9 Lamb Chop Recipes That Have Us Ditching The Ham This Easter (2024)

FAQs

Is it okay to eat lamb on Easter? ›

For Christians, the lamb is more a representation of Jesus sacrificing himself and dying on the cross – Jesus being “the lamb of God”. It's most likely that Christians eat lamb at Easter to remember this sacrifice. The sacrificial lamb is mentioned in the Old Testament, when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son.

Leg of Lamb (traditional and tasty)

Bought either as bone-in or boned and easy to carve, this is one of the most flavoursome and tender cuts of lamb. Roast in the oven and finish on the barbeque for a wholesome, smoky flavour.

According to USDA, advertised retail lamb prices currently run between $7.99 per pound for shoulder blade chops and $12.41 for loin chops, while ham ranges in price from $1.99 to $5.01 per pound.

What's a traditional Easter menu include? The main dish for an Easter meal varies, but some typical dishes include honey-baked ham, pot roast, pork chops, and fish. Some popular side dishes include scalloped or mashed potatoes, spring vegetables, and dinner rolls.

Ham is the most traditional Easter meat. Although it's also popular at Christmas and many Thanksgiving tables include ham as an additional meat entree, Easter is when ham fully occupies the spotlight. Most conventional hams are cured with sugar or honey, which significantly raises the sugar levels of the final product.

Traditionally people give up certain foods or behaviour during this time. Eggs, butter, milk, meat and cheese were common foods people didn't eat during this period. I was married during Lent and the church I was married in wasn't able to have flowers due to Lent.

In Leviticus 11, the Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron and sets out which animals can be eaten and which cannot: “You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

Southern European peasant cultures do, however, have a tradition of eating lamb at Easter. The lamb is extremely young milk-fed and often spit-roasted with appropriate ritualistic reverence.

Lamb chops are smaller than similar cuts of beef or pork, so plan on two loin chops or two or three rib chops per person.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat.

Is lamb healthier than beef? ›

If we look at fatty acids, like CLA and omega-3's, lamb comes out victorious and can be seen as marginally healthier. If we look at vitamins, like B12 and zinc, beef comes out victorious. The bottom line is both are excellent and both should be eaten with abundance!

The lamb market has risen to “record levels” for the time of year, according to Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). HCC said that lamb producers had experienced “challenging external pressures”.

The best chops come from the loin, rib, and sirloin. These lamb chops are tender, easy to cook, and evenly textured. Lesser cuts come from the shoulder or leg, and generally require more work. In all cases, high-quality lamb chops are light red, with an even distribution of fat and finely textured meat.

Lamb (in the U.S.) is relatively expensive because lambs are not factory farmed and they weigh less than pigs and cows, yielding less meat per animal. There's a finite number of ribs on each lamb, and we prize that tender meat, which drives the perceived value up even higher.

Lamb leg is always a great option for a Sunday roast dinner. The leg meat is juicy and tender and can slow-cooked with herbs or roasted for less time and served slightly pink in the middle. This is a very versatile cut of meat and goes well with a variety of seasonings and is a great all-rounder cut of lamb.

Eastern or Greek (Orthodox) Easter

Ideal size for lambs and goats is slightly heavier than the Western Easter at 40 to 55 pounds for lambs and 25 to 50 pounds for kids.

Lamb loin chops come from the most tender part of the animal; shop for them at a butcher, farmers market, or grocery store.

Lamb shoulder is usually larger and has more connective tissue, so it needs to be cooked for longer than the leg before it becomes tender. Lamb leg is smaller and has less fat and connective tissue, so it cooks faster but it can be drier if it's overcooked or not cooked in enough liquid.