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New Zealand grass-fed lamb. Naturally lean and tender.

New Zealand has the best lamb in the world, no ifs, no buts. Raised on our sun-kissed grass, New Zealand lamb is raised just as nature intended, in one of the most pristine places on the planet, Aotearoa. Our natural environment with lush green pastures, fresh air, and sunshine offers the perfect conditions for grass-fed lamb which is healthy, naturally lean, and deliciously rich and tender.

Backed by our Quality Mark guarantee, the lamb you buy is New Zealand grown, free-range, and grass-fed, as well as free of artificial additives and growth hormones – a pure product of its pure environment. The perfect pick to nourish you and your family.

If you’re a chef looking for information about New Zealand lamb you can visit our Foodservice section here.

Featured Recipe

A cut above.

  • Naturally delicious, full of flavour, and perfectly tender

  • No preservatives or additives of any kind

  • Lean and highly nutritious

  • Backed by a Quality Mark guarantee

 
 
 
 

COOKING

New Zealand lamb is coveted around the world for its rich taste, tenderness, and the fact that it is ethically sourced. It also has the benefit of combining well with spices and other highly flavoured ingredients. Our lamb is available in a wide array of cuts, each suited to different cooking techniques and recipes. For instance, chops and ribs are perfect on the grill, while legs and shanks are best with a slow braise. 

  • Bring your meat up to room temperature before cooking - and prevent it from drying out.

  • Allow steaks, chops and roasts to rest 5-10 minutes before cutting - it keeps them nice and juicy.

  • Ovens perform differently and barbecuing or pan-frying lamb will involve guesswork, unless you have a digital cooking thermometer. Here are the temperatures of the meat when probed with a cooking thermometer that you need to know to cook lamb to your liking:

    • 50°C – very rare

    • 55°C – medium rare

    • 60°C – medium (pink)

    • 65°C – medium well

    • 72°C – well done

Get more lamb cooking advice at recipes.co.nz.

Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb with late Summer vegetable-2.jpg
 
 
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NUTRITION

When it comes to choosing healthy proteins, for you and your family, lean New Zealand lamb is a delicious and healthy choice for fulfilling your high quality protein needs. Raised predominately on pasture, our lamb is a lean and nutrient-dense food that naturally contains 12 essential nutrients required for good health including iron, zinc, and B vitamins.

+ PROTEIN

A 100g portion of lamb provides over 27 grams of protein, well over half of a woman's daily needs and more than a third of a man's.

+ IRON

Iron is vital to good health and to mental and physical well-being. Iron has three key functions in the body:

  • To carry oxygen around the body.
  • To provide the body with energy.
  • To ensure a healthy immune system.

The main type of iron in lamb (haem iron) is more effectively absorbed by the body than iron in plant foods (non-haem iron). As much as 15-25% of the iron in lamb is absorbed, while as little as 5-12% of iron in plant foods is absorbed.

Did you know that when you eat red meat together with veges, the amount of non-heme iron absorption from veges will increase.

+ ZINC

Zinc is a component of every living cell in the body. It is essential for the structure and function of over 50 enzymes. It is also important for growth and reproduction, night vision, digestion and appetite, sense of taste and smell, for maintaining the body’s immune system and for the healing process. Zinc is not widely distributed in foods, but lamb does have a high zinc content, a 100g serve can provide more than 25% of an adult's recommended daily intake.

+ B VITAMINS

B group vitamins regulate many chemical reactions necessary to maintain health. Some help to release energy in the body, some help to maintain good vision and healthy skin, while others are needed for the manufacture of red blood cells. Lamb* is a good source of vitamin B12 and niacin (B3) and a source of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine); vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid). New Zealand lamb offers a tasty alternative to vitamin and mineral supplements.

*Based on 100g Lamb, forequarter & hindquarter assorted cuts, separable lean, cooked

+ FURTHER INFORMATION

For nutritional information on each lamb cut visit this section of recipes.co.nz.

 
 

LAMB CUTS

 
 

Understanding the attributes and cooking methods of New Zealand lamb cuts is crucial to ensuring you get the most out of your meat.

 
 
 
 

READY TO START COOKING?

 
 

If you’re a home-cook that is keen to get stuck into some New Zealand lamb, take a look at some of our favorite lamb recipes, or head over to recipes.co.nz for something specific.

New Zealand Lamb ticks all the boxes for what our diners are looking for. Rich in taste and texture, and flavourfully lean and tender, you – and your family – will love naturally raised New Zealand lamb. With little-to-no bone, and well-trimmed of fat and waste, there are economic advantages as well. Visit our Foodservice section to learn more.