What Are Lamb shoulder chops and How Can I Use Them?

If lamb shoulder chops have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 9 recipes to try them in.

Key Points

Flat, bone-in chops cut across the shoulder; fattier, cheaper, and tastier than rib or loin chops
Cook them fast and hot to medium, or braise slow; the medium middle ground stays tough
Pull quick-cooked chops at about 145°F, then rest; braise an hour or more for fork-tender
Their deep flavor stands up to bold marinades, glazes, and Mediterranean spice
Lamb leg steaks are the closest swap; freeze well-wrapped chops up to six to nine months

What are lamb shoulder chops?

Lamb shoulder chops are cut across the shoulder of the lamb, giving you a flat, bone-in chop with several muscles, a streak of connective tissue, and good marbling.

They are bigger and fattier than the dainty rib or loin chops, and far cheaper. Many cooks think they taste better for it.

Two common styles exist: the round-bone or arm chop, cut from the arm with a cross-section of the round leg bone, and the blade chop, which includes a piece of the shoulder blade. Both are flavorful and forgiving.

Because they come from a hard-working muscle, shoulder chops have more flavor and more chew than premium chops. That makes them ideal for cooks who want real lamb taste without paying rack-of-lamb prices.

How to Cook Lamb Shoulder Chops

Shoulder chops reward two opposite approaches: fast and hot, or slow and moist. Both work, but the middle ground of medium heat tends to leave the connective tissue tough.

For quick cooking, sear or grill them hot and pull them at medium, around 145°F (63°C), then rest. A high-heat broil under a glaze gives the same effect, as in Broiled Lamb Chops with Mustard Honey Glaze.

They take beautifully to a quick pan saute too, the basis of Sauteed Minted Lamb.

The other route is braising. Brown the chops, then simmer them low in liquid for an hour or more until the collagen melts and the meat turns fork-tender. Australian Lamb Marsala with Braised Winter Squash uses exactly this slow, saucy method, with the bone enriching the sauce as it cooks.

A bold marinade suits them either way. Their deep, slightly gamy flavor stands up to Sweet & Sour Lamb Chops or the citrus of Lamb Chops a L'Orange without being overwhelmed.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Lamb shoulder has a natural affinity for garlic, rosemary, mint, lemon, and warm spices like cumin and coriander. It takes happily to Mediterranean and North African flavors, to red wine, and to sweet-savory glazes built on honey or fruit. Lemon-Rosemary Shoulder Lamb Chops shows the herb-and-citrus side.

The biggest mistake is cooking them to a chewy medium and stopping there. The connective tissue needs either quick high heat that leaves it intact and tender, or long moist heat that breaks it down. Land in between and you get tough, rubbery meat.

A second mistake is skipping the fat trim and the sear. Shoulder chops carry a lot of fat; trimming the thickest pads and searing hard renders it and builds a brown crust, instead of leaving a flabby, greasy chop.

Substitutes

If shoulder chops are unavailable, lamb leg steaks are the closest swap, leaner but similar in size and good for grilling or pan-searing. Lamb loin or rib chops work too, though they cost more and cook faster, and they lose the rich shoulder flavor.

For braising specifically, boneless lamb shoulder or lamb stew meat gives the same melting result; just cut your pieces to match and adjust the time. Bone-in lamb leg steaks also braise well and bring their own bone richness.

When you want the flavor profile without lamb, bone-in pork shoulder steaks behave similarly, fatty and forgiving with both quick and slow methods, though the taste is milder and less gamy.

Buying and Storing Lamb Shoulder Chops

Look for chops about three-quarters of an inch to an inch thick with firm, pinkish-red meat and white, not yellow, fat. Thicker chops are easier to sear without overcooking. Round-bone arm chops have a bit more solid meat than blade chops, which is handy for grilling.

Store raw chops in the coldest part of the fridge and cook within two to three days of purchase, or by the use-by date. Keep them on a plate or in a bag so juices cannot drip onto other food.

For longer storage, wrap them well and freeze for up to six to nine months. Thaw in the fridge overnight rather than on the counter, and pat them dry before cooking so they sear instead of steam.