Lamb is one of the most popular proteins on fine dining menus, according to a recent report from Menu Trends™Direct. About 3 out of 4 fine dining operators offer lamb on their menus. The demand for lamb is high and growing at the nation’s most innovative restaurants. Chefs are pairing lamb with traditional as well as new and interesting flavors from fennel to saffron to harissa.

Lamb is typically featured as an entrée. Rack of lamb is the most popular cut menued followed by miscellaneous lamb chops, shanks and loin. Lamb shoulder, T-bones, sirloin, medallions, kebabs and ground lamb also appear on menus.

Grilling, braising and roasting led the list of ways chefs like to prepare lamb. Encrusted lamb appeared as a popular preparation method as well. Crusts included a variety of ingredients such as: almonds, hazelnuts macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, garlic, herbs, mustards, goat cheese and olives.

Among fine dining operators, 23 percent offer lamb specified as domestic while imported lamb sources are mentioned by about 11 percent of restaurants.

Lamb appears with lower incidence on quick service, midscale and casual dining menus. About 14 percent of these menus include lamb, most often as a center of plate entrée. Much of this usage is linked to ethnic cuisines such as Indian, African and Greek/Middle Eastern. Examples of lamb use include gyros, Mediterranean lamb salads, lamb spring rolls, lamb puff pastries, lamb kebobs and satays, grape leaves with lamb and lamb samosas.