Whole Lamb and Primal Cuts - Cooking Tips

Whole Lamb

Baby Lamb, sometimes called Hothouse Lamb, is milk-fed lamb that is not more than 10 weeks old. It usually weighs less than 20 pounds and the meat is very pale pink in color. It is often sold and prepared whole.

Whole Primal Cuts

Whole primal cuts of lamb may be purchased from a butcher or meat locker or it may be possible to obtained them with a special order at some food stores. You must be knowledgeable on how to divide primal cuts into smaller cuts, or the result will be incorrect cuts, too much waste, and elimination of any potential costs savings. The five primal, or basic, cuts of lamb are: Shoulder, Breast and Foreshank, Rib, Loin, and Leg.