What to use instead of ground lamb
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Fatty ground meat that binds into kofta, cevapi or kebab
At 20-25% fat, and with fat that stays cohesive when the mix is worked, it clings to a skewer without needing egg or breadcrumb.
Ground beef, 80/20Ran out
1:1 by weight
Milder and less gamey. Holds a skewer just as well, but the fat renders faster so it dries sooner on the grill.
Half beef, half porkRan out
1:1 for the total weight
Sweeter and softer with a looser bite. The standard mix where lamb is not eaten.
Ground goat + olive oilRan out
1:1 by weight, plus 2 tbsp olive oil per pound
Leaner and more assertive. Without the added fat the kofta crumbles off the skewer.
Ground turkey thigh + olive oilRan out
1:1 by weight, plus 2 tbsp olive oil per pound
Much milder and paler. Work the mix harder and chill it 30 min or it will not hold its shape.
Brown lentils + ground walnuts + tomato pastePlant-based
1 cup cooked lentils + 1/2 cup ground walnuts + 1 tbsp tomato paste per 1/2 lb lamb
Holds as a patty and never on a skewer. Brown it hard on both sides for any texture at all.
What doesn't work: Lean ground lamb or 93% beef for kofta. Below about 15% fat the mix squeezes itself dry on the grill, and the kebab cracks and slides off the skewer halfway through.
Braising cut that goes tender and rich over hours
Shoulder and neck are full of collagen that melts to gelatine over a long cook, and that gelatine is what gives a tagine or rogan josh its body.
Beef chuck, cubedRan out
1:1 by weight, add 30-45 min
Beefier and less sweet, and it takes longer to break down. Same finished texture once it gets there.
Goat shoulderRan out
1:1 by weight, add 30 min
Leaner and stronger tasting, and the sauce is thinner because there is less fat rendering into it.
Bone-in pork shoulderRan out
1:1 by weight
Sweeter and it goes tender sooner. Skim more fat off the surface before serving.
MuttonRan out
1:1 by weight, add 45-60 min
Far stronger and more mineral. It needs the extra hour or it stays chewy.
What doesn't work: Lamb leg or loin in a long braise. They are lean muscle with almost no collagen, so three hours in the pot leaves the meat stringy and dry while the sauce stays thin.