I was super excited when I had a lamb producer, Lindsay of Agricultural with Dr. Lindsay, get in contact with me. Lamb is something that growing up in California, we ate a lot of. Here in North Dakota…. Not so much. So anytime I have a good excuse to cook some lamb, I do it! This is one of my favorite marinades for a leg of lamb. It pairs so well with the lamb is so full of flavor. Even my husband enjoyed this leg of lamb!!
LAMB: LINDSAY OF AGRICULTURAL WITH DR. LINDSAY
Topaz, California
When did you start farming? What brought you into farming?
My Mom’s family has always been involved in sheep production. My Grandpa had several hundred head of ewes once upon a time. When I was nine years old I enrolled in the sheep project in 4-H. My first lamb was “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (aka Jack) and he was quite athletic and loved by the whole family. When I sold him, I used the money to purchase a couple of Suffolk ewes and a ram, thus getting my family back into the sheep business. Thereafter, I began raising homegrown 4-H lambs and continued to build the flock. When my sister got into 4-H, she was also in the sheep project, truly making it a family affair. We also raised cattle, but this is about the lambs J
To this day my parents (specifically my Mom) still maintain the sheep. She has since added some Hampshires to the flock and sells lambs to 4-H kids and has become a 4-H leader again. She also has a healthy niche market in place for ranch raised and harvested lamb that is sold to customers cut, wrapped, and ready for their freezer.
What is your favorite thing to do with a food crop you grow? (recipe, method of cooking, etc.)
My dad comes from a long line of cattle ranchers, so as you can imagine when the cattle rancher (my Dad) married the sheep rancher (my Mom) there was never a dull moment. My Dad has always said that it is a good thing lamb tastes so good, otherwise there would be no reason to raise them. Our family loves the loin/rib chops, but we are also partial to a good lamb stew, and a leg of lamb slow cooked with lots of garlic and red wine.
After Christmas break I would always return to college with an ice chest full of meat. I like to credit myself with providing my roommates and friends with better than average college culinary experiences. Additionally, I taught them the four cardinal rules to eating lamb: it must always be served HOT (or else you get a thin layer of grease on the roof of your mouth), cook it to a degree of doneness of medium (medium well at most), it need to be young – less than one year of age (anything over that is considered mutton, and has a different taste), and it is best served with red wine and garlic.
What is one message you’d like to get across to the general public about what you do?
Ranching has been something that my family has done for generations. I am the 4th generation! The animals and their care and well-being always come first. Whether it is a 1 am check to make sure first time mothers do not need assistance having their babies or bringing a newborn baby born during a blizzard into the house to be warmed in front of the fire. While non-agriculture persons may not always understand what ranchers and farmers do, or question why it is done, it is important to know that people like my family are making sacrifices daily to provide the best care they can for the animals they raise, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Also, ask a rancher or farmer why they do something or if you can tour their operation. You may be surprised what you learn and the new friendships you will gain.
You can find more from Dr. Lindsay on her blog Agricultural with Dr. Lindsay, give her a LIKE on Facebook, or following her on Twitter and Instagram!
I love Lindsay’s rules of lamb and have to second them! Eat it HOT, serve it medium, and make sure your lamb is not over one year of age… And of course, lots of garlic! This recipe is no exception!
PrintLeg of Lamb Marinade
a super simple leg of lamb marinade with wine, dijon mustard, and lots of garlic
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 pound leg of lamb (boneless or bone-in)
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 – 4 cloves crushed garlic
- pinch chopped rosemary
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together to combine. Pour into a large ziploc bag. Season lamb well with salt and pepper and put into ziploc bag.
- Marinate leg of lamb for several hours or overnight. Once ready to cook, remove from marinade.
- Make small slits in the leg of lamb and push in whole garlic cloves. Slather the entire leg of lamb with dijon mustard. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Grill or roast until medium (about 140-145 degrees) and remove from heat. Foil and let rest for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot.
This post is part of my Thirty Days of Food series where I am writing about food and farming for the entire month of November, to find out more about it all or how to follow along, visit my Thirty Days of Food page to find more great recipes with farmer features!
