Lamb vs Turkey: which is the better choice?
Why choose turkey?
If you’re looking for a change from your usual beef, pork, or chicken dishes, there are many exciting meats to choose for the centrepiece of your next meal. Of the options, turkey and lamb will likely come near the top of the list. Both of these meats offer a unique experience when preparing, cooking, serving, and eating. This post is designed to help you decide which one is best suited for your next culinary occasion.
Turkey is the quintessential Christmas meat and often gets associated with special occasions as a result, but does this mean it’s actually any good? Yes! Turkey meat offers a different flavour profile to chicken, with tender and more plentiful meat. Turkey can also be cooked and served in many different ways, with each approach unlocked new flavour and texture combinations. Regardless of how it’s coked, choosing turkey almost always means you have leftovers. This provides near endless possibilities for more dishes, from sandwiches to pies and stews, you’ll certainly get your money’s worth by choosing turkey.
Tips for cooking the perfect turkey
If you’ve chosen turkey as the star of the show, it’s essential to get the cooking right. Although both lamb and turkey have delicate flavours that require proper attention, turkey is more prone to drying out due to its leanness.
- Start by ensuring that your turkey is properly thawed and at room temperature before cooking. A brine or seasoned butter rub will add flavour and keep the meat moist.
- Cover and cook the turkey at the appropriate temperature and use a meat thermometer to ensure it’s cooked to perfection.
- Basting at periods during cooking is optional but recommended. The turkey can also be uncovered for around 15 minutes at the end to help crisp the skin.
- Don’t forget to let it rest before carving, allowing the juices to redistribute.
What’s good about lamb?
The prospect of cooking a lamb joint can be intimidating but don’t let that put you off the potential benefits of eating lamb. What’s more, there are many different lamb cuts to choose from, including rack of lamb, lamb cutlets, lamb shank, neck of lamb, and more. The main reasons for picking lamb for your next dinner are:
- Nutrition: Lamb is a great source of quality protein, along with amino acids that promote muscle growth and repair. In addition, the essential nutrients in lamb, such as vitamin B12 and zinc, help to support a variety of bodily functions.
- Flavour: Lamb has a distinctive rich flavour and when it’s cooked to perfection, the meat is very tender and satisfying. This flavour is only enhanced by the fat content of lamb, which also helps it stay moist during long cooking. Lamb also offers diverse cuts, each with its own texture and flavour profile, providing options for different types of dishes and cooking methods.
- Significance: Serving lamb is often associated with Christian holidays due to references in the bible. The most common time to serve lamb in Christian households comes around Easter time, although it can be a good fit for Christmas dinner as well.
Deciding whether to serve turkey and lamb
In conclusion, both lamb and turkey are utterly delicious, having the potential to leave a lasting impression on your guests. When choosing between the two, it all comes down to personal preferences and the occasion in question. For example, a Christmas turkey will likely be better suited to those catering for a larger crowd as it has more size options.
Your online butchers for Christmas meats
If you’re stuck deciding which meat to serve at Christmas dinner, browsing the Village Butcher range can help you weigh up your options. It always pays to be prepared, especially during the holiday season. With us, you get access to premium meat cuts that are packaged in a quality controlled environment and shipped direct to your doorstep. Get in touch if you have any questions.