We all love eating. There are no if's or buts to that statement. Our love for food is so outreaching that we often don’t even know the contents of our food. Take for example two globally popular meat dishes, lamb and mutton. We know for a fact that they are two different types of meat, but how many of us really know which one comes from where? Well, lamb comes from sheep, while mutton comes from goat, right? Wrong.
The truth is that both lamb and mutton are meats obtained from sheep.The Oxford dictionary defines lamb as ‘a young sheep’, or ‘meat from a young sheep’, while mutton is defined as ‘meat from a fully grown sheep’. Meat from a sheep between the ages of one month and one year is served as lamb, while sheep older that one year is served as mutton.
People, especially in India, have often associated lamb with meat from sheep, and mutton with meat from goat. Meat from goat is actually called chevon. However, don’t beat yourself up over being mistaken about the jargon of meat, as things work a little differently in India. Here, the word mutton is used interchangeably between sheep and goat, but since Indians mostly consume goat, it is the widely accepted term for goat meat. Since we hardly eat sheep, you will seldom be given meat from a sheep if you walk into a butcher’s shop and ask for mutton. Therefore it is not completely wrong to refer to goat meat as mutton.
Most of the differences between lamb and mutton stem from the age of the animal. Now that we are clear about the vernaculars, let’s learn about some other basic differences between lamb and mutton.
Flavour
Lamb: mild and delicate
Mutton: rich and bold
Colour
Lamb: tender pink to pale red
Mutton: deep red
Texture
Lamb: tender
Mutton: firm
Cooking methods
There are three popular methods used for cooking lamb - grilling, braising, and roasting. Grilling is preparing the meat over hot coal, and is most suitable for making burgers or lamb chops. In braising, the meat is first browned in fat and then put in a covered utensil with a small amount of liquid. It can be done on a stove or oven. This method is most suitable for tougher cuts like the shoulder. Roasting is cooking the meat uncovered, which makes the outside of the meat brown and the interior moist. This method is most suitable for tender cuts like the rack of the leg.
The most popular method to prepare mutton is to slow cook, or stew it. Since mutton is a tougher meat with more fat, slow cooking methods like stew tenderizes the meat and brings out the flavour.
Which one is healthier?
Mutton and lamb are highly nutritious, with both providing a high amount of protein. However, mutton contains a higher fat content as compared to lamb. Consuming high fat foods regularly can be detrimental as it builds up cholesterol in the arteries which can lead to heart diseases. Although mutton is a more popular dish than lamb because of its preferred strong flavour, lamb is a healthier choice, although both should be consumed in moderation for optimum health.
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FAQs
Taste: Goat meat tends to be milder and slightly sweeter when compared to lamb meat. Lamb meat is richer and tastes gamey. Nutrition: Goat tends to have more protein than mutton or lamb. Regarding fat content, lamb has more of it than goat meat.
What is the difference between lamb mutton and goat? ›
Goat is a completely different animal species i.e. Capra hircus while Lamb and Mutton come from Sheep i.e. Ovis aries. In terms of tenderness and taste, Goat and Mutton do have similar traits of being tougher and more gamey whereas Lamb has a much more refined taste and softer mouthfeel.
Is Indian mutton goat or lamb? ›
The term "mutton" is applied to goat meat in most countries on the Indian subcontinent, and the goat population has been rising.
Does mutton taste different to lamb? ›
Generally speaking, lamb is a more tender and delicately-flavoured meat. Mutton is a rich, slightly gamey cut with bold flavours which mellow and deepen when slow cooked. The cuts themselves tend to be larger and darker than lamb too.
What is goat meat called in the USA? ›
Goat meat is called either cabrito or chevon. Cabrito is from kids harvested within the first week of birth. Chevron is from older kids. Goat meat is leaner than poultry and other red meats, low in fat and cholesterol and is a source of conjugated linoleic acid.
Is mutton cheaper than lamb? ›
But a few months ago I swapped out my usual lamb for mutton after spotting some available online from Swaledale Butchers in Yorkshire for £4 a kilo cheaper than the lamb. My curry was a success. It had a deep flavour and remained tender as you'd expect of diced lamb, but had more heft and texture to it.
Why is mutton not called sheep? ›
When we talk about killing sheep for meat, we need to distinguish between the different terms producers use for different kinds of meat. Lamb is meat from a young sheep, usually under a year to eighteen months old, while mutton comes from an older sheep, often three years old or more.
Why is lamb more popular than mutton? ›
Because Americans prefer the more delicate taste of lamb, it is more expensive than mutton and much easier to find in regular markets. Common cuts in the U.S. are shoulder roast, rack, loin chops, and leg of lamb.
How old is mutton when slaughtered? ›
MUTTON (Older than 24 months)
It is particularly ideal for casseroles and slow cookers. Mutton status takes over once the hogget reaches two years old and there are connoisseurs who enjoy it best for its darker meat flavour at four years old.
What is goat meat called in India? ›
In India however, we often refer to both sheep and goat meat as mutton.
Which one is healthier? Mutton and lamb are highly nutritious, with both providing a high amount of protein. However, mutton contains a higher fat content as compared to lamb. Consuming high fat foods regularly can be detrimental as it builds up cholesterol in the arteries which can lead to heart diseases.
What is baby lamb meat called? ›
Mutton refers to the flesh of the mature ram or ewe at least one year old; the meat of sheep between 12 and 20 months old may be called yearling mutton. The meat of sheep 6 to 10 weeks old is usually sold as baby lamb, and spring lamb is from sheep of age five to six months. rack of lamb.
What is horse meat called? ›
Proponents of horse meat often refer to it as chevaline. Compared to beef, horse meat contains similar levels of protein and much lower fat levels.
Can you buy mutton in the US? ›
If you're looking to get your hands on some mutton, “you'd have to go through a specialty butcher shop or directly to a special-order processor,” she says. Mutton has less tender flesh and a stronger flavor than lamb, which comes from sheep that are less than a year old.
What is the closest meat to goat? ›
But goat isn't just an adequate substitute for other meats. Though its closest texture comparison point is lamb, goat is a meat all its own. Its flavor is unique, and can take some who didn't grow up with it in their diets by surprise.
What country eats the most goat meat? ›
The highest level of goat meat consumption anywhere in the world is Sudan, where 8.6 pounds of goat is consumed per person annually. The industrialized country with the biggest appetite for goat is China, with 3.5 pounds eaten per capita each year.
What is the meat called between lamb and mutton? ›
Hogget' refers to animals between 1-2 years old, and is a delicious combination of tender lamb and full-flavoured mutton. Hogget can be cooked hot and quick like lamb, or low and slow – anywhere in between and it might toughen up. It is a very versatile meat and has a nice fat to meat ratio.
Is lamb meat male or female? ›
Mutton is meat from adult sheep. “Lamb- a young sheep under 12 months of age which does not have any permanent incisor teeth in wear.” “Mutton- the meat of a female (ewe) or castrated male (wether) sheep having more than two permanent incisors in wear.”
Is mutton as tender as lamb? ›
Mutton is fattier and more flavourful than lamb, but it is also tougher, and will require more cooking, particularly if the meat is taken from a hard working part of the animal like the leg or shoulder.
Is a ram a goat or lamb? ›
Male sheep are called rams, the females ewes, and immature animals lambs. Mature sheep weigh from about 35 to as much as 180 kg (80 to 400 pounds).
