Lamb for Australia Day

BlueWhisper said:

 
For shrimp paste, try Asian markets.

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Way back in the day it came in blocks called bechan or similar ,you cut a bit off the put it in al foil & roasted it for a bit.The smell was frightful. Thai people here do it outside over gas grill not allowed in the house

Way better now in jars ,indispensable in that regions food. I even put it in dressings for larbs or som tams apparently thats a more Loa thing, who knew

BlueWhisper said:

 
Add my late mother and her parents to the list of those who hated mutton during the war. It was the only meat not rationed, except for whale. They tried that once.

I've moved to another part of town and now I'm near a different halal meat market. At my previous store, the availability of lamb was hit or miss. But they had a band saw so you could get a cut not found in the mainstream markets, and at better prices. I need to see what's available at this store.

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Back in the day you would kill a lamb,hang it up over night,then break it up the next day.Cleaver,hand saw, boning knife. Taught by fathers to sons . It was kept simple,rear leg whole, chump,loin,cutlet as chops the shoulder was trimmed up whole unless you were posh & had a bandsaw. Neck was cut into stewing chops,shanks left as is dogs got all the bits & bobs. On those bigger sheep properties where shearer teams lived on site they  ate a lot of lamb/hoggett & mutton if the farmer was a cheap bastard! Might be 6 shearers,2 roustabouts ,wool classer,wool presser, & head contractor.And most critically the cook! Loin chops ,eggs,bacon & tomato for breakfast, cold roast lamb sandwiches for lunch or grilled chops, leg of lamb for dinner. Cake & scones for morning & afternoon "smoko". Never saw many fat shearers, now about $3.25 a sheep, or close.Everybody else on wages. Hard work for hard men.