Sisteron’s lamb is very tender and tasty. The meat is light pink and very tender, its flavor delicate. It is Marice Richaud who, in 1920 started to commercialize it. He selected the best animals and sent it to prestigious tables throughout the world.
What
makes the lamb so tender and tasty?
The flocks graze on large natural pastures. From the plains of La Crau to the summits of the Alps, the ewes are still bred in natural pastures. Ewes feed also on thyme and rosemary which also grows in abundance. (However it is not proved that this has an influence on the taste of the lamb!)
Only three rustic local breeds are selected for the quality of the meat: Mérinos d’Arles, Mourérous and South Préalpes. The reproducing flock can only be renewed through these rustic breeds.
The lambs are kept with their mother and feed on their milk. They are sent to the abattoirs when they are between 70 and 150 days old. It is important to remind the soft hearted reader that these lambs are only bread for their meat. They would not exist if not for this reason.
It is also important to add that the sheep play a very
important part in the preservation of the environment. By grazing, they prevent forest fires which in the summer are very frequent in the region. By keeping the grass short the risk
of fire is very limited. In winter, as the grass is kept short by the grazing, the risk of avalanche is also limited. The animals fertilize the ground naturally and a complete echo
system lives thanks to their droppings.
“Label Rouge” Red Label
Since 2005 the Lamb of Sisteron has the “Label Rouge” (Red Label). The Label Rouge is the guarantee of a high-quality product. It focuses on taste, culinary qualities, free-range production, and food safety.
The slaughter house in Sisteron is known beyond French borders for its performance, innovation and management. It specializes in lamb, allowing the meat to be produced locally. In total, it processes 8500 tons each year. That is 20% of the market in the South East of France. The abattoir respects the criteria of the Red Label. Here, each lamb can be traced from birth to the customer’s plate. It is ranked at the highest standards of tracking system and hygiene in Europe (ISO9001).
At 5 am one morning I took a ride to Lure Mountain where a breeder has 1200 ewes grazing. Here the “Label Rouge” standards apply. I went with Sylvain, who is in charge of the Cooperative “Bergers du Soleil” (Sun’s shepherds). We reached the peak at 7 and waited for the ewes to arrive. It was still dark. Here the ewes were to have an echography. Each ewe climbs up on a trailer. The trailer is divided in two parts. One is the passage on which the ewe is to stand. On the other side, behind the curtain Sylvain sits and waits for the animal to be in position. He checks to see if the ewe is pregnant. When it is, he marks the animal with a pink paint and releases it back into the field. Later the animals will be separated: The pregnant ewes will go to richer pastures, closer to the sheep-pen whilst the others will go to their usual pastures.
For a good lamb recipy go here or here.
