Unique Holidays: April 7th, 2022

Good afternoon, how are you? Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I wanted to bring you our series featuring Unique Holidays: April 7th, 2022. Today is National Lamb Day and before you ask no, I don’t plan on celebrating this Holiday because I do not eat Lambs and I don’t plan on starting anytime soon. How about you?

National Roast Leg of Lamb Day

National Roast Leg of Lamb Day occurs annually on May 7 to celebrate and encourage everyone to try out the dish. This mild and tender meat is a unique and tasty dish adored by people around the world. Lamb is lean red meat full of nutrients like potassium, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. This generally more tender meat is typically taken from sheep between the ages of one month and one year old.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL ROAST LEG OF LAMB DAY

Lamb is the tender meat of a younger Sheep aged between 10 and 14 months. Meat from an older Sheep is called Mutton. ‘Hogget’ is another word for Sheep’s meat, but this is specifically referring to Sheep in their second year.

Traditionally, Sheep were kept solely for their meat, Milk, and skins. However, the rearing of Sheep for secondary products and the resulting breed development including Woolly Sheep only began in Southwest Asia and Western Europe around 6000 B.C.

Today, the tradition continues with the growing consumption of Lamb meat, which is considered one of the most desirable types of meat because of its various nutritional benefits, texture, and low-fat characteristics in comparison to other types of meat. According to the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) guidelines, Lamb contains less fat than other red meats.

Lamb can be cooked in a variety of ways, but roasting is one of the preferred methods. A typical preparation would require covering the Lamb from the Leg with several Seasoning ingredients including Butter, Oregano, Cauliflower, Thyme, Lemon Zest, Asparagus, or Rosemary Sprigs. These are then pushed deep inside incisions made in the leg before being grilled for about two hours at a temperature of about 680 degrees Fahrenheit.

NATIONAL ROAST LEG OF LAMB DAY ACTIVITIES

1. There is no better way to celebrate National Roast Leg of Lamb Day than to Roast a Lamb. You can find a recipe online.
2. Invite some friends over and organize a Lamb Roasting Party which is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday.
3. Share pictures of your Roasted Leg of Lamb on Social Media. You may even include your recipe and use #RoastLegOfLambDay.

5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT LAMB AND SHEEP

1. In its first year, the meat of a Sheep is Lamb, whereas that of a juvenile Sheep older than one year is Hogget, and an adult Sheep is Mutton.
2. On average, a three-ounce serving of Lamb has only 175 calories and meets the Food and Drug Administration’s (F.D.A) definition for lean meat.
3. The oldest organized industry specializes in raising Sheep.
4. All American-raised Lambs are hormone-free and can be offered as antibiotic-free.
5. Americans eat less than a pound of Lamb each year on average.

WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL ROAST LEG OF LAMB DAY

1. Everyone loves how tender roasted Lamb meat tastes. Compared to Beef, Lamb is firm with a tender texture that soaks in flavor, with just a hint of smokiness.
2. Aside from its taste, Lamb is some of the most nutritious meat around. A 100-gram serving of Lamb typically has 25.6 grams of protein, 16.5 grams of fat, and 258 calories.
3. According to the F.D.A, Lamb meets the criteria to be considered lean meat because Lamb typically has fewer ounces of fat. Although not leaner than Fish or Chicken, in comparison to other red meats, Lamb is the way to go.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates