Barèges-Gavarnie mutton

Barèges-Gavarnie

What it is

Barèges-Gavarnie is not lamb: the appellation takes only adult Barégeoise sheep, ewes of two to six years and doublons, castrated males over 18 months that have spent at least two summers on the high pastures. The whole flock must graze the estives, between 1,500 and 2,800 m, from at least 15 June to 31 August, and silage is banned on the farm. The specification credits that grazing for the meat's deep red colour and marbling, and requires it to carry no strong mutton or suint smell.

In the kitchen

Ask which carcass it came from: the doublon is stamped B-G in brown, the ewe in red. Either way this is adult meat: roast the leg slowly to pink and rest it well, or braise the shoulder with Tarbais beans and wild thyme.

Goes with

Tarbais bean Garlic Wild thyme Thyme Potato Cabbage Onion Carrot

Same species

Pauillac lamb Salt marsh lamb Sisteron lamb Lamb fries Lamb brain Leg of lamb

In season alongside

Fin Gras du Mézenc beef Lamb Bay of Somme salt marsh lamb Mont-Saint-Michel salt marsh lamb Allis shad Woodcock

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