I love the taste of lamb but really hate mutton. Something about it I can’t stand. Seems everyone I have known perfers lamb to mutton. For what it’s worth, I like veal better than beef too.
I was wondering if anyone here actually like mutton more than lamb.
I haven’t had mutton often enough to say for sure; and it’s rendered complicated by folks telling me that the mutton I’ve had (e.g., Keens Steakhouse in Manhattan) isn’t really. But within the limits of those disclaimers, I’ve enjoyed mutton better, although I live lamb quite a bit.
Mutton seems to work in highly seasoned dishes. I’ve never had a piece of simple mutton roast or a chop so I can’t really say how it would taste all by itself.
Mutton’s rather hard to find in my neck of the woods (Midwest US). I’d really like to try it, but I hold out for a decent cut, since I’m told the bits that are available locally (less than choice animals, cuts long frozen, etc) are not so tasty.
I had mutton in Africa, where it’s very common. Didn’t like it, as it had a strong (and unpleasant, to me) flavor and was very fatty. I like lamb, particularly the stuff from NZ and Aus.
Mutton’s quite hard to come by in the UK too - though I’ve seen it sold in supermarkets’ Halal sections I think. I used to think even lamb had too much of that funny ‘dead meat’ taste about it; but now I love it, and embrace the odd bit of mutton or goat when I can.
Prince Charles has been an outspoken advocate of mutton in the past, though he does speak out about a lot of stuff…
I strongly believe that someone paid their university tuition my freshman and sophmore years with a herd of sheep. We had mutton three times a week or more in the student caf. It wasn’t awful, but not my favorite either. I’m used to stronger tasting meat as I come from a family of hunters, but while strong, mutton’s flavor isn’t really gamey. After two years of such a plethora of mutton, I’d be perfectly happy to never eat it again.
The story has always been that, in the US, our soldiers who served in WWII in the South Pacific had mutton and learned to hate it. I’ve never seen it In Akron OH. the last 45 years but admit I don’t shop in markets that might carry it.
Most upscale restaurants in the US now serve lamb from the Western US rather than New Zealand or Australia. I think it’s better in the cuts I’ve had.