Buying and butchering a whole lamb

[shayneh2006]

After seeing Chris's meat crabs/Barnsley chops, i went searching on advice to butchering a whole lamb. I am suprised at how easy it is. I rang a few of my local butcher shops and found i can get a 20kg lamb for $8.00- $10.00/kg.

What i am trying to work out now is it feasible to do it. I know i will easily be able to cope with the task as i have spent all my adult life hunting/field dressing game and rough butchering. Time will not be put into the equasion as it will be entertainment for me, something i will get great pleasure from.

Its gotta be worth it!!!!!!. Approx Current prices around here for main cuts is-

Leg = $13.00 +/- kg
Loin chops= $19.00 + kg
Cutlets= up to $30.00 kg
Foreqaurter chops = 13.00 kg

Then you get all the rest- neck, breast, shanks, shoulders, kidneys (if that is your thing), ribs (bottom end) and all the rest of the trimmings that could either be used as mince, cubed for a stew. Then all the rest of the crap could be used to keep the Labrador happy

Right, the approx cost of the carcase will be $160.00 (they will do it at $8.00/kg) from a butcher 20kms away at Cabramatta and if i do it, i will really give you all something to laugh at when i post the picture of it sitting on the back of my scooter

C'mon, what do you all reckon,,,,,Yes/No

Cheers, Shayne

Mod edit [Moved from Beef and Lamb Recipes]

[Davo]

Be sure you put a helmet on the lamb coz ya don't wanna get the lambs brains damaged incase of a spill

[Smokey]

I thought that was a gun cabinet you were making in your garage
I say go for it.
If ya got the freezer space and don't mind defrosted meat then why not.
Be interesting to bone out a lamb and then weigh all the different cuts.
Times them to current retail prices for each and see what it comes to.
$160 buys 6-7 legs of lamb

[bbqmad]

Shayne

I think the first thought is can you store it if you have the freezer room & the cash go for it mate..........it would be all good.

The best thing is you can cut as thick as you want none of these skinnyass supermarket cuts.

Glen

[shayneh2006]

Be sure you put a helmet on the lamb coz ya don't wanna get the lambs brains damaged incase of a spill

Thanks for that Davo but, i think i have scored big. I rang around a little more and found a butcher that will do a 18-20kg Lamb for $7.50/kg. I have never dealt with this shop before so i just ducked over there and bought some of his Lamb to try tonight as he insists it is the same meat This shop is just 3 k's away so my pillion will arrive safely at home.

I thought that was a gun cabinet you were making in your garage

No, no, no. That my friend is an ex computer cabinet that was going to be until the firearms regestry changed the rules about safe keeping. Now it hold all my power tools

If ya got the freezer space

Yey, got that

and don't mind defrosted meat then why not.

Well, i prefer not to but on this occasion, i think i will grin and bare it just for the experience.

Times them to current retail prices for each and see what it comes to.

Yes, thats what i entend to do. I will price it up at the Bu**sh*t over inflated amounts the two largest supermarkets charge us. You know, it has got me stuffed how they come up with their pricing. My local Boolies (just called in their on the way home) had Lamb Cutlets for $26/kg (save $9) . Like, get real

The best thing is you can cut as thick as you want none of these skinnyass supermarket cuts.

Yeh, well i havent had a chance to really see how the whole butcher thing pans out. I think with a lamb, most of the cuts are governed by distances between ribs. That said though, the cutlets i just saw at Boolies were as thin as where as at other times, at various butcher shops, they are twice the thicness. Could it be possible that the greedy supermarkets seperate the cutlets then take a bit more/ a fillet off each to reduce the size then stock pile the off cut, lean it up then add it to their Heart Smart Lamb mince . I will know for certain when i do my own.

Yes, i have decided to give it a go. If his gear is alright and the family likes the quality, i will order one tomorrow for a Saturday morning pickup. Shouldnt take long to knife it and hopefully we will be eating Roast Lamb that night.

Cheers, Shayne

[jdonly1]

I kill and dress all our lambs(lucky enough to have a few hundred running around)
They are easy to do,just make sure you have a good saw/band saw that makes the job simple.
As for the price,well wait and see how many cutlets and loin chops you get off your lamb

[shayneh2006]

Hi there and thanks for the reply.

As for the price,well wait and see how many cutlets and loin chops you get off your lamb

What the normal????. I have some pics of a butchered out lamb and i am counting approx 16 cutlets and about 8 loin chops @ around 25mm thick. As for the Cutlets, isnt it a standard number???

Regards, Shayne

[titch]

Local wholesaler to us ,Castricum brothers. do full lambs cut to how you want.
$7.50 a kilo
I reckon we throw out about 2 kilo of bits,from around a 14 kilo lamb.
Titch

[shayneh2006]

$7.50 a kilo
I reckon we throw out about 2 kilo of bits,from around a 14 kilo lamb.

Wow , thats a good price. And they cut it for you??? Thats a bonus .

After ringing half a dozen butchers today, it seems that a carcase in the 15kg range is about a $1/kg dearer than one that is 20kg's.

Why is that so


As said earlier, i am looking forward to ripping into it myself just to say i have done it but, after i do the calcs and if it works out in my favour, i may consider doing it once in a while.

Shayne

[jdonly1]

Hi there and thanks for the reply.

As for the price,well wait and see how many cutlets and loin chops you get off your lamb

What the normal????. I have some pics of a butchered out lamb and i am counting approx 16 cutlets and about 8 loin chops @ around 25mm thick. As for the Cutlets, isnt it a standard number???

Regards, Shayne

Depends on the size of lamb mate and how thick you cut ya chops
yer pretty much standard with cutlets as ya need a rib bone
Carnt remember how many chops all up as I just cut them and bag them
Still well worth doing mate.
Just remember that good saw bit

[jdonly1]

$7.50 a kilo
I reckon we throw out about 2 kilo of bits,from around a 14 kilo lamb.

Wow , thats a good price. And they cut it for you??? Thats a bonus .

After ringing half a dozen butchers today, it seems that a carcase in the 15kg range is about a $1/kg dearer than one that is 20kg's.

Why is that so


As said earlier, i am looking forward to ripping into it myself just to say i have done it but, after i do the calcs and if it works out in my favour, i may consider doing it once in a while.

Shayne

15kg range they would class as prime lamb,personally I would go for the heavier ones but thats just me.We grow ours out to they are 25kgs plus on the hook and have done a lamb that weighed in at close to 45kgs hanging,it at fine

[titch]

I admit to prefering 2 tooth
Titch

[jdonly1]

I admit to prefering 2 tooth
Titch

Nothing wrong with 2 tooth,bit more flavor is good and good size chops and roast

[Low n Slow]

Local wholesaler to us ,Castricum brothers. do full lambs cut to how you want.
$7.50 a kilo
I reckon we throw out about 2 kilo of bits,from around a 14 kilo lamb.
Titch

That's good to know. I've driven by there a lot but never looked in there. I used to get my whole sides from Tasman but they stopped doing them. I asked them why and they said they could make more per carcass if they stopped doing it. So, I don't go there anymore.

[shayneh2006]

Well its done. Today i put a 20 buck deposit on a whole lamb Now all i have to do is make sure the knives are in the right shape.

Shayne