Lamb Facts

There are more than 100,000 sheep farms in the U.S., and they produce over 300 million pounds of lamb each year.

Lamb is a very ancient food, and sheep were probably domesticated about 12,000 years ago. There is positive evidence they were domesticated by 8900 B.C. in Iraq and Romania. Some of the oldest traditional recipes come from Greece and date back several thousand years.

In 2002 American meat packers produced 222 million pounds of lamb and mutton.

Per capita consumption of lamb and mutton in the United States in 2003 was 1.2 pounds.

Common Misconceptions About Lamb

Lamb does not taste good.
In fact, lean lamb has a delicate, mild flavor. If you enjoy venison or some of the other wild meats, you will appreciate the more robust flavor of mutton.

Lamb is expensive.
In fact, based on a three ounce lean portion, lamb is comparable in price to the finer cuts of beef and pork.

Lamb is hard to prepare.
Actually, lamb is quite easy to prepare. It can be broiled, grilled, roasted just like any other cut of meat. And, with just a little sprinkling of your favorite spice, it is tender and delicious!

Lamb is only for special occassions.
Lamb can be a great signature item for a special meal. But, the reality is, it can be prepared anytime and makes a great change of pace from beef, pork, or chicken.