Mutton is fattier and more flavourful than lamb, but it is also tougher, and will require more cooking, particularly if the meat is taken from a hard working part of the animal like the leg or shoulder.
Cook the mutton low and slow, so all the juices & fat melt into the curry. Licious mutton will need around 50 minutes till it's fall-off-the-bone tender. There's a reason why 'good things come to those who wait' is a popular proverb.
The marination time of mutton is way more than that of chicken because it has solid fibre and thus the marination takes time to seep in.
Tenderness Difference Between Lamb and Mutton
Lamb meat cuts are tender and soft, particularly when harvested at six months or younger. Lamb meat is easy to chew due to its tenderness. Since Mutton is produced from much older sheep, Mutton meat is much tougher than that of Lamb.
If you don't have a meat thermometer, there are three visual checks that must done. Pierce the thickest part of the meat with a fork or skewer and check that: The juices run clear. It is piping hot all the way through (it should be steaming)
As per Chef Amit, braising or slow cooking the mutton for more than 3 hours on low temperature helps soften it. This method is followed in European style of cooking. Tough fibers, collagens and connective tissues will eventually break down, making it softer.
Flavor: Lamb is a younger animal, so the meat hasn't had time to develop as much flavor—thus, it is milder with a faint, grassy flavor. Alternatively, mutton comes from an older sheep with more fat and muscles, giving it a strong, gamey flavor similar to goat, venison, or wild boar.
Mutton is tougher and takes longer to cook. It also needs to be trimmed more than lamb to remove cartilage and tendons. Mutton has a stronger taste that lamb. Mutton is more expensive to raise than lamb.
Usually, beef is easier to make and is accepted by many, as compared to mutton. The taste is less strong and the cook is relatively easier, making it the first choice of most. Mutton takes more precision and time to cook perfectly and often offers a strong taste that is not enjoyed by non-meat lovers.
The fat contributes flavor while the liquid makes the meat nice and juicy. However, when meat is cooked for too long, all of the fat and liquid render out. Without them, all that's left is a bunch of tough, flavorless protein.
Mutton turns elastic after cooking because of the collagen in the meat. Collagen is a type of protein found in muscle tissue and connective tissue. When cooked, collagen denatures and forms a gel-like structure, which gives the meat an elastic texture.
A rare, or pink, lamb chop that has been seared well on the outside should be fine because any bacteria on the outer surface will have been killed by the heat. But minced or diced lamb or mutton should never be served pink. It needs to be thoroughly cooked and browned.
However, washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.
Add finely chopped onions, tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste. Mix everything together. I did not add water since the moisture in the rinsed mutton is enough to cook the gravy. (Mutton also leaves a lot of moisture while cooking.)
"It costs more to raise sheep for longer periods of time, and the decline in wool production in the U.S. is directly related to the decline in mutton as a culinary delicacy." That wasn't always the case. Old restaurant menus from the New York Public Library archives tell a different tale about mutton's desirability.
Which one is healthier? Mutton and lamb are highly nutritious, with both providing a high amount of protein. However, mutton contains a higher fat content as compared to lamb. Consuming high fat foods regularly can be detrimental as it builds up cholesterol in the arteries which can lead to heart diseases.
Mongolia, Turkmenistan, New Zealand, Iceland and Greece are the countries where the biggest eaters of sheep and goats live. An average Mongolian eats nearly 50 kg of sheep and goat meat a year, according to Faostat.
Because Americans prefer the more delicate taste of lamb, it is more expensive than mutton and much easier to find in regular markets. Common cuts in the U.S. are shoulder roast, rack, loin chops, and leg of lamb.
Taken from the ribs of the animal, the rack is one of the most tender cuts of mutton. This cut has been French trimmed, which means the bones have been cleaned of sinew and muscle. The end result is a cut that both looks and tastes impressive. Got a dinner party lined up or cooking a romantic meal at home for two?
Try these easy tricks and enjoy more tender meat.
The first is to submerge meat in cooking oil (sunflower or olive oil) before you start cooking. The oil is absorbed and softens the meat. The second method is to add some vinegar while you're cooking and the vinegar will begin to tenderise the meat.
The answer is yes—to an extent. When collagen and muscle fibers, the connective tissues in meat that make it tough, are tenderized and broken down, it helps the meat retain all of its juices. Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt and wine weaken collagen and protein in meat.
Always marinate the mutton before cooking. Marinating helps to tenderize the meat. 5. Do not add acidic ingredients like lemon or tomatoes to the pan before sauteing the mutton for a while.