Renaissance Mutton – mutton produced to set standards - will be available from this month until March and demand this year is expected to be up on 2005. Mutton is enjoying a renaissance in dozens of top restaurants and is increasingly available for sale from good food outlets around the country.

In London, pubs and restaurants such as The Ivy, The Cow, Roast, Kensington Place and Fifteen will be putting mutton on their menus. Outside of the capital, mutton will be available in a range of places including The King William (Bath), Lasswade Country House Hotel (Llanwrtyd Wells), The Coterie (Widnes), Quartier Vert (Bristol), Café 21 (Newcastle) and The Fighting Cocks (Stottesdon). Many other outlets around the country are also serving this long-forgotten meat.

Chefs are cooking mutton in a variety of ways, illustrating the meat’s versatility: at Café Spice Namaste back strap of mutton (fillet from the loin) is marinated in black peppers and chilli and then chargrilled. At the Blue Print Café, joints (usually shoulders) are mostly slow cooked or braised.

On the menu at Ransome's Dock is traditional hearty shepherd’s pie made from minced mutton: chef and owner Martin Lam says, "The best quality mutton, such as the animals which reach Renaissance Mutton standards, is always good to cook with, from the cheapest to the prime cuts of meat. With its complex, developed flavours, mutton is a welcome addition to a modern cook’s kitchen, allowing an array of old and new dishes to join the culinary repertoire."

To be of renaissance standard, mutton must be from sheep that have been reared for two years or more. The meat is matured for at least two weeks to ensure a full flavour and improved tenderness.

For home cooks, high quality mutton will be on sale from around 120 butchers, farm shops and mail-order outlets throughout the country. Top chefs including Mark Hix, Brian Turner and John Williams, Executive Chef at The Ritz, have devised recipes for home cooks which are available from

"The rich gamey flavour of mutton lends itself particularly well to traditional slow cooked English dishes," says John Williams. "Due to the continued popularity of mutton at The Ritz we are now offering it as one of our 'Ritz Classic' dishes which means diners can choose to eat this wonderful meat more often."

For recipes and further information, contact the Mutton Renaissance Campaign on 0870 242 3219 or visit