Greasy lamb/mutton

[Hilary B]

The reason lamb and mutton are often described as greasy isn't the quantity of fat, but the melting point. Mutton fat stays solid rather warmer than pork or beef fat. That is why tallow (mutton fat) was useable for candles when beeswax was strictly for the wealthy.
One answer is to add oil when roasting. The combination softens the fat so that you don't get that greasy texture.

[Two_Sheds]

I cooked Mr Sheds a roast lamb shoulder last weekend, and it was hell to separate the fat from the meat (fat goes in bin, he's on a diet).
It was much easier to see the fat when the joint was cold the next day.

The rest of the meat went into a lamb curry.

[lynda66]

use the fat for the birds, don't put it in the bin xx

[bubblewrap]

In Crete they boil their mutton then boil rice in the same water.

[BrideXIII]

I love the fat on lamb, specially love all that golden stuff floating on the top of a lamb stew.

I have never yet tried mutton, not sure if my butcher does it? is it more or less expensive than lamb? that might sound like a daft question, but flat mushrooms are twice the price of buttons, and they used to throw the flats away at the mushroom farm cos noone wanted them, now they are 'fashionable' again they cost twice as much

[Two_Sheds]

use the fat for the birds, don't put it in the bin xx

No, I don't want cats or rats, thanks.

The birds get plenty

[Two_Sheds]

I have never yet tried mutton, not sure if my butcher does it? is it more or less expensive than lamb? (

I would guess a bit more, because it's not so popular.
Lamb is 5 months old, mutton is a 2 year old sheep (not exactly ancient then)
Mutton Renaissance - What Is Mutton?

[Hilary B]

We can only get mutton from the farm shop. Hardly ever see it anywhere else. Strictly speaking 'lamb' becomes 'mutton' when there is lamb available from the following season. (ie if the first new season lamb is on offer in May, then that is when any lambs left over from the previous year count as mutton) but it is rarely sold at that point. If it wasn't ready foir slaughter before then, it will probably be kept for another several months.
I have to say that the definitions given in that link are about selling mutton as a fashionable meat. Sheep meat from an animal too old to be called lamb is mutton, exact age, and gender, are not part of the basic definition.
When we grew our own it was often a 3½year old wether, but twice we had youngish ewes which were barren. Ram meat has a 'taint' which most men and many children cannot detect (seems reasonable to assume it is hormonal). Any sheep farm will have the occasional lamb that is not worth the bother of selling. We kept ours for a few years and put them in the freezer when we were ready.

[rustylady]

If you cook lamb long and slow in the oven, preferably on a rack, then the fat melts and runs off. What you do with it is up to you.

[lynda66]

No, I don't want cats or rats, thanks.

The birds get plenty

but isn't it you makes fat seed balls?? for them, i was meaning substitute the suet/whatever for the meat fat.

[Hilary B]

If you cook lamb long and slow in the oven, preferably on a rack, then the fat melts and runs off. What you do with it is up to you.

Yep, but if you baste with oil the dripping off of fat is more thorough, because it reduces the melting temperature. It works, I've done it many times.