How to Butcher a Lamb

Lamb refers to a six- to eight-month-old lamb, while mutton refers to older sheep.

While chicken and beef are the most common meats eaten at the dinner table, lamb is a good, tasty alternative. Butchering a farm-raised lamb is a healthy way to put meat on your table. You can use an inexpensive stun gun to kill the lamb. Then, allow the lamb to bleed out and skin it. Hang it upside down in a cool place until you are ready to begin butchering it.

Things You'll Need

• Meat hook
• Swivel
• Meat clever
• Boning knife
• Meat saw
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Remove the front and hind feet by cutting or breaking the spool joint. Cut behind the jaw to separate the head at the base of the skull. Be sure to cut away and remove all skin.

2. Remove the internal organs and digestive tract. This is called evisceration and should be done carefully so that you do not contaminate the carcass with fecal material. Use the knife to open the belly and allow them to fall into a bucket.

3. Split the breastbone using a meat saw. Use cool water to wash the carcass to remove any foreign matter. Chill the carcass for several hours so that it will be firm when it is time to cut the lamb into various parts.

4. Lay the lamb on a butcher block. Cut as close to the pelvis and perpendicular to the spine.

5. Cut the lamb into the prime cuts, which include the neck, shoulder, rib, loin, sirloin, leg, fore shank, breast, and hind shank.

6. Cut the prime cuts into retail cuts you choose such as various roasts, loin chops, and leg of lamb.

References

• Treasure Valley Sheep Producers: Retail Cuts
• USDA: Lamb from Farm to Table