Why is our lamb the best you can get?

Lower Fat
We breed Katahdin Hair Sheep ewes, developed here in the U.S. strictly for low fat meat (not for wool), to another U.S. developed sheep - the Siremax ram. The Siremax has been rigorously selected for over ten years for naturally faster growing lambs with the least amount of fat and maximum muscling. The result of this cross is a superb quality lower fat lamb.

Grass Finished
In addition to the careful selection of breeds, we pay equal attention to providing optimal nutrition at all stages of the lamb's growth. We allow our very young lambs some access to antibiotic/hormone/animal byproduct free grain (along with their mother's milk). As they grow older and their mothers begin to wean them, our Spring pastures are in full growth and the lambs receive all the nutrients they require from lush Tennessee grass and clover fields. When the summer advances and the grass has less food value, we usually have buckwheat, chicory, or other goodies planted for them to munch (grown without the use of herbicides). Supermarket lamb, whether American or imported, is often the result of a feedlot finishing process where an animal has NO access to grass and is on a forced diet of mostly grain as they are held for "fattening", processing and shipping. Our animals are raised here from birth and we personally see them through directly to you. We guarantee they never see a feed lot.

We use NO antibiotics, hormones, insecticides, fungicides, or herbicides of any kind!
We raise this meat to eat ourselves. One of us is a research scientist in cancer biology, so we are very concerned with what is in OUR food. Imported lamb may have been subjected to any or all of the above nasties. In fact, in some sheep producing areas of the world, the animals actually swim through insecticide/fungicide baths (sheep dips) on a routine basis. Antibiotics are very commonly fed to animals (sick or well) when they are brought together in feedlots (where they are exposed to disease). Many livestock raisers use growth hormones or steroids to get that added dollar that comes with the "prime" grade or higher weights when sold though a wholesale livestock barn. If you are buying cheaper lamb, is is often because the farmer has had to resort to these practices to compete. We are relying instead on the new "breed" of consumer, who cares for both the animal's welfare and their own health - more than the few cents they might save at a large discount retail store.

Grass-finished animals are much lower in total fat and saturated fat than grain-finished animals, but what Scientists are finding is the "KIND" of fat is even more important than the total.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are found in green leaves and most American's diet is deficient in them. When an animal grazes, its diet is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids resulting in luscious flavorful meat which can have 3-6 times higher levels of Omega-3s than animals that are fed on grain. Every day that an animal is fed grain in a feed lot finishing process, its store of Omega-3s diminishes and the fat balance becomes more and more unhealthy - FOR YOU THE CONSUMER. In addition, grass raised animals produce meat which is higher in Conjugated Linolenic Acid (CLA), Beta-carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin E, as well as important minerals such as Iron and Zinc.

Our goal is a healthy nutritious product that is also tender and succulent.

Lamb is expensive in grocery stores and restaurants with good reason! Succulent, tender, savory lamb is prized by gourmet chefs around the world. When people tell us they do not like lamb, we suspect they never really had fresh, American grown, farm raised lamb. Imported mutton (older adult wool sheep) is not in the same league at all. (Although admittedly, mutton can make a good barbeque...). Unsure how to cook it or what cut to buy? The American Lamb Board has a great search able site with recipes for all the different lamb cuts we offer. Click here for a direct link to this site.

All of our lamb is USDA inspected and packaged. This means not only is our processor inspected, every single animal is examined and must pass federal guidelines prior to being stamped with a USDA label. None of our lambs to date have ever been rejected by the inspector for any reason.

We will be at the Nashville Farmer's Market on Saturdays this May (2009) in the outdoor sheds until we run out of lamb (November or December). We bring freezers with the below listed cuts of lamb. We also offer domestic rabbit meat at the market. If you would like a whole lamb cut specifically to your order we can do this as well. You can order it at the market of by calling or e-mailing: 615-219-3204, info@chiggerridge.net. Sorry, the lambs will not be big enough to sell until the end of May.

Starting this June 2009 we would love to attend the new Vanderbilt Farmer's Market, if we can convince them to add meat products to the market - so far they are just starting with fruits and vegetables. :(

We are proponents of "eating local" however we recognize that many people do not have access to lamb growers in their area. If you are unable to attend the Nashville Farmer's Market, we can ship our lamb to you. However, shipping frozen meat products is expensive and is only cost effective for whole lamb orders. Please call or e-mail us if you are interested in having a lamb cut to order and shipped directly to you. 615-219-3204 or e-mail (preferred) info@chiggerridge.net.

Lamb cuts available:

Lamb Kabobs - best on the grill. Also good broiled. Convenient cut for various curries or with sauce based dishes.

Lamb Steaks - best on the grill or broiled. Is cut from the leg of lamb below. Traditionally served medium rare to rare.

Leg of Lamb Roast - best oven roasted or on the grill. Traditionally served medium rare to rare. Is

Rolled Shoulder Roast - best in a slow cooker - low and slow in liquid. Can be oven roasted. Some people like to unroll and stuff.

Spare ribs - I like them in the slow cooker till they fall off the bone! Should be cooked low and slow in liquid - if so, are delicious.

Rib chops - grill or broil. This is the most tender "restaurant" cut of lamb.

"Rack of Lamb" Roast - Oven roast or grill. Gourmet cut of lamb. Same as above, but as a roast.

Loin Chops - grill or broil is best. They are just as good in our book as the rib chops. They are the "tenderloin" of the lamb.

Loin Roast - grill, broil, or roast. Same cut as above but as a roast.

Also available not pictured:

Lamb Shanks - less tender cut, is fall off the bone tender and delicious when done in the slow cooker though.
Shoulder Chops - Cut from the shoulder, these chops are not as tender as the rib or loin chops pictured above. If you want a cheaper cut to braise in liquid with various sauces or marinades - this is it. My favorite is to cook in sesame ginger salad dressing...mmm.
Ground Lamb - Can be used any way that ground beef can, but is much lower fat and a more exotic in taste than hamburger.
Lamb Sausage (mild or hot) - This is spiced by our processor as your old-fashioned breakfast type sausage. We have found it makes the best sausage gravy in the world. Is also great in stuffed green peppers (or stuffed anything).
Lamb Kidney and Liver
Stir Fry lamb strips cut for gyros, curries, stir fry, stews, or seasoning other dishes.
 

For great lamb recipes, click here to go to the American Lamb Board's searchable recipe database.