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Just bought a whole lamb...

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  • kazwookie
    kazwookie Posts: 13,810
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    I would love to do this, but I think I would need to buy achest type freezer, as I only have a small 4 draw type thing, and cannot see 1/2 a lamb or pig fitting in there!!
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  • ravylesley
    ravylesley Posts: 1,105
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    I dont think an upright freezer is particularly useful to bulk buying meat as the odd shapes of the joints etc take up loads of space.I got a chest freezer off freecycle and you'd be amazed how much it holds and its only a 4' one!I have 1/2 a pig and 1/2 a lamb in there plus loads of other stuff.So I'd recommend getting a chest freezer and ditching the upright

    But as this isnt going to happen any time soon I'd say 2 drawers for the lamb and 4 drawers for the pig but this is just a guesstimate

    Lesleyxx
  • tsharp
    tsharp Posts: 1,532 Forumite
    We recently refitted our kitchen, and the upright freezer fits neatly under the worktops. Nowhere to put a chest freezer :-(

    Cram the meat in there and eat whatever doesn't fit, that would be my approach. Half a lamb would go in easily I reckon...
    "I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something."
  • I have an upright 4 drawer freezer and half a lamb will fit into 2 drawers (the bottom one, which is the largest and one other). The largest joints are obviously the leg and then the shoulder which take up space but you can have these halved to make smaller joints. Depends on the size of your lamb too obviously - mine was a hebridean which is quite a small breed (amazing flavour though). You are looking at between 7 to 10kg of meat when butchered.

    By the way, Sept/Oct is a great time to buy beef and lamb/hogget as properly raised (grass fed) animals would have been grazing on the grass and meadows all summer which adds flavour - so called spring lamb is tender but does not have the flavour you get from autumn lamb.
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  • sb44
    sb44 Posts: 5,203
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    Type in ' Meat Wholesale ' and your region in Google and it will bring up slaughterhouses and meat farmers in your area.

    I have just rang a local Meat Packing place that is only 6 miles away.

    They have a ' Factory Shop ' and they have lots of pre packed meats on the shelves but they will cut and bag half a lamb and a side of pork if needed.

    I'm a bit thick where carcasses are concerned, didn't know you called a half of a pig a 'side' of pig, seems it's because they cut them right down the middle.

    Anyway, they quoted me these prices, lamb £4.06 kilo (£1.84 lb) and he said half a lamb is about 9 kilos, so about £36!

    The only price I remember about the pork was £2.62 so I don't know if that was per pound or kilo. I would think it must be per kilo.

    Does anyone know how much half a pig normally weighs when you buy it in bulk?

    So have a search for a local slaughterhouse and ask if they sell direct to the public.
  • sb44
    sb44 Posts: 5,203
    I've been Money Tipped!
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    If you aren't sure what it what this may be of use to you.

    cuts_of_lamb.gif
  • is neck end of lamb also called scrag then?
  • Hello all ! My daughters 1st birthday falls on 24th November, and I want to roast a whole lamb (spring lamb if available) for my large mixed Engliah / Iranian family. Can anyone suggest suppliers within 50 miles of Cambridge ? A company who would rent a spit roast machine would also be useful ! Thanks in advance.


    jimmo wrote: »
    Hi!
    I normally get my lamb from a farmer I, sort of, know in Wales and up til last year I was paying a little over £30 for half a lamb.
    For various reasons this year there has been no supply but I am hoping to hear this week.
    I saw prices you have quoted on the internet in July and August and I just get the feeling that if my supplier comes good I will have to pay more this year so the price may be reasonable.
    Normally lamb prices start quite high for new season but tend to drop towards autumn. I still hope to get it cheaper than £50.
    Ps your question has been moved since I started answering and there’s a lot of good stuff here.
    If you get a kidney it’s great for steak and kidney pud but also remember that the hard white fat attached to the kidney is real suet. I mince the suet and make dumplings 2oz suet 4 oz self raising flour a drop of water, salt and pepper. Fantastic!
  • Pink.
    Pink. Posts: 17,675
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    Hi sb44,

    I've added your tip the the current thread on buying lamb. For advice on buying half a pig this thread may help:

    Half a pig questions...

    Pink
  • is neck end of lamb also called scrag then?

    If you come from Lancashire they are called Scrag End of Neck and used for making Lancashire Hot Pot

    SB44 paid £1.99/lb for the lamb and £1.30/lb for the Pork so I'd say the £2.62 is per kilo

    Lesleyxx
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