Little Green Book

British lamb is one of our great meats and new-season lamb a true herald of Spring. The flavour and texture can vary according to breed, pasture - whether it's reared on the hills or lush lowlands - and even the time of year.

We've chosen our favourite FoodLovers Approved lamb producers, butchers and places to eat - that range from new-season - hogget (over-wintered) and rare-breed lamb.

If you're interested in learning about lamb, we've picked out courses from lambing to butchery and recipes show you how to make the most of your lamb.  The must-buy for Easter - or any Spring Sunday - is our FoodLoversBritain.com Easter Lunch Hamper.

Tor to Door pride themselves on their native-breed lamb and mutton, slow-reared and butchered on farm to your requirements

The Blackface Meat Company delivers fresh, top quality lamb and mutton from South Scotland and the North of England

Northfield Farm both rear and source rare and traditional breed lamb - and sometimes hogget and mutton - from Grey Faced Dartmoor sheep.

The Thoroughly Wild Meat Company's pure- or cross-bred Suffolk Salt Marsh lamb feeds on Bridgewater Bay Nature Reserve by the Bristol Channel

Manor Farm Game source their Welsh X lamb from their neighbours in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire

You can buy Damn Delicious' own-reared lamb - fed only on green forage - from their on-farm butchery

You can find more producers of traditional and rare-breed spring lamb in FoodFinds

Look out for Well Hung Meat lamb boxes - Poll Dorset and Dorset X - available in individual cuts, half and quarter lambs

Heather-fed, Dartmoor-raised lamb from Wild Beef is available August-October

Gower Salt Marsh lambs graze on the southern coastline, spending most of their lives on the tidal marshes, feeding on grasses, samphire, sea lavender, sorrel and thrift

Find out more about RSPCA Freedom Food Welfare Standards for Lamb and Sheep

Dolaucothi rare-breed lamb is produced by a co-operative of eight tenant farmers on the National Trust Dolaucothi estate

Dyke Head Farm's lamb feed only on the Northumberland upland pastures before being slaughtered locally and sold in the Wallington Estate Farm Shop

Richard and Clare Aldis run an open parkland farm on Hardwick Hall Estate, rearing traditional and rare breeds, including Whitefaced Woodland sheep

Lobbs Farm Shop sources their Poll Dorset-cross lamb from their traditional, mixed, non-intensive family-run farmland, approved to the Freedom Food scheme. 

The Peak District Farm Shop rear lamb from Herdwick and Texel sheep to Freedom Food standards.

Tenant Farmer James Hawkins runs family friendly open Warren Farm on the National Trust Brockhampton Estate, rearing rare-breed Woolly Ryeland sheep

National Trust-run Wimpole Home Farm rear, amongst other livestock, ten varieties of rare-breed sheep, on sale in their farm shop

C H Wakeling Butchers is a 'Q Guild' member, sourcing local lamb and providing national mail order if necessary

Lidgate's Spring lamb comes from the West Country and Berkshire Downs, gradually moving north to the new-season heather-fed organic autumn Shetland lamb

You can find more FoodLovers Approved butchers selling lamb in FoodFinds

Donald Russell's lamb pies and shepherd's pies are made from their grass-fed, 21-day aged lamb - available by mail order

C Lidgate will make up a shepherd's pie to your requirements - perfect informal party food

The Ethical Food Company's range of lamb pies are ready-to-bake, flavoured with curry or red wine and rosemary

Find more FoodLovers Approved products made with lamb in FoodFinds

And look in FoodFinds for Sheepskin Rugs

You can find details of lamb butchery courses in FoodFinds

If you're interested in smallholding courses - lambing, sheep shearing and more - we've got details of animal husbandry courses in FoodFinds

Nigel Haworth at Northcote Manor is known for his devotion to Lancashire Hotpot - his favoured breed is the heather-fed Bowland lamb



You can find more FoodLovers Approved places to eat lamb in FoodFinds

Northfield Farm's Lamb Shoulder Roasted with Peppers and Haricots

Braised Lamb Shank Pie      Lamb, Recurrant & Rosemary Cobbler

Lamb Cutlets Reform          Lamb Stew with Carrots & Turnips

Arni Psito                          Braised Lamb with Morels & Madeira

Braised Shoulder of Lamb, Pea Mash  

Richard Corrigan's Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder

Fiona Beckett's Slow Roast Lamb

Teriyaki Lamb with Roasted Shallots

Michel Roux's Lamb Tajine

Do you know the difference between lamb, hogget and mutton. Our Food Expert Miles Chapman rhapsodizes about new-season British lamb.

'At last the near stygian winter darkness is starting to lift, crocuses are popping up and that means that the seasonal food calendar starts to become interesting again. Towards the thick end of March heralds the arrival of spring lamb and whilst I’m a fervent advocate of this delicious meat, please don’t forget its older male counterpart, mutton.

Thanks to our country’s parlance and idioms its very name conjures up images of tough, rough, cheap meat only fit for a 3 hour braise. However, if you find a decent butcher who has a bit of savvy when it comes to sourcing, then a joint of mutton roasted fast and on a high heat will offer blushed, succulent meat and a magnificent buttery band of crisp fat superior, in my opinion, to lamb. If you’re really lucky you may even find a butcher who’ll supply you with some hogget, which is a yearling sheep of either sex – but don’t hold your breath.

Most butchers and of course supermarkets will push spring lamb, after all it’s what the punters want, much like the steadfast obsession with turkeys at Christmas. But a bit of detective work will pay dividends when it comes to flavour. Please don’t think I’m denigrating this country's spring lamb, far from it, I’ve had many a wonderful meal thanks to its tender, sweet flesh.  In fact I’ve got a couple of fatty chops sitting in my fridge right now ready to hit the grill tonight. I’ve decided to keep it simple and with lamb this good it would be an insult to mask it with a whole mess of flavours.  I’m eternally grateful to Nigel Slater for this recipe - it’s quick, easy and profoundly ambrosial:'

"Always get your meat out of fridge for at least an hour before you cook, if it’s at room temperature it makes a whole world of difference to the flavour and texture. Get your grill pan as hot as you dare on the hob, if it’s a cast iron one it should start to smoke. Grease your chops up with some olive oil and season. Place them on the grill for about 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops then flick them over and cook for the same time. Just before they’re cooked get a decent bottle of balsamic vinegar and give it a few shakes over the chops – a little more than anointing it but don’t drown it either.
Let it reduce a little then plate up. It’s great with some decent bread and a peppery winter salad such as watercress. If you have a bit more time on your hands a pomme dauph would be a perfect foil."

MORE WEBSITES ABOUT LAMB

Wikipedia on Lamb

National Sheep Association

Eblex

Traditional Breeds Meat Marketing Co

Look out for Well Hung Meat lamb boxes - Poll Dorset and Dorset X - available in individual cuts, half and quarter lambs