With their smaller size relative to beef and pork, lamb and goat share the special trait of being some of the only animals that have a whole loin saddle that can be cooked for a small group of people at home. One saddle of lamb will feed 8-10, and a goat about 4-6, while a saddle of beef would feed about 50 – 60 and require large cooking setups to prepare.
What is a saddle? Butcher specifications can vary a bit, but basically, the saddle of any animal is portions of two whole loins, complete with the tenderloins that are on the other side of the bone. In reality, it is what a t-bone steaks look like in their whole-muscle form conventionally called a sub-primal. If you took a cleaver to a goat or lamb saddle, you would end up with a bunch of small lamb or goat t-bone chops. But don’t start hacking away just yet.
As meat roasting goes, cooking a saddle is pretty simple, but for easy slicing, it’s best to take out the backbone before you cook it. This also creates a cavity begging to be seasoned with a mix of fresh herbs. See the tutorial video below for a demonstration of removing the bone, and seasoning with fresh herbs and breadcrumbs or purchase the loin already deboned, rolled and ready to roast. After your saddle is deboned, seasoned and tied, it gets pan-seared, roasted or grilled to form a crackling crust, then cooked until medium or so, depending on your taste, then rested and sliced. Just like other roasts, there’s plenty of pan drippings for a great sauce, too — always a crowd pleaser.
I’m going to share a simple side of buttered turnips: an age-old partner to lamb and goat. If you have a local co-op, keep your eyes open for different varieties of turnips. Pictured are scarlet, gold, and purple-top, listed in order of the amount of sweetness each one has. Serve with some cooked hearty greens or a salad for a complete meal.
This recipe is by James Beard Award-winning Chef Alan Bergo. He’s a chef from Minnesota and author of The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora. Learn more about Chef Alan at foragerchef.com.
Looking to buy lamb or goat online? Shepherd Song Farm: Grass to table. We raise lambs & goats traditionally, humanely and sustainably. 100% Grass Fed, Pasture Raised, Never Confined, no Hormones, Grains or Animal Byproducts. Born, raised and processed in the U.S.A. Good for you and good for the environment.
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