What to do with half a sheep?

[joshourisman]

I've cooked a fair amount of lamb. But have never cooked Mutton before. So take this as just thinking out loud. But in thinking about it my plan would be to cook them like pork ribs. But I would probably use a Lamb/Mutton specific rub like Dolly's Lamb Rub or some variation using lots of herbs. I actually like to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Lamb rubs. Meathead recommends water. And although I don't disagree with his thinking relative to water vs oil.....we Greek families just love our EVOO.

This is pretty much exactly what I was thinking. Other options I've come up with are to go a Caribbean route and try for a sort of dry Jamaican curry. Or maybe a Chinese Xinjiang spice rub.

[MeatMonster]

Mint sauce could be your friend here I think, or a dry \ semi dry rub with mint, lemon zest? Cut through that strong flavour.

[HorseDoctor]

Mint is for juleps on Kentucky Derby day, not meat! Sunlite sauce will do you just fine!!!

[MeatMonster]

Your right, I'll just get my coat....
Lol

[bardsleyque]

early in the post you mentioned haggis here's a recipe I saw:
1 lb.lean mutton,2 cups oatmeal, 4 onions,pepper and salt,1/2 lb.suet,1 pint liquid,1/2 tsp. herbs (if desired)Stomach bag of sheep and the pluck.The is the lights(lungs) liver,heart.Wash the stomach bag in cold water and salt.Boil pluck for 1 1/2 hrs,leaving windpipe attached and hanging out of pot in order that impurities may pass out.When it's cooked and cold,cut away windpipe and any skin and gristle sticking to it.Put aside some lights and mince the remainder with mutton and suet.Toast oatmeal in the oven and chop onions.Put into a bowl the minced lights,mutton and suet.Add about one pint of the liquid in which the pluck was boiled,and mix all together(with herbs,pepper,and salt)to a soft consistency.Take sheep's bag and fill a little more than half-full.Sew up tightly,prick,and tie up with cloth.Put into a pan of boiling water with a plate at the bottom,and boil for 3 to 4 hours.Prick occasionally to stop bursting.
.

[ribeyeguy]

What to do with half a sheep? Well, if it's the rear half I could come up with a wholly inappropriate suggestion but since this is a semi family friendly site I should probably just keep it to myself.

[HawkerXP]

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..

[Fire Art]

I’m from Wyoming also and herd in Montana they’ve come up with another use for sheep wool

[bardsleyque]

daaaaaaaad

[joshourisman]

Dry brining the breast before it gets some Dolly rub and goes on the smoker tomorrow!

[joshourisman]

The mutton breasts have been smoking for about 2.5 hours now, and I’m amazed how much color they’ve taken on. Can’t wait to eat these!

[DWCowles]

Looking good!

[joshourisman]

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.

[Fire Art]

Bear bait I couldn’t resist

[joshourisman]

The ribs turned out absolutely amazing. As suggested,
I treated them exactly like a St. Louis rack, but used the Dolly’s Lamb Run and the Sunlight sauce.

The only change I’d make would be to do a better job of trimming the fat, the cap turned out to be significantly thicker than I’d thought, so some of the meat didn’t get as much smoke as I’d have liked, but it was still delicious. My sister-in-law, who hates lamb, even agreed.

[EdF]

So was it lamb, or mutton? Most of what's easily available is lamb. But there's this cooking (let's say meat) guy in the UK, who prefers mutton for its more robust flavor. I'd like to try that!

[EdF]

Cool. So what do you think compared to the usual "lamb"?

[joshourisman]

I really liked it. I definitely see why some people might find the flavor off-putting, and I might be a little more aggressive with my spices when I cook with it again, but overall it was delicious. I've got another ~40 lbs. of various cuts of mutton in the freezer, so there will certainly be some more experimentation going on! (Next, I think, will be Xinjiang spiced mutton burgers.)

[EdF]

Sounds great. Thanks, joshourisman!