Besides being a Taste of Millard County favorite, Erin’s lamb recipe is a tasty but touchy subject at her family dinners. Raised on a cattle ranch just down the road in Delta, Utah, Erin’s father is a life-long rancher dedicated to his trade. It’s safe to say he is partial to his beef roasts and steaks – that is until Sunday dinners at Erin’s House.
“My dad came over one day for Sunday dinner and said, ‘This is the best roast I’ve ever eaten. You need to get your mom this recipe.’ I said, ‘Well, dad, it’s lamb and not beef.’ He was so sad, but we still joke about it today.” – Erin Sorenson
Ingredients:
- 1 Bone in Leg of Lamb
- Season Salt (Erin prefers Buhler’s)
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- 2 Ranch Dressing Packets
- 2 Au Jus Powder Packets
- 1 Bottle of Pepperoncini Peppers (with juice)
- 4 C. of Beef or Vegetable Broth
Directions:
- Season your leg of lamb with season salt, pepper and garlic powder. Be generous and rub the entire cut of meat.
- Wrap the seasoned leg of lamb in meat netting. Smoke on high for 8-10 hours, remove netting and shred meat.
- Cover the shredded meat with ranch packets, au jus packets, pepperoncini peppers (with juice), and broth. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 250 degrees for 1-2 hours.
Sorenson Sheep Co. Smoked Leg of Lamb
Smiling faces and full bellies are what you’ll find among the tables and displays during the annual Taste of Millard County – a special dinner featuring dishes made from products produced exclusively by Millard County growers. One fan favorite at the annual Taste of Millard County is sheep farmer Erin Sorenson’s smoked leg of lamb.
As a member of the Millard County Farm Bureau, the community zoning committee, and a concerned agriculturalist, Erin remembers disagreements among her fellow community members regarding policies that would affect certain agriculture sectors within the county. She recalls the “disconnect” between producers and consumers, even within the agricultural hub of Millard.
With much concern, the county Farm Bureau members, including Erin, explored ways to bridge this understanding gap between agriculture and community members. “Taste of Millard County was started five or six years ago from an idea from Jared Buhler [Branch Manager, Delta IFA Country Stores],” says Erin. “It was a way to introduce people to what we’re trying to do for agriculture.”
The idea behind this Millard County feast was to educate community members about the abundant products produced in their backyard.
“It’s amazing how many people that live in Millard County – in the middle of these hayfields – don't understand that their food comes from the field out back,” says Whitt Sorenson, Erin’s Husband and an IFA Agronomy expert. “You don't just go to the grocery store and get that bacon, ham, or loaf of bread.”
Taste of Millard County became an opportunity for education among growers and consumers. Foods served include salads from vegetables grown in local gardens and mouth-watering proteins donated by local livestock growers.
In its introductory year, Erin and Whitt provided one of these protein dishes to the Taste of Millard County, offering to contribute lamb from their own Sorenson Sheep Co. herd. Erin whipped up a lamb recipe for the event and it was a hit.
“It went down like gangbusters,” she says. “We had people coming back asking for seconds, it was a positive experience and they loved it.”
Erin says that this experience helps her educate more people on the variety of uses for lamb meat despite its lesser popularity when compared to beef and other popular proteins. “It has been a great way for us to be an ambassador for the protein and introduce people to it,” she says.
Her favorite memory from the inaugural Taste of Millard County was even talking the donating beef producer into trying lamb. Erin recalls that after trying it he came back and said, “I need you to get me seconds, but you can’t tell anybody that this is what I took!”
Erin’s lamb recipe has gained popularity at each Taste of Millard County event, increasing the amount of lamb they bring each year. “I look forward to the Taste of Millard County,” concludes Erin. “It’s a great opportunity to highlight what we do and to show people the products we work on all year.”
Written by Mikyla Bagley. Recipe courtesy of Erin Sorenson and originally published in the IFA Cooperator magazine (vol. 89, no. 4) Winter 2023.