Mmmm Monday: Lamb Soup

Over the last few weeks we've been asked if we could post more lamb related recipes on this blog. It seems that some of you might be interested in purchasing and eating lamb, if you only knew how to prepare it. We want to encourage you in your lamb eating! So, here is a recipe for some yummy soup. There are two parts; how to make the stock that will form the base of your soup, and the recipe for the soup itself.

Lamb Stock
* soup bones or other left over bones from a lamb carcass
* water to cover bones
* 1 medium sized onion
* 2-4 large carrots
* the bottom 5 inches of a whole bunch of celery (not the individual stocks)
* peppercorns and salt (to taste)
* coriander and rosemary (to taste)

1. Thaw out your soup bones or other bones and place in a large stock pot or other large pot. Completely cover the bones with water.
2. Begin boiling on high.
3. As you begin to boil, add the onion (do not peel, or cut), the carrots (again, no need to peel or cut) and the celery. The purpose of these vegetables is to infuse flavour and nutrients into the stock.
4. Add in your peppercorns, salt, coriander, and rosemary.
5. Once you have achieved a rolling boil for about 10-15 minutes, reduce heat to med/low and let simmer until stock reaches desired thickness and taste.
6. Once your desired thickness and taste is achieved, strain the stock into another large pot. Discard vegetable remnants (they make great chicken feed or compost!). Pick up the bones, one at a time, and pick them clean- adding meat to your stock and discarding fat, cartiledge and bone.
You now have the base for a delicious lamb soup! It can be stored in a jar in the fridge for later, frozen, or used immediately.

Deal for Local Readers! Many of you are no doubt thinking that you don't have time to make lamb stock. That's probably true! It does take a while. For those of you who live local to Hill Giant Farm, we have an offer you don't want to miss. We have 2 1L jars, and 2 500ml jars of lamb stock left over from this evenings supper. We have canned it up and are willing to sell it for $4/1L of $2/500ml to the first people to email us at hillgiantfarm@gmail.com. Please let us know how many jars you would like, and what size. Thanks!


Lamb Soup
* lamb stock
* 2-3 carrots peeled, cut
* celery, chopped
* onion, chopped
* yellow pepper, chopped
* small yellow zucchini, chopped
* 2 potatos, peeled, chopped
* green beans, chopped
* rehydrated lentils
* 4-5 cloves of garlic
* coriander, rosemary and sweet basil to taste
* salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring the lamb stock to a gentle boil.
2. Add in the vegetables, garlic and spices.
3. Let boil for 15 minutes or so.
4. Reduce heat and let simmer until desired consistency is achieved.
I usually stop a number of times throughout and test the broth, often topping up the spices. You should do so as well. Lamb soup is a unique, delicious, and extremely nutritious addition to any meal.

Thinking about eating more lamb? Hill Giant Farm is taking orders for our 2012 Spring lambs. Pasture raised lamb. Here's how it works (available to those in Southern Ontario, only)
You email us at hillgiantfarm@gmail.com to let us know you are interested.

How much does it cost? Customers of Hill Giant Farm purchase the whole lamb and are charged $6.90/lb for hanging weight. 

What does hanging weight mean? This means that you pay for what the carcass weighs whole, after it is butchered, but before it is broken down into individual chops, roasts etc. In other words, individual pieces are not weighed and charged. This way you pay a flat rate for all the prime (rack) and secondary (shoulder) cuts. It is the most economical way to purchase meat. On average, the hanging weight of a carcass is in the range of 50lbs. 


Is there anything else I need to know? Yes. Our lambs are butchered at a government inspected facility only10 km from our farm. There is a $45 butchering charge. For that fee, the butcher will custom cut, wrap and label the meat to your specifications, with a guarantee that it has been done safely and humanely according to government requirements. 



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