THE SWEETEST MOST SUCCULENT LAMB EVER! PASTURE-RAISED, ALL-NATURAL, NOTHING ADDED!
At Domus Café, Ottawa's temple of regional cuisine, chef-proprietor John Taylor recently served up a whole lamb in individual mixed platters of braised shoulder, grilled rack and loin, roast leg and a spiced patty. "I called it a Study of Katahdin Lamb," said Mr. Taylor, one of a handful of Canadian chefs who are offering a little-known North American heritage meat. "It's very lean, almost like veal. It's got a different flavour and texture."
The result of crossing wool sheep with African hair sheep, the breed was registered in Maine in the early 1970s and named after the state's highest mountain. Now that they are spreading through Canada - mainly Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario - the animal has the potential to become a favourite of locavores who want to know what they're eating. "I love the taste. It's lamb, but so mild," says Jasmin Kobajica, executive chef at Edmonton's Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe.
With a thick winter coat that it sheds in summer, it's a hardy animal that is well suited to Canadian temperature extremes. It thrives on pasture foraging. And the meat tends to have lower cholesterol than regular lamb, which is typically Suffolk, Hampshire or Dorset breeds.
At Calories restaurant in Saskatoon, Provence-born chef-owner Rémi Cousyn has been using Katahdin for his merguez sausages as well as other dishes. "It's very good. There's no strong muttony smell," Mr. Cousyn says.
Farmers say it's the animal's coat that makes the difference in taste: The Katahdins' hair has no lanolin, a natural substance secreted by most sheep. At Jesswill Acres farm near Campbellford, Ont., Edna Rudkin shows off her herd, pretty in shades of cinnamon, tan - even some with spots. "The lanolin is in the wool," Ms. Rudkin says, "that's what gives that smell. But even wool breeds don't produce lanolin until they are over 100 pounds."
Except for Easter lambs, which are smaller, lambs are usually slaughtered at around that size. Since Katahdins don't produce lanolin, they can be sold at 120 pounds. "People say: 'Wow, lamb chops that aren't a coin size.' "
Chefs like Mr. Kobajica, Mr. Cousyn and Mr. Taylor want to rise to the challenge, sustaining local producers by using the whole animal. A whole Katahdin delivered to Domus Café by the Pickle Patch farm on a Thursday will be sold out by closing time on Saturday. At Chateau Lacombe, Mr. Kobajica goes through 10 whole carcasses a month. "We offer a Franklyn Farm Katahdin Lamb of the Day," Mr. Kobajica says. "My favourite part is the neck." He braises it with local organic lavender. "People will call," Ms. Kreddig says, "and say, 'We had some lamb that was just great.' "
At Domus Café, Ottawa's temple of regional cuisine, chef-proprietor John Taylor recently served up a whole lamb in individual mixed platters of braised shoulder, grilled rack and loin, roast leg and a spiced patty. "I called it a Study of Katahdin Lamb," said Mr. Taylor, one of a handful of Canadian chefs who are offering a little-known North American heritage meat. "It's very lean, almost like veal. It's got a different flavour and texture."
The result of crossing wool sheep with African hair sheep, the breed was registered in Maine in the early 1970s and named after the state's highest mountain. Now that they are spreading through Canada - mainly Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario - the animal has the potential to become a favourite of locavores who want to know what they're eating. "I love the taste. It's lamb, but so mild," says Jasmin Kobajica, executive chef at Edmonton's Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe.
With a thick winter coat that it sheds in summer, it's a hardy animal that is well suited to Canadian temperature extremes. It thrives on pasture foraging. And the meat tends to have lower cholesterol than regular lamb, which is typically Suffolk, Hampshire or Dorset breeds.
At Calories restaurant in Saskatoon, Provence-born chef-owner Rémi Cousyn has been using Katahdin for his merguez sausages as well as other dishes. "It's very good. There's no strong muttony smell," Mr. Cousyn says.
Farmers say it's the animal's coat that makes the difference in taste: The Katahdins' hair has no lanolin, a natural substance secreted by most sheep. At Jesswill Acres farm near Campbellford, Ont., Edna Rudkin shows off her herd, pretty in shades of cinnamon, tan - even some with spots. "The lanolin is in the wool," Ms. Rudkin says, "that's what gives that smell. But even wool breeds don't produce lanolin until they are over 100 pounds."
Except for Easter lambs, which are smaller, lambs are usually slaughtered at around that size. Since Katahdins don't produce lanolin, they can be sold at 120 pounds. "People say: 'Wow, lamb chops that aren't a coin size.' "
Chefs like Mr. Kobajica, Mr. Cousyn and Mr. Taylor want to rise to the challenge, sustaining local producers by using the whole animal. A whole Katahdin delivered to Domus Café by the Pickle Patch farm on a Thursday will be sold out by closing time on Saturday. At Chateau Lacombe, Mr. Kobajica goes through 10 whole carcasses a month. "We offer a Franklyn Farm Katahdin Lamb of the Day," Mr. Kobajica says. "My favourite part is the neck." He braises it with local organic lavender. "People will call," Ms. Kreddig says, "and say, 'We had some lamb that was just great.' "
The Katahdin breed is a wooless, easy care, meat type sheep, naturally tolerant of climatic extremes and capable of high performance in a wide variety of environments. The purpose of the breed is to efficiently produce meat.
The Katahdin does not require shearing and is preferably completely free of permanent wooly fibers. The coat can be any color or pattern. Polled animals are preferred; horned and scurred individuals are recorded as such.
The Katahdins are a heavy-muscled, medium-sized breed. They demonstrate adaptability by performing well in areas varying in geography, temperature, and humidity, feed and forage resources, and management systems. Ewes are easy lambers, and exhibit strong maternal instincts and good milking ability.
The Kathadin possess high potential for early puberty, fertility, and lamb survivability. Lambs grow and mature rapidly to an acceptable market weight range and produce relatively lean and well muscled carcasses with a very mild flavor.
The Katahdin does not require shearing and is preferably completely free of permanent wooly fibers. The coat can be any color or pattern. Polled animals are preferred; horned and scurred individuals are recorded as such.
The Katahdins are a heavy-muscled, medium-sized breed. They demonstrate adaptability by performing well in areas varying in geography, temperature, and humidity, feed and forage resources, and management systems. Ewes are easy lambers, and exhibit strong maternal instincts and good milking ability.
The Kathadin possess high potential for early puberty, fertility, and lamb survivability. Lambs grow and mature rapidly to an acceptable market weight range and produce relatively lean and well muscled carcasses with a very mild flavor.