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First Timers Share Lamb Jam Strategies

The third annual Lamb Jam, a gustatory carnival for unabashed carnivores, is happening Monday night at Eastern Market. And HOH has the skinny on how two of the competing chefs plan to woo even the most sheepish diners into their respective camps.

(Screenshot)
(Screenshot)

Tickets to the event, which is scheduled to take place from 6-9 p.m. and includes food, booze (craft beer, wine) and a butchering demo, are $60 per person.

Art and Soul toque Wes Morton is looking forward to mixing things up with the 19 other local chefs vying for the Lamb Jam crown. Morton expects to serve British-style lamb scrumpets, featuring lamb bellies put through an intensive three-step process (brined and smoked, picked and pressed, and, finally, buttered and fried).

Morton said that honor belongs to the smorgasbord of whole smoked and roasted, bone-in shoulder smothered in Aleppo pepper, sumac, coriander and fennel, all flanked by warm flatbread, Greek yogurt, romesco, salsa verde and pickles.

Cedar chef Aaron McCloud told HOH he’s already received the epic amount of Jameson Farm lamb shanks set aside for him. McCloud plans to braise the mountain of meat, mix it with roasted vegetables, roll everything in brik pastry and pan-fry it all into crispy cigars. The savory roll ups will be accompanied by pureed English peas, pickled asparagus, breakfast radishes and fresh sorrel.

McCloud said he’s excited to try whatever chefs Nick Stefanelli (Bibiana) and Marjorie Meek-Bradley (Ripple) dish out, while Morton can’t wait to sink his teeth into chef Mike Costa’s (Zaytinya) wares.

“We used to cook together at Citronelle and view food with a similar approach,” Morton said.

Best of luck unseating two-time “Best in Show” champ John Critchley (Bourbon Steak).

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