There’s more than one way to enjoy lamb this Easter, say farmers

AS the Easter break approaches this weekend, sheep farmers are urging shoppers to choose delicious British lamb for their Easter Sunday celebrations.

A roast leg of lamb is the perfect meal to enjoy at this time of year as new season lamb is starting to become available on butchers’ counters and supermarket shelves, says the National Sheep Association (NSA).

But the organisation is encouraging members of the public to do their research ahead of the Easter shopping trip to ensure they purchase the meat most suited to their tastes.

Phil Stocker, chief executive of the NSA, said it is often assumed all lamb available in shops at this time of the year is new season ‘spring’ lamb, but that is not the case.

“However, this should present no issue,” he continued. “Old season lamb, also known as ‘hogget’, is meat from sheep approximately one-yearold and is often richer in flavour and equally as delicious. In fact, many may find they prefer the fullness of flavour it can deliver.”

In addition to the age of sheep having an effect on its taste and texture, the many different breeds found in the UK and the environments they are reared in can contribute to a variety in flavour of the meat.

This has recently been highlighted for traditional native breeds of sheep in the UK by the creation of the British Heritage Sheep scheme.

Bob Kennard, director of British Heritage Sheep Ltd, said with the largest number of native sheep breeds in the world, the UK has great diversity in flavours of sheep meat. “Ask your butcher or farm shop There’s a world of new tastes from old traditions to enjoy this Easter.”