Lamb for Meat
In terms of meat production from our sheep, we really are looking for quality and not necessarily quantity! Matt Chatfield sent me the most beautifully prepared and cut ‘cull yaw’ that he produces on his wonderful silvopasture (integration of trees and grazing grass) Cornish farm. The meat was truly exquisite and proved to us as a family that lamb as a meat could be superseded! For this reason, we concentrate on producing herbal ley (see section on herbal leys) produced hoggets. Hogget is the word used to describe a lamb in its second spring or summer – so aged between one and two years.
While still tender, a hogget’s extra time on pasture allows it to develop a flavour that is richer and fuller than lamb’s but not as pronounced as older mutton’s. It is this satisfying depth of flavour, together with hogget’s texture, sweetness and versatility, that is helping hogget find new fans among chefs and home cooks.
