Saw a whole lamb breakdown at a small shop in Asheville that changed how I trim

I stopped into a family run butcher shop off Tunnel Road last Saturday just to grab some sausages. The guy behind the counter was breaking down a whole lamb right there, and he left the fell on the leg until the very last cut before tying it. I always stripped it off early to save time, but he said it keeps the meat from drying and gives you a better grip for the final shape. I tried his way on a rack this morning and the yield looked noticeably cleaner. Anyone else ever hold off on trimming fat and fell until the end?

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grant_perry19d ago

Keeping the fell on until the end makes a lot of sense once you try it. I think the grip thing is the big deal, it holds everything together way better when you're shaping the roast, and you don't fight the meat as much. The drying part is real too, especially if you're working slow or the shop is warm. I started doing it on beef cuts, leaving the heavy fat cap on until the last tie, and it keeps things from getting that tacky, gray look on the surface. It takes a little getting used to because you feel like you're being lazy, but the final trim is actually faster since you're not messing with loose pieces. Once you switch, it's hard to go back to the old way.