I've always found good lamb Pan's Food Center, 824 S. Oak Park Avenue. They still have real butchers and are happy to do special orders (708 848 1340). But they nearly always have a variety of reasonably priced lamb for sale, including ground lamb, which is sometimes hard to find.

Thanks for these thoughts. Ideally I'm looking for a southside option within the city. Shoulder roast would also be fine, if I could find it at a reasonable price.

Rob C

Costco has excellent lamb at reasonable prices: leg-o-lamb ($3.99), lamb chops ($6.99) and nicely frenched rack-o-lamb ($9.99).

H-Mart at Oakton and Waukegan in Niles carries a pretty good amount of lamb, plus things like rabbit that might fit your wilderness diet. Leg, boneless leg, and chops are about the same price as Costco, and they usually have leg steaks: 3/4-1" thick cuts through the leg, with just a round bone (on front legs, they may catch a bit of rib on the edge).

Never seen ground lamb there, though, which is one of my favorite go-to ingredients for a weeknight meal.

I'm going to attempt Tom Douglas's recipe for Grilled Lamb Skewers with Red Wine and Honey Glaze for some guests next weekend. I will be headed to Devon to purchase 2 pounds of boneless leg of lamb. Any recent opinions on quality/price/service differences between Devon Market, Noor Meat Market, and City Fresh Market? Got a fav? As a pesco-vegetarian, I usually don't have a need to venture much past Patel Brothers when in that 'hood. Thanks - Lynn

Carlywood wrote:I typically shop at the Jewel on Broadway and Berwyn or the Trader Joe's on Lincoln.

Since you mention TJ's...A couple of years ago I got frozen New Zealand lamb chops from that store. I didn't know what to expect (I don't buy frozen meat that much) but when prepared according to the package instructions the lamb had lots of lamb flavor. I was impressed.

Not that this trumps the suggestions everyone else has made, but it's one more option for you (if they still carry those).

riddlemay wrote:Since you mention TJ's...A couple of years ago I got frozen New Zealand lamb chops from that store. I didn't know what to expect (I don't buy frozen meat that much) but when prepared according to the package instructions the lamb had lots of lamb flavor. I was impressed.

You really cannot go wrong with Australian and NZ lamb products, frozen or fresh. They do a really good job with it.

I wound up purchasing at Noor Meat Market. I asked for 2# of boneless leg of lamb and at first I was told they do not sell it off the bone. I explained I was planning to do kebabs and started to leave. I guess he then decided that a sale off the bone was better than no sale at all because he said they would do it and to come back in 10 minutes. We walked up the street and wandered around Patel Brothers for awhile and when we came back it was ready. A decent price, I thought at $13+change. When I went to marinate and skewer the kebobs, I discovered that some of the pieces needed additional cleaning-up - it was obvious the butchering had been rushed or just not done with a lot of care. However, it cooked up beautifully, my guests raved and we didn't have a single leftover piece.

Noor Meat Market
2505 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 274-6667

Could anyone recommend a place where I could find a reasonably priced good boneless lamb roast for Easter? (Preferably North or Northwest side of Chicago)
Thanks,
Berns

Costco always has boneless leg of lamb. I think the quality is good. You do have to trim off the fat, etc. yourself.

Hi,

American lamb (Chiapetti) is larger and milder (more corn, less grass) than the Australian and New Zealand lamb that is the staple of the discounters. It is always available at a good price from Treasure Island. They frequently run specials around Easter.

Tim

Tim wrote:Hi,

American lamb (Chiapetti) is larger and milder (more corn, less grass) than the Australian and New Zealand lamb that is the staple of the discounters. It is always available at a good price from Treasure Island. They frequently run specials around Easter.

Tim

I guess maybe it depends how you define American. I buy my American lamb from a Lebanese butcher in Chicago, and it has WAY more flavor than the Australian and New Zealand that's ubiquitous on fancy restaurant menus. I don't know anything about "Chiapetti" lamb.

Kennyz wrote:

Tim wrote:Hi,

American lamb (Chiapetti) is larger and milder (more corn, less grass) than the Australian and New Zealand lamb that is the staple of the discounters. It is always available at a good price from Treasure Island. They frequently run specials around Easter.

Tim

I guess maybe it depends how you define American. I buy my American lamb from a Lebanese butcher in Chicago, and it has WAY more flavor than the Australian and New Zealand that's ubiquitous on fancy restaurant menus. I don't know anything about "Chiapetti" lamb.

I agree with what Kenny has said, although my experience with the three types is pretty much limited to racks. So, in my opinion, NZ is the mildest, AUS in the middle, with domestic lamb racks having the strongest (best to me) flavor profile. And believe me when I say that I've cooked thousands of lamb racks (all three types).

For a local option, you might also want to consider Mint Creek Farms.

leek wrote:Costco always has boneless leg of lamb. I think the quality is good. You do have to trim off the fat, etc. yourself.

I was in the Niles Costco today and they have set up a special cooler with nothing but boneless legs of lamb and small racks of lamb (both from Australia) where the crab legs are usually set up. The crab legs and other shellfish is there, too but it's in a smaller area than normal to make room for the lamb.

Kennyz wrote:I don't know anything about "Chiapetti" lamb.

You're probably joking, but Chiappetti was the last commercial slaughterhouse in Chicago (halal and pollos vivos storefronts aside). Their veal was swell back in the day, too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00996.html

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Chiappetti ... 35921.html

Not sure if they still exist or if so, in what form.

JeffB wrote:

Kennyz wrote:I don't know anything about "Chiapetti" lamb.

You're probably joking, but Chiappetti was the last commercial slaughterhouse in Chicago (halal and pollos vivos storefronts aside). Their veal was swell back in the day, too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00996.html

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Chiappetti ... 35921.html

Not sure if they still exist or if so, in what form.

Not joking. I know about Chiappetti, but not really about the lamb in particular. It is perhaps milder - as Tim suggests - than other forms of American lamb.

When they slaughtered their own animals, they probably had some control over how they were finished. I haven't seen Chiappetti brand lamb or veal around for a while, and had assumed they were gone. Presumably they are still distributing, marketing or something.

I think that Chiappetti does not slaughter, process, and pack as much of their lamb as they used to when they had their own pretty large production sites in the Rockies.
My most recent experiences, a year ago, with Chiappetti's leg and chops from Treasure Islands were sometimes less than satisfactory.
I've notice Today that at Fresh Farms on Touhy in Niles several Chiappetti lamb products that had disappeared from the shelves for a while were back. They are sold for much cheaper than at Treasure Islands. You may want to check it out.

Based upon the reccomendation in this thread I went to Blue Ribbon Saturday.
Very little lamb - frozen shoulder chops. Took a few home to discover they were well past their prime.
Not even a good buy pricewise.

I hope this was just a hiccup.

I also tried Pan's - no lamb at all.

Joseph's is next on the list to try, that or Costco.

berns wrote:Could anyone recommend a place where I could find a reasonably priced good boneless lamb roast for Easter? (Preferably North or Northwest side of Chicago)
Thanks,
Berns

I was at Fresh Farms on Touhy, yesterday, and they had 12 foot of cooler filled with all various cuts of lamb and a butcher behind that counter with 1/2 of an animal cutting it up and staking it in the cooler.

Lamb loin was on sale at Joseph's this weekend - $7.99/lb
I got 2 whole loins and the butcher sawed them into chops for me.
I ended up with about 14 chops - the perfect amount for me, my wife and the 3 kids.
Everyone raved - a very nice meal.

My inclination is to find and ask a good Greek butcher. Fortunately, I have such a one at Freshline grocery down on 95th St. in Oak Lawn, and if I give some notice, I can get a nice leg of lamb, lamb rack, chops, etc. the notice is required because fewer people seem to be eating lamb down here now (maybe the economy, maybe it's something else, but it doesn't pay anymore for the butcher to stock it regularly; such a shame). But he can always get it for me. Which is good, because I'm thinking of marinating and grilling a nice butterflied leg for Mother's Day at my cousin's mom's house so we can try out her brand-new kitchen that I envy so much.


Screw this waiting for spring: I need my herb garden, and I need it NOW.

We're having a dinner party at the end of the month where racks of lamb will be the main course. Any updated suggestions on where to find good quality product? preferably north side. Thanks.

I have been surprised a couple of times recently by the quality of the American lamb chops at Mariano's on Touhy avenue just west of Mc Cormick. They also had nice looking racks.
And their head-butcher, a woman, seems to know what she is doing.
It might be a good source for you.
Mariano's 3358 W. Touhy Ave. Skokie, IL 847-763-8801

The Austrailan racks of lamb sold at Costco are quite good, too.

Treasure Island.

The best source for rack of lamb or any other lamb product is Fresh Farms on Touhy.
Baby lamb is also available.
Contact the Meat Dept Manager and tell him what you want and he will cut to order.
It's US choice lamb at a nice price.
I find Australian grass fed or New Zealand lamb an altogether different product, very lean and different tasting. Certainly acceptable but I much prefer US lamb.
The baby lamb is outstanding.
USDA Prime lamb is hard to find, expensive these days.-Richard

I love lamb, too, but not in all shapes, sizes & forms, however.

The Aussie or New Zealand rack of lamb I can pick up at Costco or Sam's. Hacked into 'lollipops', marinated in olive oil, lemon and Montreal Steak Seasoning. Hot grill to get a char.

For lamb kebabs I'm partial to P&S Meats on Milwaukee Ave. in Niles. Juicier than most.

And for my favorite cut, thin lamb shoulder chops, I either shop at Caputo's or Garden Fresh. I like to quickly pan-fry these beauties in porcini olive oil, again with Montreal. Squeeze of lemon when serving. Great flavor.

budrichard wrote:The best source for rack of lamb or any other lamb product is Fresh Farms on Touhy.
Baby lamb is also available.
Contact the Meat Dept Manager and tell him what you want and he will cut to order.
It's US choice lamb at a nice price.
I find Australian grass fed or New Zealand lamb an altogether different product, very lean and different tasting. Certainly acceptable but I much prefer US lamb.
The baby lamb is outstanding.
USDA Prime lamb is hard to find, expensive these days.-Richard

One more question, everyone: we're making a classic herb crusted rack of lamb with mint-pea puree. What's the difference in flavor between US and NZ/Aussie lamb for this kind of preparation? Thanks.