Support your Prince and eat mutton!

We have mutton available this week. The virtues of this meat are fast becoming noticed once more. Believe it or not, much of mutton’s recent resurgence is down to Prince Charles and his Mutton Renaissance Campaign - which makes an interesting read. Mutton is really good in pies and puddings, slow-cooked dishes and is used heavily in India, the Middle East and North African cooking, so if you want an authentic flavour for these types of dishes then mutton is the one you want. The meat itself is very different to lamb, it has rich taste and a unique texture. During slow and gentle cooking the flavour of the mutton mellows and sweetens during and the results are truly delicious.

Definitions of when lamb becomes mutton have long varied. However, it is now generally agreed that the animal should be aged two years or more, and hung for at least two weeks: the result is a juicy, well-flavoured meat, firm but not tough. Mutton cuts are the same as with lamb, although they are usually. Have a look at the mutton section on www.farm-direct.com for the whole range.