Hi From N. Florida, USA

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:24 am

Hi! I'm a long term low and slow barbecuer. I started out with a Weber kettle, graduated to a Big Green Egg, sold that and now do my cooking on a Vision Classic kamado. My favorite meat to smoke is brisket followed closely by pork butt, but I'm hopeful by hanging out on this forum I'll pick up some good recipes and techniques for lamb, which I love, but which is not much eaten here in the US. I've got relatives by marriage (my middle daughter married an Aussie) living near Ballarat and I've visited Oz twice, love it! Looking forward to making many new friends and acquaintances on this forum!
Bob S

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:48 am

Welcome Bob S,

Yeah it's kinda weird that with the size of the USA which is comparable to the size of Australia that you guys don't farm sheep given the vast variance of climate.....maybe the vast majority of America is too cold for them even considering the fact they have natural woolly jumpers (sweaters).
As you know, Lamb is pretty much our national meat here in OZ followed by beef and Pork has been a fave as well.

The low n slow is catching on down here as well with Competitions forming up everywhere and some of our guys have even competed in the American Royal and did pretty good.

Lamb is a category in our comps too.....

Lots of Komado cookers in this forum so you've come to the right place.....also pellet cookers are fiercely competitive in this forum.

Hope you enjoy your time here Bob..

Cheers

Davo

Stevem109r · Post by **Stevem109r** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:20 am

Hello and welcome Bob

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:03 am

Hello and thank you for your welcomes.
Bob S

urbangriller · Post by **urbangriller** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 10:38 am

Welcome Bob.

Davo wrote:Welcome Bob S,

Yeah it's kinda weird that with the size of the USA which is comparable to the size of Australia that you guys don't farm sheep given the vast variance of climate.....maybe the vast majority of America is too cold for them even considering the fact they have natural woolly jumpers (sweaters).

Davo

The history of the US includes huge Sheep wars back in the 1870s where cattlemen were actively at war with sheep farmers. Sheep teeth point forward and they cut the grass that low to the ground it struggles to grow back leaving nothing for cattle to eat. There was a lot of Bad Blood so sheep farming never really got a hold.

Chris

ozwaz · Post by **ozwaz** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:28 pm

Welcome aboard Bob.

Lamb shoulder is what you are after. Put your favorite spice rub on, low and slow till it's falling apart, yum. Close to my favorite cut of any meat.

Cheers

Wazza

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:58 pm

urbangriller wrote:Welcome Bob.

Davo wrote:Welcome Bob S,

Yeah it's kinda weird that with the size of the USA which is comparable to the size of Australia that you guys don't farm sheep given the vast variance of climate.....maybe the vast majority of America is too cold for them even considering the fact they have natural woolly jumpers (sweaters).

Davo
The history of the US includes huge Sheep wars back in the 1870s where cattlemen were actively at war with sheep farmers. Sheep teeth point forward and they cut the grass that low to the ground it struggles to grow back leaving nothing for cattle to eat. There was a lot of Bad Blood so sheep farming never really got a hold.

Chris

Back in the 1930s my Dad spent his summers working as a cook's helper in sheep camps in the high Arizona desert, so there were still some being raised back then. But today, every cut I see is from New Zealand. I never see anything from Australia, but that may just reflect the contractual relationships my local grocery stores have developed with suppliers. Other areas of the country may be sourcing their lamb from Australia.
Bob S

Bill44 · Post by **Bill44** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:05 pm

Last year we sent $458 million dollars worth of lamb to the US.

Card Shark · Post by **Card Shark** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:42 pm

Welcome Bob. Spent a few years in South Florida working in Fort Lauderdale and over at Atlantis. We really miss the lifestyle and the food. (Not the hurricanes)

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:42 pm

Bill44 wrote:Last year we sent $458 million dollars worth of lamb to the US.

There's a big business opportunity for you there. On a per capita basis you are selling us less than $2 per person per year. If people here knew just how delicious lamb is, you could probably sell us 10 times as much.
Bob S

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:55 pm

Card Shark wrote:Welcome Bob. Spent a few years in South Florida working in Fort Lauderdale and over at Atlantis. We really miss the lifestyle and the food. (Not the hurricanes)

Thanks for the welcome. There's a big Category 4 hurricane moving up the east coast as I write this. A couple of days ago it looked like it would hit somewhere near Virginia, but now they've revised their estimates and they think it will stay offshore. Even so, they are projecting it as a 200 year rainfall event in S. Carolina, so flooding and flood damage will be widespread throughout the Carolinas. -Bob S

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:18 pm

ozwaz wrote:Welcome aboard Bob.

Lamb shoulder is what you are after. Put your favorite spice rub on, low and slow till it's falling apart, yum. Close to my favorite cut of any meat.

Cheers

Wazza

The selection here is quite limited, rack of lamb, lamb chops and boneless legs are pretty much all that is available. The last time we visited Australia, we had dinner at the Tahbilk winery and they served rack of lamb with a honey mustard glaze and some kind of seasoned breadcrumbs. It was among the best things I've ever eaten. I've tried to re-create the dish several times, to no avail. If anyone knows the recipe, I'd be eternally grateful if they'd post it. If I can't duplicate the Tahbilk recipe, I'm thinking of getting a boneless leg and experimenting with a salt-pepper-garlic powder rub followed by a melted jalapeno jelly glaze during the last hour of cooking. It might be quite tasty, but still probably not up to Tahbilk standards.
Bob S

Bob S

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