If you’re looking for a fun treat that will impress your guests, try these delicious lamb lollipops.
What Are The Ingredients For Lamb Lollipops?
Lamb lollipops can be made with many different types of meat.
The most popular is chicken breast or leg, but it can also be pork loin or ground beef.
The base of all of them is always going to be lamb chops, as they have a nice texture and flavor similar to lamb.
Then there are two other key ingredients – onion and garlic.
Onion adds sweetness while garlic gives the dish its pungency.
So, let’s take a look at how to cook up some tasty treats using this combination.
- Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder (or leg)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 cups diced yellow onions (about 2 medium onions)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups low-fat milk
- 2 eggs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 C). In a large bowl, toss the cubed meat with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the salt to penetrate the meat. Add the remaining ingredients except for the milk and eggs to a food processor and pulse until combined into a paste. Pour over the meat in the bowl and mix well with your hands. Shape into 12 equal pieces about 3 inches long by 1 inch wide. Lay out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip over onto another piece of parchment paper and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool completely before serving.
How Do You Make Lamb Lollipops?
These tasty treats come from an old family recipe that has been passed down through generations in my husband’s family.
The original recipe calls for lamb hearts, but I have since discovered that ground lamb works just as well and saves me time when making this dish.
The meat can be made ahead of time by cooking it until tender before adding some spices and letting it cool completely.
Once cooled, the mixture is then added to ice cream machine or food processor to create the “lollipop” shape.
It takes about 15 minutes on high speed to mix all together using an electric mixer or stand blender (I prefer the latter).
You may also freeze the mixture after mixing it with the ice cream maker if you want to save time later on.
When ready to serve, simply pop them into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until heated throughout.
Then they are ready to eat!
What Is The Best Way To Cook Lamb Lollipops?
This recipe was inspired by my love of lamb meatballs.
I used ground lamb in this recipe because it adds so much flavor, but if you prefer to use beef or pork instead, go right ahead.
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C.
- In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except bread crumbs.
- Roll mixture into balls about 1 tablespoon size with moistened hands.
- Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place approximately 12-15 lollipop sticks on top of each ball.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (F). If you have a thermometer, remove them from the oven when they hit 140 degrees F.
- Remove from pan and let cool completely before serving.
- For added color, sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes over the tops while still hot.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Lamb
- ¼ cup Bread Crumb
- ½ teaspoon Salt & Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Olive Oil Spray
- 12-15 Lollipop Sticks
How to Make Lamb Lollipops
Step One – Combine Ingredients In A Medium Bowl
The first step is combining all of the ingredients together.
You want to mix everything very well, using your hands, as the texture of the dough should be pretty smooth.
Step Two – Roll Into Balls With Your Hands
Once all the ingredients are combined, roll them into small balls.
It just makes sense to get them nice and round, since we’ll be sticking those little guys onto sticks later.
Step Three – Bake Them On Baking Sheet
Next up, place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with olive oil.
This helps prevent your lollipops from getting too crispy during the cooking process.
I like to make sure to space out the lollipops evenly so they don’t stick together, which can happen easily.
The smaller the surface area of the lollipop, the less likely it is to fuse to itself.
After placing them on the baking sheet, leave at least 2 inches between them.
Step Four – Let Cook For 30 Minutes Or Until Crispy
After spreading the lollipops out on the baking sheet, put them in the oven for around 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. As long as they aren’t piping hot, you shouldn’t have to worry about burning yourself.
Just take care not to touch the lollipops once they come out of the oven.
Step Five – Remove From Pan And Serve When Cooled Down Completely
It’s time to bring them out of the oven.
Once they’ve cooled down enough to handle safely, gently pull them off the baking sheet.
Take care not to burn yourself when removing them, especially if you’re using lollipop sticks.
Once removed, immediately transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
You could serve them straight away after taking them out of the oven, but I find it takes longer to cool down fully if you eat them soon after coming out of the oven.
Give them at least 10 minutes to set before eating.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Lamb Lollipops?
Lamb lollipops can be made with either ground or cut-up lamb meat.
The latter option will give you more bang for your buck because it contains less fat than the former method (which is good news if you have dietary restrictions).
However, both options are great for those who do not care about their cholesterol levels or heart health.
Ground lamb also has fewer calories per serving compared to its cut-up counterpart.
This makes them an excellent choice when trying to lose weight.
The most important thing to know before making your own lamb lollipops is what kind of lamb works best in this dish.
Lamb shanks are often used as the base ingredient.
You can find lamb shanks at most grocery stores.
If you don’t want to buy them, ask your butcher for some fresh leg of lamb.
It should come with the bone intact so it can easily be chopped into small pieces.
You may also use ground lamb.
For this option, just make sure you purchase lean ground lamb from grass-fed animals.
Lean beef would also work well but since there aren’t many people who eat only grass-fed beef, we recommend using ground lamb instead.
How long does it take to cook lamb lollipops?
Depending on how thickly you chop up the lamb, cooking time varies greatly.
But for a standard size batch, it takes 20 minutes to cook all four lollipops.
However, keep in mind that they tend to dry out quickly after being cooked (this happens even faster during hot summer months) so it’s better to let them cool completely before storing them in the fridge.
And if you’re planning to freeze them, wait until they reach room temperature first.
Are Lamb Lollipops Healthy?
Lamb lollipops have been around since the 19th century when they were first served at an event organized by Queen Victoria to celebrate her birthday.
The original version was made from ground mutton with raisins, almonds, and rose water added into it.
Since then, there have been several variations on this classic recipe.
Today, you can find them sold as candy or ice cream treats.
However, if you want to make them yourself using fresh ingredients, here’s how to do so.
As far as nutrition goes, lamb lollipops contain no cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fats, and are low in sodium (1 gram per serving).
They also contain protein, fiber, iron, vitamin B6, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, and vitamins A and C.
Health benefits of lamb lollipops
- They help promote weight loss due to their high amount of protein.
- They are rich in iron which helps boost immunity.
- Vitamin B12 found in lamb lollipops supports nervous system function.
- The antioxidants present in lamb lollipops support heart health.
- They provide protection against free radicals and inflammation.
- They protect brain cells from damage caused by strokes and Alzheimer’s disease.
- They prevent bone loss.
Is lamb lollipop safe for kids?
Yes, lamb lollipops are perfectly safe for children to eat.
In fact, most parents don’t even think twice about giving them to their little ones.
Lamb lollipops are not only tasty but nutritious too.
Plus, they aren’t loaded with sugar like other chocolate candies.
So, what’s the harm in letting your child indulge in some yummy lamb lollipops?
How Many Calories Are In Lamb Lollipops?
Lamb lollipops are made with 100% all-natural ingredients, so they contain no artificial flavors or colors, preservatives, or hydrogenated oils.
The only added ingredient is honey.
Each one contains 50 calories, which makes them an excellent snack option for anyone watching their weight.
The low calorie count doesn’t mean that you can eat as many as you want without worrying about gaining weight.
Lamb lollipops have zero grams of fat per serving, but if eaten regularly over time, it could add up to more than 10,000 calories during a year!
That would definitely be unhealthy.
Instead, make sure you limit yourself to two treats per day.
If you’d like to keep track of how much you consume, use this handy calculator to estimate how many calories each lollipop has.
What does “all-natural” mean?
- All-natural means that there aren’t any additives or preservatives included in the food. It also means that nothing has been genetically modified.
- It doesn’t necessarily mean that the food was raised on organic pastures. Some companies may claim their products are natural when they don’t even meet USDA standards. Instead, look at the list of ingredients to see what exactly is used.
- Most processed foods have preservatives because they need to last longer after processing. However, some people prefer not to ingest anything that isn’t real food.
How Do Lamb Lollipops Compare To Other Lollipops?
Lamb lollipops are a great way to add protein into your diet without adding too much fat or cholesterol.
The meat is lean with only 5 grams per serving, so it won’t give you heartburn like fatty meats can sometimes cause.
You also don’t have to worry about getting sick from consuming raw eggs.
The main ingredient in these tasty treats is ground lamb which adds flavor but doesn’t contain as much saturated fat as beef does.
These lollipops are made using an easy-to-follow recipe on Food Network Magazine website.
It calls for 1 pound (454 g) ground lamb, 2 egg whites beaten until stiff, and 1/4 cup (60 mL) bread crumbs.
The mixture is formed into small balls and pan fried before being dipped in melted butter.
If you want a more traditional recipe, check out this one from Epicurious.com where they use half ground beef and half pork instead of lamb.
You can find all sorts of different flavors when making lollipops at home.
Some popular options include mint chocolate chip, pistachio nut, lemon poppy seed, caramel apple, blueberry cheesecake, and raspberry cream cheese.
In addition to their unique flavors, lollipops are low calorie and high in protein compared to most other types of candy.
A single piece has just 60 calories while providing 11% of your daily recommended value of protein.
What Are Some Creative Ways To Serve Lamb Lollipops?
The best way to make this dessert is by using fresh ingredients.
If you can find them at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, use those instead to avoid having to go out in search of specific items like mint leaves.
This recipe calls for a few different herbs including rosemary, thyme, marjoram, sage, and oregano.
You also need lemons, ginger root, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, olive oil, and garlic powder (for the glaze).
The easiest way to prepare all of these ingredients together is to just mix everything up into one bowl.
That way you won’t have to worry about measuring out each ingredient separately.
You want to start off with a large pot filled halfway full of water.
Bring it to boil over medium heat.
Once boiling, add 1/4 cup of sugar per pint jar of honey.
Stir until dissolved.
Add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt per quart of water.
Let simmer for 5 minutes before adding 4 tablespoons of lemon zest and 3 cloves of minced garlic for every four cups of water.
Continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes before straining out the solids and setting aside.
Next, take a small saucepan and fill it half-way full of water.
Turn on low heat so that the water simmers gently.
While waiting for the water to come down to temperature, grate three slices of peeled ginger root.
Combine the ginger, lemon juice, and remaining ½ cup of sugar into the sauce pan.
Cover the mixture with cheesecloth and let sit for 30 minutes before removing.
Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve and discard the pulp before discarding the cloth.
Take two clean pint jars and put ¼ cup of sugar inside each jar.
Pour ¼ cup of hot water into each jar, then screw on the lid tightly.
Shake vigorously until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Remove the lids from both jars and set aside.
Now, cut one head of mint into quarters.
Then, remove the stems and chop finely.
Next, place the chopped mint, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, sage, and oregano into a food processor.
Pulse until they become a smooth paste.
Set aside.
In a large stockpot, combine the strained ginger syrup along with the herb paste and stir well.
Cook over medium high heat while stirring constantly for 20 minutes until thickened.
It should be able to coat the back of a spoon when stirred.
Now, turn off the stove and let cool slightly before transferring into a storage container.
Place the containers in the fridge for one hour before serving.
To assemble the lamb lollipops, first rinse the rinsed jars with cold water.
Wash the outside of the jars thoroughly to ensure no residue remains on the sides.
Fill the bottom third of the jars with ice cubes.
Then, pour enough lamb lollipop mixture into each jar until it reaches the neck.
Screw on the lids tightly and shake the jars to release excess air.
Store the jars in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
When ready to serve, peel back the paper liners and carefully pop out the jars.
Using a knife, carve away the edge of the top of the lollipop until it forms a cone shape.
Take a sharp paring knife and slice around the edges of the cone to form a flat surface.
Finally, drizzle a little bit of the glaze over the top of the lollipop, allowing it to drip down onto the rim of the jar.
Serve immediately.
What Are Some Tips For Making Lamb Lollipops?
The best way to prepare these tasty treats is by using fresh ingredients from your local market or grocery store.
If you don’t have access to a butcher shop near you, then it may be necessary to order them online.
This is especially true if you want to save money on shipping costs.
However, there are many different recipes available online for cooking this dish.
You can find instructions for preparing lamb lollipops with either ground beef or pork.
Some of those recipes call for adding spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, sage, thyme, rosemary, etc., as well as other herbs.
The flavor combinations in each recipe vary slightly, so use your discretion when selecting which one to follow.
After purchasing the meat, simply cook it according to the directions provided.
Once cooked, remove it from heat and let it cool completely before cutting into cubes.
Be sure to keep an eye out for signs of spoilage such as strong odors or dark spots on the surface.
It’s also important to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooled before slicing it up.
Once the meat has been sliced, place it in a piping bag with a tip attached.
Then fill the bag with a mixture of melted shortening and paraffin wax.
Take care not to overfill the piping bag because too much fat could cause the food product to become hard.
After filling the piping bag with the desired amount of lamb, seal the opening and cut off the excess air inside the bag.
Next, take a toothpick and insert it through the hole you made at the end of the bag.
Gently twist the bag until the tip reaches the bottom of the tube.
Twist again and pull gently to create a spiral shape that resembles a lollipop stick.
Repeat this process until all the pieces are done.
When the sticks are complete, dip them into flour to prevent sticking while they bake.
You can either do this step right after placing the sticks in the oven or wait and finish baking them later.
Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 Celsius).
Remove the sticks from the oven once they reach the correct temperature.
Let them sit for five more minutes before removing them from the pan and serving immediately.
Lamb lollipops are great party favors, but they work just as well as appetizers served alongside drinks during cocktail hour.
For extra credit, add a few drops of honey or maple syrup to the dipping sauce before serving and garnish with mint leaves.
You can even sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the sticks to give them an attractive appearance.
Some people prefer their lamb lollipops plain, whereas others enjoy sprinkling them with cheese or topping them with sour cream and chives.
To spice things up, consider adding additional flavors to the meat.
One popular combination includes mixing chopped ham with ground beef.
Another option is to mix minced chicken with ground beef.
Try experimenting with different seasonings to come up with new ideas.
How Can I Make Lamb
Lamb is one of my favorite meats to cook.
It has such tender meat that it doesn’t take long at all to become fall-off-the-bone tender, but if done right, the flavor will be rich and flavorful too.
I was fortunate enough to get to taste test this recipe with the owner of The Lamb Shop in Los Angeles.
He gave me three different cuts from his shop to try out.
One was leg (shank), another shoulder cut, and the last was rib chops.
All were very good, but the rib chops had an amazing amount of fat on them which made it so tasty.
So if you want to save time or money, you can definitely use those as well.
But don’t forget about the shanks either because they have tons of flavor.
The best way to roast lamb
Roasting is probably the most common method used by home cooks when cooking lamb.
And while there are many ways to do it, my personal preference is to wrap it up in foil and place it directly over heat source.
This allows the moisture inside of the lamb to escape without burning the outside.
You can also add herbs like rosemary and thyme to give it more flavor.
Cooking times vary depending on the size of the animal
You might not want to put your whole lamb into your oven at once since it takes longer than other types of meat to fully cook through.
For example, chicken usually takes around 35 minutes to finish cooking.
However, a whole lamb could easily take upwards of 4 hours to fully cook.
In order to avoid overcooking it, you should check the temperature every 15 minutes until it reaches 145°F/63°C.
Once it gets to the proper temperature, you can remove it from the oven and set aside to rest before carving off the desired portion.
Make sure to let it cool down completely after roasting
Once you pull it out of the oven, you need to allow it to sit uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes so the juices can drain away.
If you leave it sitting in hot air, you risk having it dry out and lose its juiciness.
Not only does it look unappetizing, but it won’t be able to hold onto the flavors as well.
Ingredients
- 8 lamb chops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 whole garlic cloves peeled
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prior to cooking, let the lamb to rest on the counter for 20 minutes. Salt and pepper the lamb generously on both sides.
- Cast iron skillet with olive oil heated over medium-high heat. A heated skillet is ideal. Please wait. For medium, sear for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Add butter, garlic, and rosemary to the skillet’s edge in the final two minutes of cooking. To allow the drippings, butter, herbs, and garlic to combine and sizzle, tilt the pan for a moment. When the chops are finished cooking, drizzle the butter and juices over them to add flavor. Before serving, remove from the pan and allow it rest for five minutes.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.