How to Butcher a Lamb
Intro: How to Butcher a Lamb
When I first started raising sheep I didn't know how to butcher one, so I took my lambs to the butcher. He charged me $50 each, and I had the nagging feeling that the leg and loin roasts should have been quite a bit larger than they came back to me. What could I do?
A friend of mine recently taught me how to butcher a lamb for myself. So now I can save money and get the cuts just the way I like them.
The pictures that follow are a bit graphic, so be SURE you want to know how this is done before you continue. But if you do, mmmmm... so delicious!
A friend of mine recently taught me how to butcher a lamb for myself. So now I can save money and get the cuts just the way I like them.
The pictures that follow are a bit graphic, so be SURE you want to know how this is done before you continue. But if you do, mmmmm... so delicious!
STEP 1: Get Your Stuff Together
Get your things together. You're gonna get messy and you won't really want to go back in the house, so get everything you need up front. I backed a car out of the garage so I'd have a space to work that wasn't in the snow.
If you're doing a halal killing (in keeping with islamic law) you won't need the gun or the rope. I have not yet worked up the nerve to try it that way, so I use the gun.
If you're doing a halal killing (in keeping with islamic law) you won't need the gun or the rope. I have not yet worked up the nerve to try it that way, so I use the gun.
STEP 2: Get the Critter
This is the tough part. Once the deed is done, the rest is smooth sailing. It DOES feel a little like killing Bambi, so if you're tender-hearted, get a more cold-blooded friend to help. Maybe a hunter or a farmer, or someone that has some experience with this.
Tie the front and back legs together so the animal can't get up or move. Trust me, it's for the best. Use the rifle at close range to make sure the animal doesn't suffer. Aim for the spot just behind the ear and make certain that you use proper gun safety! If you shoot your own foot, don't come crying to me.
If you are going to do a halal killing, you will need to have someone help you hold the animal, but you can't bind it. You also have to skip this step and go directly to step three.
Tie the front and back legs together so the animal can't get up or move. Trust me, it's for the best. Use the rifle at close range to make sure the animal doesn't suffer. Aim for the spot just behind the ear and make certain that you use proper gun safety! If you shoot your own foot, don't come crying to me.
If you are going to do a halal killing, you will need to have someone help you hold the animal, but you can't bind it. You also have to skip this step and go directly to step three.
STEP 3: Drain the Blood
This is where it starts to get graphic. If you are doing a halal killing, the animal will still be alive. If not, you are now dealing with a carcass. Either way, it's time for the shears.
You would be amazed how tough it can be to cut through thick wool. Since I usually butcher in cold weather, their wool is pretty long. Clean up a spot on the neck just above the shoulders. Then get your sharp knife and make a deep cut from one shoulder to the other, cutting through the neck. This will allow all the blood to drain out of the animal, even if it is already dead.
If you are doing a halal killing, you have to release the animal after you make the cut so it can move freely as it dies. My apologies if this is upsetting to anyone, but those are the rules. I didn't make them, I'm just reporting them.
You would be amazed how tough it can be to cut through thick wool. Since I usually butcher in cold weather, their wool is pretty long. Clean up a spot on the neck just above the shoulders. Then get your sharp knife and make a deep cut from one shoulder to the other, cutting through the neck. This will allow all the blood to drain out of the animal, even if it is already dead.
If you are doing a halal killing, you have to release the animal after you make the cut so it can move freely as it dies. My apologies if this is upsetting to anyone, but those are the rules. I didn't make them, I'm just reporting them.
STEP 4: Field Dressing - Part I
This is a polite term for taking the guts out. You have to do this step with care, or you'll make a real mess for yourself. If you get any of the contents of the stomach, intestines, bladder, etc, on the meat, you will have to get to rinsing it quickly or you can spoil it.
Make an incision just below the point where the ribs come together and then extend it to within a few inches of the anus. Do NOT cut into the anus at this point. You'll be unhappy if you do.
Some knives have a "gut hook" on them that facilitate this process. If yours doesn't, make sure to keep your knife flat against the belly so you just slide the blade under the skin and don't puncture anything inside. If you do it right, it will look like this.
Make an incision just below the point where the ribs come together and then extend it to within a few inches of the anus. Do NOT cut into the anus at this point. You'll be unhappy if you do.
Some knives have a "gut hook" on them that facilitate this process. If yours doesn't, make sure to keep your knife flat against the belly so you just slide the blade under the skin and don't puncture anything inside. If you do it right, it will look like this.
STEP 5: Field Dressing - Part II
Now that you have the initial cut, you will need to get to cutting some bone. You will want to remove all the internal organs in one smooth step. This will include, heart and lungs, as well as all digestive organs. You will need to cut through one side of the rib cage so you can get at the heart and lungs, and the middle of the pelvis so you can remove the intestines. My knife cuts ribs just fine but doesn't do as well on the thicker pelvis. You can use the electric saw for that, but I wouldn't. Too much risk of tearing intestines. I used a hack-saw for this animal because it gave me the control I needed to keep the blade well clear of the innards.
There is a thin membrane that attaches all of the organs to the inside of the body cavity. You will need to begin at the bottom by lifting the anus through the gap you created in the pelvis. Lay the five-gallon bucked down next to the carcass and place the intestines into it. Continue separating the organs from the body cavity and feeding them into the bucket as you go. They should just about fill the bucket when they are all in there.
Spread the ribs and cut out the heart and lungs. You don't need to be too concerned about punctures at this end of the carcass because getting blood on the meat won't affect its quality at all.
If you like haggis or want to make your own sausage, you may want to keep heart, liver, lungs, stomach, or intestines. That's your call. If you don't know what a haggis is, check this out. Personally, when it comes to organ meat, I'm out.
There is a thin membrane that attaches all of the organs to the inside of the body cavity. You will need to begin at the bottom by lifting the anus through the gap you created in the pelvis. Lay the five-gallon bucked down next to the carcass and place the intestines into it. Continue separating the organs from the body cavity and feeding them into the bucket as you go. They should just about fill the bucket when they are all in there.
Spread the ribs and cut out the heart and lungs. You don't need to be too concerned about punctures at this end of the carcass because getting blood on the meat won't affect its quality at all.
If you like haggis or want to make your own sausage, you may want to keep heart, liver, lungs, stomach, or intestines. That's your call. If you don't know what a haggis is, check this out. Personally, when it comes to organ meat, I'm out.
STEP 6: Hang It Up to Drain
This will let the blood finish draining from the carcass. Use the game hanger and the accompanying block and tackle. The pulleys make lifting it MUCH easier. You can hang it from a tree or a deck. I used the monkey bars of my kid's playset. If that seems harsh to you, ask yourself this: who do you think took these pictures?
Yeah, that's right. I'm raising farmers.
Use your knife to make a hole all the way through the skin between the knee and its tendon. This is where the hanger hook will go. Do this on both sides and then hoist it up until it is hanging vertically. Leave it there for at least 30 minutes to drain whatever blood is left.
Yeah, that's right. I'm raising farmers.
Use your knife to make a hole all the way through the skin between the knee and its tendon. This is where the hanger hook will go. Do this on both sides and then hoist it up until it is hanging vertically. Leave it there for at least 30 minutes to drain whatever blood is left.
STEP 7: Begin the Prep
After it's hung for a while, it's time to begin preparing the carcass. I used a yard cart to haul it to the garage. You could probably just lift and carry it now, if you had to. It's amazing how much the organs weigh!
Once you're in the garage, lay the carcass on the prep table. I laid down some butcher paper so the dirty wool didn't get on the table.
Once you're in the garage, lay the carcass on the prep table. I laid down some butcher paper so the dirty wool didn't get on the table.
STEP 8: Take Off Some Odds and Ends
Cut through the skin all they way around the legs just below the meaty part you want to keep. Then break out the electric saw.
Cut the rest of the way through the neck and remove the head. Cut through each of the four legs and place these parts into the second bucket.
You might want to cut the tail stump off right now to make skinning easier. I didn't, but you might.
Cut the rest of the way through the neck and remove the head. Cut through each of the four legs and place these parts into the second bucket.
You might want to cut the tail stump off right now to make skinning easier. I didn't, but you might.
STEP 9: Skinning
Now place the knife flat against the skin near the neck and gently slice it away from the meat beneath. The skin will come away with a decently thick layer of fat, so don't be alarmed if it seems to thick. The good meat is underneath.
If you're planning to use the skins for anything, be sure not to cut through them right now. This can be tough to do, so don't get frustrated if you botch it. Keep practicing. You'll get it.
Cut along the chest and ribs toward the back legs. When you reach the legs, cut through the skin to free it from the leg bones.
Cut the skin all the way off one side and then turn the carcass over and do the other side. When you are finished, lift the skinned carcass and have your helper (you brought one, right?) place the skin wool-side down on the floor and pitch the butcher paper. Now place the carcass on the clean table and you're ready to divide it up.
If you're planning to use the skins for anything, be sure not to cut through them right now. This can be tough to do, so don't get frustrated if you botch it. Keep practicing. You'll get it.
Cut along the chest and ribs toward the back legs. When you reach the legs, cut through the skin to free it from the leg bones.
Cut the skin all the way off one side and then turn the carcass over and do the other side. When you are finished, lift the skinned carcass and have your helper (you brought one, right?) place the skin wool-side down on the floor and pitch the butcher paper. Now place the carcass on the clean table and you're ready to divide it up.
STEP 10: Cuts of Meat
Now it's time to decide what cuts you want to keep from this lamb. If you don't know where the cuts come from on the animal, check out this diagram from the American Lamb Board. I prefer roasts to steaks, so I keep most of my cuts whole. If you like chops or steaks, you can cut it that way, but you need to decide now.
To separate the roasts, use your sharp knife and separate the front legs from the body at the shoulder joint. Then do the back legs as the hip joint. Take the time to carefully work the blade between the bones of the joint and it will separate pretty easily. There should be no need to cut through bone here.
Almost done!
To separate the roasts, use your sharp knife and separate the front legs from the body at the shoulder joint. Then do the back legs as the hip joint. Take the time to carefully work the blade between the bones of the joint and it will separate pretty easily. There should be no need to cut through bone here.
Almost done!
STEP 11: Cuts of Meat Part II
Some people cut the breast meat as a "rolled roast". It's a bit like beef flank steak, and I prefer to use it as ground lamb. I like ground lamb a lot, so all the leftover cuts will be ground.
Take your electric saw and cut the ribs off of the backbone. Now all that remains is to remove the tenderloins. These are the nice thick strips that run from the head to the hips along either side of the backbone. Take them out in one piece and they will make delicious loin roasts. If you prefer, you can slice them to get the lamb equivalent of fillet mignon. You can slice the leg roasts into sirloin steaks as well, if you like. I like them better as roasts.
Finally, I cut the spine into three pieces to use as soup bones, and I carve as much meat as possible off of them. All those extra bits will go into the ground lamb.
Take your electric saw and cut the ribs off of the backbone. Now all that remains is to remove the tenderloins. These are the nice thick strips that run from the head to the hips along either side of the backbone. Take them out in one piece and they will make delicious loin roasts. If you prefer, you can slice them to get the lamb equivalent of fillet mignon. You can slice the leg roasts into sirloin steaks as well, if you like. I like them better as roasts.
Finally, I cut the spine into three pieces to use as soup bones, and I carve as much meat as possible off of them. All those extra bits will go into the ground lamb.
STEP 12: Grinding the Odd Cuts
All the little leftover bits of meat can go in the grinder. My wife has a Kitchen Aid mixer, and we got the meat grinder attachment for it. Depending on how liberal or conservative you are with the bits you grind, you should end up with somewhere between five and ten pounds of ground lamb. Cut the pieces so that they will fit in the hopper. Try to keep a balanced mix of lean and fatty cuts, as this will produce a more flavorful product that will form and cook better than one that is too lean or too fatty. I like my mix to be about 80-20.
That's it. You're done. Enjoy the lamb.
That's it. You're done. Enjoy the lamb.
46 Comments
NedP 9 years ago
Processed my first lamb and used this as a guide. It all went pretty smooth, though I didn't mess with using an electric reciprocating saw (I didn't want to deal with the clean up...I like my saw). I found a hand tool at Home Depot with interchangeable reciprocating saw blades for $14 bucks (the metal cutting blades work the best, wood cutting blades are too course). It made quick work of the ribs and any other necessary bone cuts. I live in a temperate climate and the weather wasn't a factor in deciding whether to field dress the animal outside. I would highly recommend that you skin the animal while it is hanging. Let gravity help you get the skin off. Aside from that....thanks for the guidance!
MuminahK 7 years ago
I will try this idea in a few weeks when we run out of meat. God willing. thanks for the tip.
bodie0158 9 years ago
Congrats! it's is a very satisfying thing to raise and harvest your own meat. That hand saw sound pretty useful. My next project will be processing one of our hogs. I may make an 'ible for that too!
SarahP182 7 years ago
Your advice on how to do the halal slaughter is completely wrong. You do not cut across the shoulders, you should make on long clean cut across the neck to sever the windpipe and main arteries thereby starving the brain of oxygen so that the animal feels no pain as it bleeds out, naturally expelling all of the blood from its body with a beating heart. Who told you to cut across the shoulders? Please consider researching the best way to slaughter from a scientific perspective as you will find that halal is both the cleanest and most humane, although the involuntary bucking of the animal may make you a bit squeamish.
https://www.quora.com/Animal-Slaughter-Is-halal-ki...
SarahH257 7 years ago
We slaughtered a sheep in Egypt for my daughter's "Aqiqa" which is an Islamic tradition to sacrifice an animal once a child is born. That was the first time I saw anyone kill a sheep but it was not at all inhumane. My brother in law laid the sheep on its side and my nephew put tension on the neck, his father said "Bismillah" (in God's name) slit the throat. The sheep did not suffer at all and id not fight. The blood drained out quickly since main arteries were severed so the sheep went unconscious rather quickly. I video taped it. I actually thought I was going to be very emotional and sad to see the sheep die but it all seemed really natural. They did use rope though, they tied it around the hind legs of the sheep and hung it upside down so that all of the blood could get out. While the animal's body was still warm my brother in law slit a hole one of the hind leg ankles, lifted the skin and blew under it which made it easier to take the skin off and keep it intact, which they also kept and used. But if you think about it, what did people do before guns were invested? For thousands of years people killed animals in this way, it really is a humane to kill any animal for food. The animal has served it's purpose in life. Now we bought a sheep for this coming Eid holiday, the only difference is when the animal is slaughtered the animal should face toward Makkah Saudi Arabia. I have respect for all people. I will not talk bad against people who have different faiths because that is your truth, we have our truths, our faith, but still worship the creator of all life and I will not impose my religion on anyone but if you want to know something, I am happy to tell you about how we do things. Before, I always thought if I had to kill my own animals for meat I might turn out vegetarian, but I found out that as long you do things right it's really not so bad.
MuminahK 7 years ago
Thanks for your wonderful comment.
MuminahK 7 years ago
Just a quick question. I may have to bring the sheep to my friend's house the night before. She ask me to bring a rope to tie the sheep. Should I get a collar too? I am totally novice at this.
bodie0158 7 years ago
You could use a collar, but I would probably just tie a rope halter like this one: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjb28LfxIjPAhWF0iYKHeKDDu0QjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikihow.com%2FMake-an-Adjustable-Rope-Halter&psig=AFQjCNE9vDbOHzEAGDxdzrXxgxTMNnvNFQ&ust=1473725307586871. Even if your sheep is not "halter broke", they are not very large animals, and should not make trouble for you.
MuminahK 7 years ago
thanks!
MuminahK 7 years ago
Thank God! My son finally did it! Reading your instruction was helpful! It was so exciting to see my 18 year old son learning the process of farm life! I have a city girl all my life, but always yearned for living with the natural element! The only thing was... that my friend's neighbors (Burmese refugees farmers) just ninja chopped all the sheep from the head to the hooves in two hours flat...And my son, sat chatting with them and sat totally free from the dirty work! I was a bit disappointed that he did not sweat this important process, but I think he was just intimidated by the knife. I was going to get the electric saw, but my neighbor said get a meat saw...What do you recommend?
MuminahK 7 years ago
I just read some of the comments at the bottom, and I just would like to clarify the halal slaughtering as "odd or inhumane" way to slaughter. It has been the practice for thousand of the years by the Jews and Muslims under their religious scriptures. Say "In the Name of God", slit the throat, and drain the blood. Both scriptures are the same in this method of slaughter.However, if you go to Palestine where the three faith has been there for centuries, most practice this method. They are following the tradition of Abraham who is one of the greatest prophets-Has he not slaughtered a sheep on behalf of his son?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/06/jewish-muslim-slaughter-animal-welfare-humane
MuminahK 7 years ago
Just wanted to thank you so much for the instruction. I also really appreciate that farmers are having interfaith dialogue. I shared on FB your page and following your instruction on Monday for Eid! God willing.
Wolfbird 14 years ago
Since it all tastes the same to me, I think I'll stay away from Halal from now on. Dying from bleeding out sounds like a crummy way to go.
bodie0158 14 years ago
Anyway, the point of halal meat is that the person that is doing the killing is giving thanks for the animal and dedicating it to God. I do something similar when I say grace before eating.
But I get your point because I probably won't do it that way unless and until I have a customer that demands it.
hahns 13 years ago
I'd very much prefer a clean shot through the head.
dfield 8 years ago
For a really interesting (I thought) perspective on the experience of both butcherer and animal, check out a YouTube video uploaded by paul wheaton titled "respectful chicken harvest part 1 of 2 kill and pluck - how to":
She offers some thought-provoking comments comparing how she eases the death of the bird as much as possible with the way a midwife enables and eases birth. Both experiences can be made either traumatic or peaceful depending on the skill and care of others in attendance.
mmuuttss 9 years ago
dfield 8 years ago
This looks like the advice of someone experienced enough to really make it worth reading, but I couldn't get through it. Just in case anyone else wants to read it without deciphering it, here it is with punctuation:
>>
Good information.
If I could give you some suggestions: first, if you are
killing using a gun, once it is dead, hang it up high enough to have it's
head over a 5 gallon bucket. Then cut all around the neck and let drain. Once it stops dripping remove the head. This process makes for better
taste in the meat by getting the chemicals of the brain out and away, such as dopamine and adrenaline. They make meat taste different.
You also
are better off with skinning it hanging up because the dirt you might
get on it won't affect it as much as the lanolin on the wool. By skinning
it pulling down and using one hand to pull, other <hand> on knife and helper
only pulling, you can turn it inside out, keeping as much lanolin away
from the meat as possible.
In this process you will want to cut around
the anus and tie off the anus and bladder with string. I use yarn because
its easier to hold with slippery hands. This keeps urine and feces off
meat.
Also about taste, and last bit of advice is to leave it hanging for
at least 24 hours in cool clean place. Walk-in <freezer/cooler> is best, but most of us
don't have one, so I came up with a great way to do this. Get a very large
cooler one bigger than the body on the end without the drain. Drill a
hole through it to attach eye bolt to hook the body onto. Then hang the
cooler up in your garage or back porch. Then hang meat inside it. Put some
ice on the bottom (I use frozen half gallon milk jugs). Then shut the
cooler - and I tie it shut to keep dogs out. After 24 hrs then butcher it
how you like. The waiting period helps the meat to get to a more
relaxed state before butchering and makes for a more tender cut.
All
these suggestions are only about making it more enjoyable to eat. Please
try them, and let me know if you can taste the difference.
>>
dfield 8 years ago
and please nobody label me grammar police - clearly my work is that of a roadside grammar mechanic.
mumzy4 8 years ago
Hi, can I please ask how old should the Lamb be and what weight is best to be at butchering? Thank you for your reply :-)