Karakul sheep were introduced into the United States between 1908 and 1936. The breed originated in Central Asia in the region between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan near the Caspian and Black Seas. The population in North America has been genetically divergent from Central Asian stocks since the time of importation, and this warrants classification of the American Karakul as a separate breed. Karakuls were imported to establish a pelt industry in the United States, but this effort was not successful, and the breed has always been relatively rare.
The Karakul is a member of the family of fat-rumped and broad-tailed sheep, characterized by the deposit of fat at the base of the tail instead of throughout the body. This fat is distinctive in texture and flavor from other body fat and is highly valued in Central Asian cuisine. The rest of the carcass is very lean. Though used primarily for the production of wool, Karakuls are multipurpose sheep. They are hardy and adaptable, thriving under rugged conditions in a variety of climates. The sheep are aggressive grazers in pastures. Karakuls are generally seasonal breeders, producing a single lamb. Ewes are attentive mothers that milk very well. Karakuls are medium in size, weighing 125 – 175 pounds. Rams are horned and ewes are polled (without horns). Most sheep are born black and fade to gray with age, but red, tan, gold, and brown also occur.
Culinary use of the Karakul holds a unique place in American culinary history for being quite different from any other sheep breed found in the US today. Karakul meat has been a literal taste of home for generations of immigrants and their children in the United States. The tail of the sheep is used in many Middle Eastern dishes. The fat is rendered into tallow, called rowghan in Farsi or allyah in Arabic, which is then used to add juiciness and flavor to grilled meat, to grease cookware, or to add a mild meat flavor to a dish. The breed is ideal for kabobs, in which meat (often from the loin) can be prepared as skewered, cooked with vegetables and basted with tallow, or as ground together with tallow and spices (such as grated onion, sumac, and black pepper) and cooked.
Karakul sheep are also prized by celebrants of the Easter holiday, especially in preparations of the shank or leg of lamb. Of course, it is also favored for Muslim holidays such as Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha. In taste tests conducted in the United States with immigrants from Asia, Africa and even Latin America (where fat tails are not common), the Karakul consistently scored higher on juiciness than the other breeds tested. Karakul also has a milder flavor profile than European-descended breeds of sheep, which has enamored it to many people averse to more ‘muttony’ (mature sheep) flavors.
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