Meat
Dorset Horn
B tier
Dorset Horn mutton is mature meat from the historic horned white Dorset breed, once kept for year-round breeding on southern English farms. Older animals yield milder mutton than hard hill breeds when finished on kinder lowland grass. Joints roast with a rounded, slightly sweet character; diced meat suits gentle English stews and colonial-era curry recipes that called for mutton rather than beef. Availability is limited as pure Dorset Horn numbers are far below commercial Poll Dorset.
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Characteristics
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Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Dorset Horn flocks supplied southern markets with lamb and mature mutton year-round.
Breed society era still treated older Dorsets as useful mutton carcasses.
Poll Dorset rise reduced pure horned flocks and named Dorset Horn mutton.
Rare-breed meat schemes occasionally offered mature Dorset Horn.