs myself, but always get a really good deal on organic pasture fed Black Welsh Mountain sheep and can cover the cost of buying two by selling the second one for the cost I paid for both. So I guess it doesn't matter that they only dress out to about 30-40 lbs, lol. It's free and yummy.


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## kit

Here are my two cents... we butcher on the farm and take it to be cut and wrapped. They hang it for 24 hours and we bring it home in nice little packages and it tastes wonderful! But we only butcher lambs and I thoroughly enjoy tastless meat. LOL!!! Actually can not wrap my mind around eating an older animal...


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