Description
The Agneau de Sisteron PGI is lamb from rustic, local sheep breeds living almost only on the Alps of Haute Provence as Mérinos d'Arles, Préalpes du Sud and Mourérous.
Production Area
The production area of Agneau de Sisteron PGI covers almost the entire region of Provence-Alpes-Azur and the department of Drôme in the Rhone-Alps region. The animal must be born and raised in only a farm. Slaughtering must take place at CE-authorised butchers, located in the production area.
Production Method
The sheep are kept out to pasture for a minimum period going from spring to autumn integrating sometimes this diet with forage and complementary feed. The lambs are raised only with mother's milk at least for the first 60 days of life integrated by grass and/or forages as well as by a fodder consisting only of cereals. After natural weaning, the animals eat forage-based fodder and/or pasture integrated by an authorised, complementary fodder. During the farming period, the lamb is nurtured with almost 45% of feed coming from the production area. The use of silo forage is forbidden. Slaughtering takes place when the lambs are aged from 70 to 150 days and weigh between 13 kg and 19 kg (carcass).
Appearance and Flavour
Agneau de Sisteron PGI has light meat, slightly rosy and white fat, slightly rosy too, with a firm consistency. The lamb is fibrous, free from lacerations, and fat is not oily and is curdled in a uniform way. The flavour is peculiar due to its tenderness, sweetness and softness.
History
The Agneau de Sisteron PGI is the result of the rooted tradition of sheep-rearing, which were made in the Alpine region of Haute-Provence for millennia. The denomination "Agneau de Sisteron" has, on the contrary, a more recent history having appeared only between the 1920s and 1930s on initiative of the large-scale butchers of Sisteron who stocked up in the present production area. Its fame, both at a regional and national level, has constantly grown achieving a peak between the 1950s and 1970s.
Gastronomy
The Agneau de Sisteron PGI can be conserved for a few days in the refrigerator wrapped into the purchasing paper and stored the coldest compartment. It is ideal for different dishes depending on the lamb cut chosen. The shoulder is very good when cooked in Blanquette (stewed) or marinated with aromatic herbs, whilst the lamb leg can be roasted in oven with season vegetables and the cutlets can be grilled on a barbecue. You can discover the sweet of the meat thanks to carpaccio: just slices of meat, olive oil and honey. It is perfect with red wine from the region like a Côtes du Rhône.
Marketing
The product is sold as Agneau de Sisteron PGI. It is sold fresh, whole without head, or in slices packed in trays with protected atmosphere which guarantee a longer conservation and maintain unvaried its organoleptic characteristics.
Distinctive Features
The Mediterranean climate, farming at the sheepfold and the peculiarities of local breeds give to Agneau de Sisteron PGI peculiar characteristics in terms of conformation, light colour lamb and fat, in addition to refined taste and softness.
