As a rule, we buy meat that has already been cut into pieces convenient for work. But if a big holiday is coming, at which many guests will gather, you may have the idea to buy a whole lamb carcass. It is not only quite convenient, but also profitable, because buying in bulk, as you know, is always cheaper.
This is where the reasonable question of how to cut a ram will appear before you. Of course, you can entrust this business to a professional. Any lamb seller will probably agree to help you - of course, not thanks. As a rule, in the form of payment, the slaughterers and dividers charge for their labor not with money but with meat. But if you are sorry to part with a part of the carcass or just want to learn something new, do not give in to difficulties and drag the whole carcass home. Believe me, carving a lamb is possible not only for a strong man, but also for a fragile woman. Although still this work is considered masculine. Using our illustrated guide, you can easily complete the task.
Simple cutting scheme
If the question of how to cut a ram, you will hear from someone strict recommendations on the order of work and the number of parts, of course, it is worth listening to the advice. But one cannot consider any version as the only true one. There are many ways, each of them is good in its own way. Your task is to understand the algorithm and act in a way that suits you.
In some countries of Central Asia, it is customary to divide a mutton carcass into exactly 22 pieces, making cuts on each joint. Of course, in those parts they know a lot about lamb, but from a practical point of view it is more a tribute to traditions, not rationalism.
Usually optimal is the cutting of the carcass into its components, which are indicated in the diagram below.
Site preparation required tool
Before slaughtering and butchering a ram, you must ensure that everything you need is at hand. If you also have the task of slaughtering an animal, you will need a very sharp knife, a rope, a metal tube and basins. And for cutting a heavy hatchet of small size, a knife and a small hacksaw will come in handy. The latter tool is more innovative than traditional, but it’s very convenient to work with. With a metal blade, you can easily cut ribs into even and neat portioned pieces.
Cutting is conveniently carried out on a spacious table. Take care of a sufficient number of cutting boards, dishes, rags. Place a container of water in which you can rinse your hands.
The first step: cutting into the main parts
We will not argue about how to properly carve a ram carcass, and first of all we will separate the back from the front. Start from the stomach, and when you reach the spine, sharply bend the carcass, as if trying to break the ridge. Most likely, you will not succeed, but the integrity of the spinal column will be violated, and this is what we need. Now you can see between which vertebrae to insert a sharp knife to make an incision.
If you can’t do this manipulation with a knife, use a hatchet. Remember: it should be used only in cases of emergency, the rest of the time giving preference to the knife. Cutting a bone, the hatchet crumbles its edge, and crushed bones are not the best seasoning for meat. The knife wields more delicately.
What part of the half-carcass to start work with? This is completely unimportant, but most professionals prefer to deal with their hind legs first.
Work with the back of the carcass
Before carving a ram, you probably noticed that its meat is covered with dense white fat. Especially a lot of him in fat tail. Separate it as carefully as possible, set it aside separately.
Now separate the legs. If you manage to carefully divide the leg along the joint, you will not even have to make special efforts. Otherwise, you have to tinker. Put the shanks aside.
Now take one thigh aside, trying to determine through the layer of muscles: where is the head of the femur entering the acetabulum? Loosen the joint, insert the knife into it, cut the joint of the bones. Now you can easily separate the thigh. Lamb ham is a real delicacy in which there is a lot of meat. Separate both legs and set them aside separately. There was a spine with pelvic bones. You can chop it right away into 2-3 parts.
Paddle and front cut
When wondering how to carve a ram carcass, you probably already imagine what you will cook from it. Looking at the front part, anyone even intuitively guesses that it is necessary to separate the forelimbs from it, and cut the ribs with meat from the spine. So we do: we separate both shanks. Separately chop the neck.
Fat
You can cut off all the fat from the carcass, if you do not like too fat meat. A lot of sheep and interior fat - it covers the internal organs. But you need to store and use these types of fat separately from each other. For example, the interior can easily be melted, and the fat tail is salted, like lard.
Ribs
How to cut a ram into beautiful portioned pieces? This is where the hacksaw comes in handy. On average, the length of the costal bone should be 10-12 cm, then it will be convenient for you to cook different dishes from this product, and it will also be convenient to eat.
Cut ribs into plates. It can be separated from the spine, but you can use it.
Portioned pieces
You already understand how to properly slaughter a ram. If you plan to use the whole carcass at once for preparing a festive dish, you will have to continue cutting. Remember: for pilaf, lagman or stew, you must cut the meat into pieces of equal volume. In these cases, the fillet is cut from the ham, and the bones are used to make the broth.
You didn’t buy a carcass at all to eat it in a day? then you have wider prospects. Pack the meat, depending on what you plan to cook. Hips can be left intact, because in a baked form they are considered one of the most famous delicacies not only in Asian countries, but throughout the world.
The use of various parts of the carcass in cooking
You know how to cut a ram, now you can easily cope with the task. But this is only half the battle, the most important thing is ahead. Many wonderful dishes are prepared from lamb, be sure to learn some recipes and you. Stuffing is used for samsa and other traditional baking, meat is baked and fried. And the glory of lamb kebab thunders even far beyond the Caucasus Mountains. Even if you just fry the meat pieces in a pan, seasoning with spices and garlic, and then let the meat stew, you will get a wonderful result, which will be a well-deserved reward after all the efforts.