My husband is from the middle east and is a big lamb eater. I would even say that is his preferred meat over beef or chicken. He won’t eat pork, I don’t understand it, all a pig is good for is because it tastes good, why waste a creature the good Lord put on the earth, but that’s a whole nother story. Anyways, I have two recipies in particular that I would recommend for you. The first one is a nice lamb and bean soup:
Have the butcher cut a shoulder up in small pieces, leave the bones in.
In a big heavy soup pot brown the meat in a good amount of olive oil
add some chopped onion and lots of chopped garlic
I usually add about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste next, but I’m sure it will be just as good without.
When your onions are nice and soft add in water, and white beans (cannellini, navy, white kidneys, whatever)
if you are using soaked dried beans, or canned both will work, but you will, of course need more water and need to cook it longer for the dry beans
throw in lots of oregano, crushed red pepper, and black pepper, I do not add salt until the beans are done
Usually, we tear up a couple pieces of pita bread and throw it in the bottom of the bowl and pour the soup on top.
It is simple, but super good.
My other recipe I would suggest is lamb kebabs, but they are not on a stick
take about a pound of ground lamb, add lots of mint and oregano (I do not suggest fresh herbs for this), some cumin, lots of black pepper and lots of chopped garlic, some salt, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour and mix it very well don’t worry about overmixing
the flour should be enough to get it to hold its shape, you may need a little more
shape into small oblong patties and grill or broil, its almost meatbally, so no cooking it rare
also eaten with pita bread, but sandwich-like, I fix a relish tray with lettuce, parsley, onion, cucumber, green onion, tomato (or not), and if you can get some pickled turnips they are great
as is some sliced feta cheese
I hope you enjoy one or both of these:)
I think it is worth mentioning as well that you should check their prices on other meat. I have been shopping at a halal butcher for some years and I see that most of the customers at the one I shop at are not from around here. Here’s the thing though, different people find different pieces to be the choicer cut of meat. I don’t know what they find as the choice cut of beef, but it is not steaks. I can get filet for 8.99/lb, thats a heck of a deal, but they are limited on the supply. Even at that price, I’m not eating steak every day, but I can swing it once in a while. Actually I more often go for the ribeye, which my shop sells for 7.99/lb. If you are into liver at all, I am told that lamb liver is the best. I don’t really have an opinion on that myself though.
I love my meat store because it is a real butcher, there are sides of beef and goats and lambs hanging up and they will cut to order whatever I want, exactly how I want. Nothing is sitting in a cooler wrapped and ready and getting handled and monkeyed with or whatever.
Edit: The smaller leg or shoulder will be more tender, if slightly more expensive due to meat:bone ratio, also, the soup, like any bean soup is even more wonderful the next day
