Fresh summer flavors with grilled grass-fed lamb
Enjoy flavorful meals straight off the grill this summer with these delicious recipes that put New Zealand grass-fed lamb at the center of your plate.
These Endless Summer Grass-Fed Lamb Burgers are topped with a fresh herb salad and juicy tomatoes on brioche buns. Or, for a spiced sensation, try Grass-Fed Lamb Meatball and Veggie Skewers that pair lamb, bell peppers and onions with a robust herb sauce.
These recipes can become summer favorites thanks to versatile and flavorful lamb from Atkins Ranch, available at your local Whole Foods Market. The lamb is 100% grass-fed and humanely raised in New Zealand, just as nature intended. Allowed to graze freely over lush green hills and pastures 365 days a year, the result is a lean, finely textured, flavorful meat that’s easy to cook – simply prepare the same way you would grassfed beef.
Visit beefandlambnz.com for more recipes, cooking tips and inspiration.
Endless Summer Grass-Fed Lamb Burgers
Prep time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour Servings: 4
Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds Atkins Ranch grass-fed Ground Lamb
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 4 brioche buns
1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds
Spread:
2/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, grated
1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salad:
1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup micro greens 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 teaspoons olive oil
To make burgers: Gently divide lamb into four equal parts and shape into rounds slightly larger than
buns. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
To make spread: In small bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, mayonnaise and mustard; refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.
To make salad: In medium bowl, mix cucumber, onions, parsley, mint leaves, dill, micro greens, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil; refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat, creating hot and cool zones. Salt patties then grill about 6 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 150 F. As patties near 150 F or start to brown, move to cool zone to regulate doneness. Transfer to plate and let rest about 5 minutes.
To assemble burgers, add dollop of spread to bottom buns. Top each with one tomato slice, one lamb burger, salad and top bun.
Grass-Fed Lamb Meatball and Veggie Skewers with Herb Sauce
Prep time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes Yield: 6 skewers
Lamb Meatballs:
6 wooden skewers
1 pound Atkins Ranch grass-fed Ground Lamb
2 large eggs, whisked
2/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Veggies:
1 medium red onion
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
Herb Sauce:
1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
2 tablespoons capers
1 lemon, juice only
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Italian bread, grilled
To make lamb meatballs: Soak wooden skewers in water 10 minutes. In large bowl, break apart ground lamb then add whisked eggs and breadcrumbs. In small saute pan, add olive oil and saute yellow onion and garlic with coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, about 5 minutes until onion is translucent and spices are fragrant.
Add to bowl with lamb.
Mix until combined and form into roughly 1 1/2-ounce balls.
To make veggies: Cut onion and bell peppers into 1-inch stacks.
Add ground lamb meatballs to skewers, alternating with peppers and onions. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
To make herb sauce: In immersion blender, blend parsley, rosemary, capers, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat grill to mediumhigh heat. Grill skewers about 3 minutes on each side, or until meatballs reach internal temperature of 150 F. Rest 5 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce and grilled Italian bread.