More about Beef                More about Pork

Raised shoulder
The shoulder blade, marrowbone and shank bone are situated in the raised shoulder, which is covered with an even layer of fat.  Attached to the shoulder blade is the softer cartilage section.  If the shoulder is removed round, the upper portion of the thick rib is included.

USES

  • Boned and rolled  -  Oven-roast (lamb), pot-roast (mutton)
  • Boned and butterflied  -  Oven-roast or grill over the coals
  • Cubes (25 mm square)  -  Sosaties or kebabs, grill
  • Shank slices (15 mm thick)  -  Stews, potjiekos or braised dishes

Neck
The neck consists of the neck vertebrae and coarse-textured meat containing a large amount of white connective tissue (collagen).  Long, slow cooking will convert this connective tissue into gelatine and make meat tender.  The yellow connective tissue (elastin) is not affected by the heat and should therefore be removed prior to cooking.

USES

  • Whole  -  Pot-roast or cook in cooking bag
  • Boned and rolled  -  Pot-roast
  • Slices (15 mm thick)  -  Braised dishes and potjiekos
  • Cubes (25 mm square)  -  Stews and casseroles
  • Bones  -  Meat stock

Thick rib
The thick rib consists of a few vertebrae, 5 to 6 ribs, part of the shoulder blade and an even layer of fat.  If shoulder is removed round, the upper muscle layer and fat layer of thick rib are removed with the shoulder blade.

USES

  • Chops (20 mm thick)  -  Grill (lamb), braised dishes (mutton)
  • Boned and stuffed if shoulder has not been removed round (cushion)  -  Oven-roast (lamb), pot-roast (mutton)
  • Cubes (25 mm square)  -  Sosaties or kebabs (lamb), grill, stews (mutton)
  • Trimmings  -  Mince

Flank and breast
The breast is sawn off with flank for convenience.  The cut contains the breastbone and ribs in a triangular shape where the flank joins the breast.  A large proportion of white connective tissue occurs in the flank and the meat has a coarse texture.

USES

  • Boned, rolled and tied  -  Pot-roast or cook in cooking bag or aluminium foil
  • Soutribbetjie  -  Boil and grill
  • Cubes (25 mm square)  -  Casseroles and stews
  • Portions (50 mm x 100 mm)  -  Stews or potjiekos
  • Strips (25 mm wide)  -  Concertina kebabs, grill

Rib
The rib consists of vertebrae, ribs, a single eye muscle and an uneven fat layer.  Meat has a fine texture.

USES

  • Rack of lamb (8 ribs, chined and frenched)  -  Oven-roast
  • Chops (25 mm thick)  -  Grill
  • Boned and rolled  -  Oven-roast
  • Saratoga chops (20 mm thick)  -  Grill
  • Noisettes (20 mm thick)  -  Grill

Loin
A feature of the loin is the T-shaped vertebrae flanked by the very tender fillet on the one side and the eye muscle on the other.  If removed before the carcase is halved, this cut is known as saddle.

USES

  • Whole saddle  -  Oven-roast
  • Whole loin  -  Oven-roast
  • Boned and rolled  -  Oven-roast
  • Saddle chops (20 mm thick)  -  Grill
  • Loin chops (20 mm thick)  -  Grill
  • Saratoga chops (20 mm thick)  -  Grill
  • Noisettes (20 mm thick)  -  Grill

Leg
The leg contains the pelvic bone, marrowbone and shank bone and is possibly the most popular cut.



USES

  • Whole  -  Oven-roast (lamb), pot-roast (mutton)
  • Boned and rolled  -  Oven-roast (lamb), pot-roast (mutton)
  • Cured and smoked (Leipoldt ham)  -  Boil
  • Slices (3 to 5 mm thick)  -  Schnitzels, shallow-fry
  • Cubes (25 mm square)  -  Stews (mutton), sosaties and kebabs (lamb), grill

Shank
The shank contains the shank bone, meat with a coarse texture and a large proportion of white connective tissue.


USES

  • Slices (15 mm thick)  -  Braised dishes, potjiekos

 

Chump
The chump contains the pelvic bone and a large proportion of meat.  The chump can be left on the leg for a longer leg oven-roast.


USES

  • Whole  -  Oven-roast
  • Boned  -  Oven-roast
  • Chops (20 mm thick)  -  Grill


Because of their versatility lamb and mutton have become the most popular choices on the South African menu. Lamb, without the connective tisue of the more mature mutton is very tender.  The additional connective tissue in mutton however is coverted to gelatine during cooking, which makes mutton as tender and tasty as lamb.

When the lamb/mutton diagram appears at the left, roll your mouse pointer over the different areas to find out where your favourite cuts come from, as well as helpful cooking advice.

Roll your mouse pointer over the diagram for meat information

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