We all know how protected a glass of bubbles from Champagne is, but did you know our very own lamb from the Karoo is as protected? Thanks to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) bringing Geographical Indications (GI) into effect, many countries have increased protection of certain products since 1994 – ranging from French Champagne and Cameroon Poivre de Penja (Penja Pepper) to South African Rooibos and Karoo Lamb.
What makes Karoo Lamb so special
The central Karoo, spanning the Western and Northern Cape, is filled with a very specific terrestrial biome: hardy dwarf shrubs, succulents and grasses. These plants not only sustain the lambs, but they also contain terpenes, salts, and other specific flavours that spice the meat and fat.
Moreover, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development gazetted the specifications in 2023, stating that lambs born, raised (free-range) and slaughtered on Karoo veld in the defined Karoo region, which have never been in a feedlot or grazed on planted pastures, can only be considered as Karoo lamb.
The Department, along with many other specifications, has identified the typical natural vegetation of the Nama, Great and Succulent Karoo biomes that need to be present on farms from which the Karoo Lamb is sourced. These include:
- Plinthus karrooicus, or “silverkaroo”
- Penzia spinescens, or “skaapbossie”
- Pentzia sphaerocephale, or “berggansie”
- Pentzia lananta, or “blesbokkaroo”
- Pentzia globose, or “vaalkaroo”
- Pentzia calcarea, or “meerkatkaroo”
- Pentzia incana, or “ankerkaroo”
- Eriocephalus ericoides, or “kapokbossie”
- Eriocephalus spinescens, or “doringkapokbossie”
- Salsola glabrescens, or “rivierganna”
- Pieronia glauca/ Rosenia humilis, or “perdebos”
Where to buy Karoo Lamb
Since it is so special, here is a list of a few certified and GI-registered Karoo Lamb suppliers:
Some of our fav recipes
1. Organic Karoo lamb moussaka
2. Jan Hendrik’s cinnamon-scented soup with Karoo lamb
3. Slow-roasted lamb shoulder and chickpeas with preserved lemon, pistachio and mint pesto
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder and chickpeas with preserved lemon, pistachio and mint pesto
4. Lamb Biryani
5. Lamb knuckle curry
Also See: The supermarket label guide: What “organic” and “free-range” actually mean
The supermarket label guide: What “organic” and “free-range” actually mean
