Very lamby lamb

[monkeymamma]

Cooking lamb bolognaise, noticed while browning the lamb that it has a very very lamby, slightly goaty aroma.

Sell by date is this coming Thursday, I bought the meat today. It looked good and pink when I added it to the pan. No noticeable smell when raw. When cooking though... it was overpowering.

Am I right in thinking it would smell bad, not lamby, if it was actually off? Quick answers would be very very much appreciated 😁 if it was for me and DH I wouldn’t give it a second thought, but it’s for kids as well 🤨
Thanks lovely mumsnetters in advance...

I always put a little cream or milk in my bolognese. 'Tis traditional.

Never feta though!

Adding some Rosemary is a very good way of making lamb smell and taste less sheepy.

Probably mutton or older lamb

Is the lamb from the U.K. Or New Zealand? In my experience, like a previous poster mentioned, New Zealand lamb definitely tastes stronger and more “lamby”.

Thanks so much for very helpful/reassuring comments! I think everyone is getting hungry now so I’m glad this is most likely fine to eat.
It’s UK farm lamb but that’s an interesting theory about NZ lambs! Usually I think the NZ lamb is pretty tasty.

I might use feta as the cheese on a lamb dish if cheese were indicated, in the same way as parmesan over a beef / beef and pork ragu. Not attempting to adhere to any traditional cuisine though, just feel some hefty flavours required at times!

This is why I don't like lamb.

I get mutton from my local supermarket. Love it, and cheaper than lamb.

Fnar at 'seagully'...

Thanks LadyMonica. I didn't think anyone had read it.

OK this may semi like an odd question but have you been bitten by a wolf recently? If not pregnancy, could explain the heightened sense of smell .......

Yick! I find this with mutton. Add herbs, worcs sauce, maybe a different meat stock cube, red wine...ummmm..... I never make bolognaise with lamb - save it for moussaka, the potatoes make it less lamby, too. In which case you should add cinnamon and thyme and white, not red wine. It sort of tastes like sweaty feet rather than lamb that way, I find...

Hoget is really nice but you can't seem to get it in super markets.

I remember when my mum cooked mutton for Easter Sunday one year “for a change”. God, you could smell it cooking as we drove up in the car. It was TOO. MUCH.

Nearly put me off lamb for life.

Smells lamby? Smells goaty? What's not to like? 🍽 If you usually do bolognese with minced beef or pork the difference can be quite distinctive at first.

I like lamb but I absolutely hate the smell of it when it is overpowering. It smells of how goat milk tastes.