Lamb gets a bad rap.
And I get it. After a minute of talking to a lamb hater, it becomes clear that most have had a really bad lamb experience somewhere along the way - or they’ve been fed some poorly prepared, stinky mutton (mature sheep meat) that’s turned them off of sheep meat entirely. Has this been your experience?
Now I don’t want to get too far down the rabbit hole just yet, dissecting the variables that affect the quality and flavor of lamb (or any meat for that matter). Those factors can range from breed to feeding to handling to harvest. And while supremely important topics, deserving of a post or ten dedicated specifically to their administrations (which we will address - don’t you worry)…
…today, we’re switching gears & keeping it simple, savoring an under appreciated delicacy in its most approachable form: MEATBALLS.
We’ve spent many a year begging lamb deniers to simply try a sample of our lamb, only to watch them transform into lamb relishers before our very eyes, young and old alike. And meatballs are one of those gateway recipes that fling wide the gates of culinary potential to freedom of enjoying a once-avoided fare.
Last weekend, we spent two days at our friends’ farm for their annual Raw Milk & Cookies celebration, introducing HoH to the local community and taking Thanksgiving turkey reservations through our farm, Brush Arbor Farmstead. We find one of our greatest satisfactions in giving folks a taste of what’s grown here, and the hero of the weekend - even over pork - was the Rosemary Lamb Meatball.
She was responsible for many a widened eye and raised eyebrow, as skeptics conceded to enjoying lamb for the first time. And as the shepherdess and cook, seeing those expressions over this little labor of love is fuel to my fire. But when asked for the recipe by my new, foodie friends, “Uhhhh…five pounds of lamb, and a handfulla’ this, and a littla’ that…” fell understandably short of expectations.
Sharing my love for the ultimate end of husbandry labors, feeding the people, is, after all, the natural progression of this thing. So, with the help of my girls, a real, like-with-actual-measurements-n-stuff, recipe has been born, and Lord willing, is the first of many I’ll be so blessed to get organized for you.
For ease and foolproof-ness, this recipe is at the top of the list. And that makes it the perfect opportunity for the kids to jump up on a stool, don an apron, and join you for some family kitchen goodness.
Once you get the oven preheated to 350 degrees F, beat an egg in a large bowl. Add all of the herbs and spices, then mix thoroughly.
Rosemary and garlic are my favorite flavor accompaniments to lamb, and are also just physiologic fuel to my health, personally - so I tend to be relatively heavy handed with them. If their proportions are too much for you in this recipe, just cut them back to fit your fancy.
Add in your breadcrumbs and pound of lamb (any ground meat with sufficient fat content could be substituted). Remember, not all lamb is created equal. How your lamb is raised and harvested will be made manifest in the eating, and is as important to this recipe as the other components combined.
Gluten does not love my family, so I use Schär gluten free breadcrumbs that I order from Thrive Market, which are very fine and a nice, neutral binder.
Now, scrub those little helping hands and give them the reins - this is their favorite part! You’ll have meatball homogeny in no time.
TIP: If you’re cooking with ground meat (burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, sausage, etc.) and want to test your seasoning prior to the permanence of cooking the whole batch, just cook a small sample on the stovetop, then adjust your seasonings accordingly.
Once mixed, shape into approximately 1.5 inch spheres and place evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. I like to use a small melon-baller to measure mine & keep the size consistent. These can certainly be made larger, just make sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly.
Position pan on the middle rack of the oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, or until fully cooked through the center.
These little flavor explosions are amazing in soups, as accompaniments to pasta dishes, or simply standing alone as an understated main course. I love to take them as a crock-pot stable potluck contribution, as they can be served alongside most other foods without totally dominating a plate. Would ya’ know it, I’ll actually be taking these very meatballs to another farm gathering tomorrow.
I hope you’ll give them a try, and have a little fun in the kitchen with the fam. You may be surprised at the popularity of lamb with the littles. Do me a big favor, and report back when you’ve made them? It would be so, very much appreciated!
Cheers to a most wonderful weekend, friends.