Lamb: When Will The Other Red Meat Have Its Bacon Moment?

Why isn't lamb more popular? Is it because of an outdated image of gamey flavors and a greasy texture?

I recently went to a dinner put on by the American Lamb Board designed to demonstrate the versatility of this underappreciated meat. The menu was created by some of Seattle's best chefs: Adam Stevenson at Earth & Ocean, Thierry Rautureau from Rover's, Eric Banh from Monsoon and Russell Lowell, who hosted the event at the Bothell restaurant that bears his name. Chateau Ste. Michelle's longtime chef John Sarich was there, cooking lamb sliders and seared lamb carpaccio.

The five-course lamb fest started on the patio with Stevenson's lamb ham and the outstanding Rose from McCrea. That was followed Rautureau's spit-roasted lamb shoulder salad (in the photo) served on farro, an heirloom grain that's kind of like barley. Bahn, who also has a restaurant in Bellevue, wowed the crowd with Vietnamese lamb stew and a lemongrass grilled rack of lamb finished with a sticky, savory/sweet tamarind sauce. Chef Lowell's seared rack of lamb accompanied by a killer demiglace seasoned with stone ground mustard was out of this world.

At the beginning of the meal, which started with a lesson in the kitchen about breaking down a whole beast, the chefs gave full credit to the local lamb farmer, who raises a special breed that's much leaner than the traditional animal. Linda Nuezig owns Ninety Farms in Arlington, Wash., about an hour north of Seattle, and sells to area restaurants as well as at farmers markets. In other words, the chefs were working with a great ingredient, which impressed the crowd. 

Actually, the assorted food writers in the room seemed pretty blown away by the entire meal. I couldn't help feeling that the chefs were preaching to the well-tuned choir. I'd love to see whether those amazing preparations could convert some lamb haters into lamb lovers.

It certainly seems as though it's not such a big gulf between bacon and lamb. Both have distinct, super meaty flavors and rich texture. Stevenson even makes a bacon-style lambcetta. We all have witnessed the culinary juggernaut bacon's become. Why not lamb?

--Leslie Kelly