eli5: what is the difference between lamb and mutton?
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Goats and Sheeps are separate breeds. Goat meat is very lean and infact the most healthiest of all red meat. In Goat the fat stays separate from the muscle, hence they are less fatty, also goat meat has less muscle and more bony.
Sheep meat is similar to beef meat, chunky, but more gamey. Sheep vs Goat, sheep is more gamey.
Young sheep meat is called “Lamb”. There is no confusion.
Goat meat is called “goat” or “mutton” depending on the country / state.
Also old sheep meat is called “mutton” depending on the country / state. This is the cause of major confusion!
In South India, lamb is eaten rarely due to its gamey smell, goat is the favorite. Shops refer goat meat as mutton.
But in North India, Lamb and goat are eaten. Over there mutton refers to adult lamb!
In US, I haven’t seen anywhere serving “mutton”. It is always lamb or goat (rarely). I guess even if the meat is old lamb they still don’t want to call it “mutton”, as lamb meat is highly sought after.
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