Here's The Key To Picking Out The Right Ground Lamb From The Store

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: You should cook with ground lamb more often. Ground lamb yields beautifully flavorful meatballs and patties, to name just a few, but it helps to pick the right kind of lamb for the job. We recently had the chance to talk on the topic with James Beard-nominated chef Kareem El-Ghayesh from Austin's KG BBQ as well as Megan Wortman, executive director of the American Lamb Board, who offered their expert tips.

For lamb meatballs or burgers, both agreed to reach for the 80/20 fat ratio, which is the most common option in grocery stores. "For meatballs, 100% you want the fattier blend," El-Ghayesh said. The fat in ground meat renders quickly, so it's important to have enough fat if you want juicy, flavorful meatballs.

Wortman said the logic goes the same for burgers as well. Some recipes, however, may warrant a leaner ratio. "If you're doing a stir-fry and want something a little leaner, the 90/10 sometimes is nice but hard to find," Wortman said. If you're looking for a blend that's leaner than 80/20, you may need to look a little harder.

Wortman said if you need to purchase a ground lamb mix that's on the leaner side, head to your local butcher because they tend to grind lamb to order. "Most of the ground they have in the grocery store is an 80/20," she said. "So if you're looking for something a little leaner, go to a butcher shop because they'll custom grind." 

If you want a fattier blend than 80/20 for Kibbeh meatballs or lamb burgers (try Giada de Laurentii's bacon-wrapped lamb burgers), you can also ask the butcher to provide ground lamb with a fattier ratio than grocery stores typically offer. You can request certain cuts of the lamb to be ground as well. She recommends two body parts in particular. "We would typically do a combination between leg and shoulder." In terms of flavor, though, you're better off focusing on the fat content first.