Lamb

Lamb is considered to be the meat of sheep under one year old. It is lightly fatty. Milk-fed or suckling lambs range from 4 - 9 kilos and are generally available from January to late March. Those from 10-15 kilos and available from May to December are grazing and have a different quality of meat.

Mutton

There are three breeds of sheep in our country: Dağlıç, Karaman and Kıvırcık. Kıvırcık is the most desirable. Whatever the breed, the male is more desirable than the female.

Kıvırcık
Kıvırcık sheep have long, thin tails and are considered the most desirable for meat, it is divided into two sub-breeds, Karnabat and Merinos. The meat of Karnabat is pink and flavorful. Merinos is darker and may be slightly gamey.

Dağlıç
There are two sub-breeds, white (Beyaz) and Black (Kara) Dağlıç. The white variety is preferred. The tail of the white dağlıç is broad at the base and divided halfway down, with a tassel-like end. The black dağlıç’s tail is narrower at the base and the tassel at the end is quite long.

Karaman
Karaman sheep are also divided into sub-breeds, Beyaz (white) and Kızıl (Red). The white breed has very white meat which is preferred over that of the black dağlıç breed. Red Karaman is considered the worst mutton. The white Karaman has an upward-turned swelling in place of the tassel on the tail. In the red variety, there is a second large swelling on the first.

Goat

Less flavorful than mutton/lamb. Kid meat is perferred.

Young Veal

The meat of calves from 2 to 12 weeks of age is considered young veal. It is less fatty than the meat of weaned veal.

Weaned Veal

Preferred over young veal, good veal should be brilliant red. As it is less fatty, it is especially preferred for mincemeat.

Beef/Steer

There are two varieties, Trakya (Thrace) and Erzurum, with the Trakya variety being more flavorful and less fatty. It’s meat is pinkish, with lemon-yellow fat. The other has darker meat with darker yellow fat. The meat of cows is preferred over that of steers.

Water Buffalo

Water buffalo meat is pink with white fat, the main feature which distinguishes its meat from beef. The females are preferred.

Poultry

Chicken

Turkey

 Extracted from the website of the Turkish Cultural Foundation