About that mutton chop at Keen's......
...which I believe is not actually mutton (mutton being from a sheep over a year old), but a double loin/English lamb chop. As a lamb lover I am ashamed to say that I've never had one of these, so, to those several thousand of you here who have, how does this double loin chop compare to usual double rib chops we see all over. How does it compare to the rib chop at Kean's? I imagine it's a little less tender, but perhaps more flavourful? Or is the main difference just in its girth?
Thanks
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Although I am a steak fanatic and purist who always orders steak at Keen's, I can say that I have sampled their great mutton chop. I love lamb as well and it was one of the best pieces of meat I have ever tasted. If you love lamb this is a must. Go. Eat it. Love it.
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JoanN
Jan 7, 2010 11:59 AM
Keen's mutton chop is cut from a saddle of lamb. See this review from the NYTimes.
http://events.nytimes.com/2005/12/14/...
When you talk about a double loin/English lamb chop do you mean a baron chop? The Keen's chop isn't like that. I actually prefer the rib chops at Keen's to the mutton chop, but I'm probably in the minority. The mutton chop is more, not less, tender and I don't think it's more flavorful. It's probably because it's a leaner piece of meat.
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re: JoanN
Not sure what you mean by a "baron chop". As I understand it, a baron of lamb is sorta the whole rear end of the animal, where as a double loin chop is from the saddle before it's been cut in half, and so comprises two loin chop stuck together, so to speak.
I'm surprised to hear you say the "mutton chop" is more tender. I generally find a good rib steak to be more tender than a sirloin, and since these two chops come from the corresponding part of the lamb, I would expect the rib to be more tender. Or is the saddle more equivalent to the beef short loin, perhaps?
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re: gavspen
JoanN
Jan 7, 2010 01:02 PM
Sorry. Not the first time I've done that. For some reason I keep saying "baron chop" when what I really mean is "barnsley chop." This is what a barnsley chop looks like and what I think of when I think of a double loin chop.
http://www.gourmetbritain.com/encyclo...
This is the chop that's cut across the loin as opposed to the "mutton" chop which is cut across the saddle. It's been a couple of years since I tried the mutton chop so perhaps I'm misremembering. But I know for sure it didn't look like what's in that photo.
As I said, it's been a couple of year since I had the mutton chop--and I go to Keen's at least twice a year. I had the mutton chop once because I think everyone ought to. And I certainly don't mean to imply there was anything wrong with it. It's just that when I go to Keen's, I prefer either the rib roast or the lamb chops. Assuming, that is, that I'm not getting the porterhouse for two.
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re: JoanN
Ok, now I'm confused ;-)
The saddle comes from the loin, no? So a chop cut from the saddle is, in effect, also cut from the loin. And I must say that that pic of the "Barnsley chop" (I like that one; never heard of it before), looks remarkably like the Keen's version, just not as thick.
http://www.keens.com/AboutKeens/Mutton/
Either way, they both look delicious.....why have I waited so long? Oh! what a fool I've been. lol
P.S. Kindly forgive the misspelling of "Keen's" in the original post. What an idiot.
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You're right that it's not technically mutton. But I believe it's older lamb than you usually get. In any case, it's a delicious chop. A bit gamey (in a very good way), flavorful, thick and plump, juicy, meaty, wonderful. And it is cooked (to your specification) really quite perfectly.
