Fire roasted lamb??

[ssbs]

I am trying to buy a lamb to roast for about 20 people, the price depends on the weight.. I'm buying on foot and have no idea how much the thing needs to weigh live.

Any ideas??

 

[Liamm_1]

http://www.churchviewfarm.info/Lamb.html

Hope this helps

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Never butchered a lamb, but with goat you'll get at most about 1/2 the live weight in dressed meat. So my guess would be to figure how much meat you need for your guest in lbs then at least double that or a bit more for the needed live weight.

 

[lilwhispers]

Ok if I remember correctly you should figure at least 1/2 a pound of meat for each person. Lambs dress out about 50% of their live weight. I would personally figure a GENEROUS overage so that everone is well fed

 

[Looking4ewes]

We just roasted a 1 1/2 yo ewe on the fire pit last weekend. 150 lb live weight, ~75 lb. dressed, and ~30 lbs. cooked. Applied a marinade of olive oil, butter, rosemary, salt, pepper, and most importantly, garlic and lots of it. Terrific! I've never tried a lamb before because the market is so good right now, I sell them first.

Hope you have a great party!

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I love lamb, can't wait until I have lambs this spring but like the above post... the market is so good for lamb you hate to eat them! Have to pay your bills first. But I agree the wast is 50% but then you have bone to pick through, so I would have to say 35% is actual edible meat of live weight maybe a bit less.

 

[Bossroo]

I often put on a BarBQ for Company, Businessmen, Club, family and friends. I butcher a Suffolk X, Hampshire X or Southdown X or Dorper 5 month old lamb at 95-105 pounds ( Barbados, Katahdin and white face wool breds are just too light and not finished at that age/weight) . I then marinade the whole carcass in a 55 gallon drum for 2 days [ I once did a 6-7 year old ewe and marinaded her for 5 days... came out nice and tender]). Next, I run a 2" pipe down the length of the carcass and tie the kegs down with baling wire, next place over a bed of hot coals at the bottom of a 2' deep open pit. Basting is a can of beer over the lamb and one down me in that spacing order every 1/4 turn of the lamb untill the internal temperature in the middle of the hindquarter reaches 180* . Makes for a crispy outer layer and oh so juicy and tender meat. Those that enjoy eating lamb just love it while those that have never eaten lamb before just rave over it and come back for 2nds and even 3rds. Enjoy !!!

 

[ssbs]

Now the trouble is finding one

I've email my farmer friends first, one of which is searching through HER friends. I'm looking for one that is around 60-80+ pounds

My aunt was talking about trying a pig rather than a lamb.. I wouldn't be able to do that, I'd be processing the lamb myself. I'd have NO earthly idea how to slice through a pigs hide, let alone through ones jugulars. Little Bow Peeps friend on the other hand would be a breeze.

 

[kooltex]

I raise southdowns, and I have one wether left. I have more folks beggin me for that lamb! I want this one for my freezer! I'm glad the market is good though

 

[Looking4ewes]

I'm looking for one that is around 60-80+ pounds

That is quite light. Don't you want leftovers?

I'd go for a 100 lbs. Seriously, this is going to be good meat, especially for the effort you will be putting into it. Don't want anyone going hungry.

( Barbados, Katahdin and white face wool breds are just too light and not finished at that age/weight)

Mine just weighed in at 107 lbs., 5 mo, all grass-fed, Dorset and Dorset/Dorper/Katahdin crosses. I wouldn't give you 2 nickles for a Barbados.

BossRoo - what sort of marinade do you use?​