April 10, 2015
Larry Crowe/AP
Leg of lamb with cherry and port wine sauce is seen in this April 11, 2010 photo.
Baaaaaad news for lambs - A novel method for preparing the meat, which includes curing and smoking until it is tender, has been gaining the attention of American foodies and chefs alike.
Coined "lamb ham," the dish takes six months to produce because of the lengthy curing process, which is said to result in a supreme texture and tenderness that surpasses pork ham.
It’s "stunning, like nothing I have had before," shepherd Craig Rogers, owner of Virginia's Border Springs grass-fed lamb farm and one of the individuals resurrecting the lamb ham, told NPR. "The richness of the lamb, coupled with salt and hickory smoke, creates this buttery, nutty, tender dish.”
In an interview with NPR speaking on the resurrection of the lamb ham, Rogers shared the news that he is partnering with third-generation country-ham curemaster Sam Edwards, of Surry, Virginia, to produce lamb ham.
"We are engaging in a controlled fermentation process, and that's what gives the meat its flavor,” Edwards told NPR. “This lamb ham is sweet, buttery and smoky, with just a hint of lamb flavor."
Edwards and Rogers’ lamb ham recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and should hit the shelves in 2016, NPR reports.
If a year seems too long to wait, Rogers recommends cooking your own "city" cured lamb ham, using the recipe shared in the NPR article.
FOR RUB
DIRECTIONS
Dissolve sugar and salt in boiling water. Cool to room temperature. Add in remaining ingredients and pour over deboned leg of lamb. Cover, refrigerate and brine for six days.
Pull out and let dry in a cooler for two days.
Coat with the mixture of ground fennel seed, coriander seed and chili flake. Roast, tie or put in a bag.
Smoke at about 200-225 degrees until the internal temperature hits about 150 degrees (about five to six hours). Then, let cool.
