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Eating Quality of Mutton Compared with Lamb and its Relationship to Freezing Practice

Meat Industry Research Institute of New Zealand, P.O. Box 617 Hamilton, New Zealand

Abstract

Mutton from mature ewes or rams suffers seriously from freezing too early, although not to the same degree as lamb. If the carcasses are "conditioned" for 24 hr. at 15 C before freezing, the resultant joints when roasted are slightly less tender than lamb, as assessed by tenderometer or panel on small pieces. Other palatability characteristics do not discriminate greatly against ewes or rams. Hot-cut legs from a complete series of ewes of 3 to 9 years of age gave the same low shear values as those from lambs and showed no age trend at all. However, full leg slices, which contain the definitely tougher gross connective tissue, were distinctly tougher for ewes than for lamb, although still very acceptable.

It is concluded that simple improvements in processing could lift mutton from the category of process meat to that of acceptable roasting meat, with consequent increase in profitability.

¹ Present address: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823.