Lamb, New Zealand, imported, Intermuscular fat, raw
Whole food · Lamb, Veal, and Game Products
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a cut of raw lamb from New Zealand, specifically the intermuscular fat, which is the fat found between muscle groups. It has a rich, buttery flavor and a soft, melting texture when cooked, making it a prized ingredient for adding depth and juiciness to dishes. Nutritionally, it is an extremely dense source of energy, composed almost entirely of fat with minimal protein or carbohydrates.
Calorie split: 3% protein · 1% carbs · 96% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
Chefs and home cooks love it for its unparalleled ability to enrich the flavor and succulence of stews, roasts, and ground meat blends. It is a cornerstone of traditional New Zealand and Australian lamb dishes, prized for its pure, savory taste.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Due to its extremely high fat content (68.5g per 100g), it is very calorie-dense and should be used sparingly by those monitoring fat intake or managing heart health. A concrete tip is to use it as a flavoring agent in small, diced pieces rather than a primary ingredient, or to render it down to use the flavorful fat for cooking while discarding the solids.
Key benefits
- Provides a concentrated source of dietary fat for energy.
- Contains fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin E.
- Adds intense flavor and moisture to leaner cuts of meat.
- Source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a naturally occurring fatty acid.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
In New Zealand, rendered lamb fat is traditionally called 'dripping' and was historically a staple cooking fat, valued for its high smoke point and rich flavor.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 25.4 g |
| Energy | 640 kcal |
| Energy | 2679 kj |
| Protein | 4.6 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 68.5 g |
| Ash | 0.22 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 1.3 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 5.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.72 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 6.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 61.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 119 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 34.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.87 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.02 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 2.3 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.09 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 mg |
| Niacin | 1.1 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.15 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.05 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.45 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 46.0 ug |
| Retinol | 46.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 153 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.84 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 10.0 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.30 ug |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 0.30 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 30.7 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.08 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 1.4 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 11.0 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 1.3 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 16.7 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.17 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 19.2 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.52 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.45 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 18.6 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 14.7 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 2.4 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.7 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.54 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 1.1 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.64 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.64 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.05 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 4.1 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 4.0 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.08 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 4.0 g |
| TFA 18:2 t,t | 0.07 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.07 g |
| Cholesterol | 75.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.05 g |
| Threonine | 0.22 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.21 g |
| Leucine | 0.36 g |
| Lysine | 0.40 g |
| Methionine | 0.15 g |
| Cystine | 0.06 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.18 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.16 g |
| Valine | 0.24 g |
| Arginine | 0.31 g |
| Histidine | 0.10 g |
| Alanine | 0.23 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.65 g |
| Glycine | 0.20 g |
| Proline | 0.15 g |
| Serine | 0.16 g |
FAQ
What is intermuscular fat?
It's the fat located between different muscle groups, as opposed to subcutaneous fat (under the skin) or intramuscular fat (marbling within the muscle). It is often firmer and is excellent for rendering.
How do I use it in cooking?
It's most commonly diced and rendered (slowly melted) over low heat to produce a clear, flavorful cooking fat. The leftover crispy bits are called 'cracklings'. You can also finely chop it and mix it into ground lamb to boost juiciness.
Is this the same as lamb tallow?
Yes. Tallow is the common term for rendered animal fat, and lamb tallow is made by rendering down cuts like this intermuscular fat.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 6.40 kcal/g · 3% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.29 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.