10 minutes plus 24 hours marinating time
Approximately 50 minutes
Serves 10
Scotch Lamb PGI
Scotch Lamb PGI takes its quality and characteristics from a stress-free life grazing on the Scottish hills.
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What does PGI mean?
PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication. It's an EU scheme to protect and promote high quality traditional and regional food products unique to a geographical area. Scotch Lamb has long held this coveted PGI status. Scotch Lamb PGI is only sourced from selected Scottish farms that adopt best practice regarding animal welfare and production methods. When you see the PGI badge with the Scotch Lamb logo, you can be confident that all lamb were born, reared and processed in Scotland and hold whole life quality assurance. Our farmers, butchers and chefs are the linchpin when it comes to producing local and quality assured lamb.
What does quality assured mean?
The QMS Cattle & Sheep Assurance Scheme is the foundation of The Scotch Lamb PGI label. This year, we are celebrating it's 30th anniversary, making it the longest established scheme of its kind in the world. Further details on our scheme can be found below.
- To carry the Scotch Lamb PGI brand, all lamb must have been born, reared and processed in Scotland and spent their entire life on QMS Scotch Assured holdings.
- This whole of life brand eligibility is delivered by a suite of assurance schemes which cover the full supply chain: Cattle & Sheep, Feeds, Haulage, Auction Market and Processor.
- Whole chain assurance underpins the integrity of these premium brands, and provides reassurance to consumers of provenance, highest standards of production, and animal welfare and wellbeing, to deliver a quality eating experience.
- Since 1996 the Scotch Lamb PGI brands has held the coveted European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, which legally protects the brand names from imitation.
- Animal welfare and wellbeing are of paramount importance in ensuring the highest product quality.
- Traceability of product is key and checker systems are available to farmers, auction markets and abattoirs for determining the brand eligibility of scotch assured livestock.
- For further information on our standards, please visit, www.qmscotland.co.uk.
Our leading partner for animal welfare is
The Scottish SPCA
QMS is a Scottish Public Body with an overall strategy to shape a sustainable and prospering Scottish red meat industry. Animal Welfare and Wellbeing is a key factor in this strategy and of paramount importance in ensuring the highest product quality. The QMS Animal Welfare and Wellbeing Charter recognises the five freedoms of animal welfare and wellbeing and is a guiding principal for all of the QMS assurance schemes which are supported and approved by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA) Scotland’s independent animal welfare charity. The Scottish SPCA also carry out joint visits to QMS approved livestock farms along with the Lloyds Register farm assessors.
QMS recognises the Scottish SPCA (Scotland's Animal Welfare Charity) as its leading partner in matters relating to Animal Welfare and Wellbeing, and this collaboration underlines our commitment to transparency and independence.
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Sustainable sheep farming
Over 80% of Scottish farmland is not suitable for growing cereals and vegetables but ideal for beef and lamb production. Our farmers follow certain practices to help them farm sustainably and produce the highest quality Scotch Lamb.
Production plays an important part in sustaining the diverse landscape for which Scotland is famed. Scotland’s hill livestock farmers typically farm both cattle and sheep, a mixed grazing system which benefits landscape biodiversity (Source: Scottish Natural Heritage). Grass grazed by livestock captures carbon dioxide from the air and stores it in the soil.
Farming also plays an important part in social sustainability with over 50,000 jobs depending on the Scottish red meat industry, often in fragile rural communities. Scottish livestock farms typically remain in the same family, allowing farming skills to be passed down through generations. This includes invaluable knowledge of the terrain and conditions, as well as animal care skills. Livestock production has played a key role in Scotland’s social heritage for centuries, with cattle farming remaining at the heart of rural communities throughout the country.