When it comes to choosing cuts of meat I’m honestly not that great. Okay, okay I do know breast, thighs, loins and minced meat, that’s a start no? But hear me out before you judge please, I promise I have good excuses. First excuse, language barrier. I have yet to learn all the cut names in Czech, they just don’t stick in my brain. Excuse number 2, I never learned about cuts and their names in either English or Spanish. That is because I only started cooking since we moved to Prague. Last excuse is that the cuts are different in Prague than they are in the states, and I think Mexico. My husband who worked at a butcher shop as a teenager, in the states, verified that the cuts are indeed different. See all good excuses and now you can judge me for not working harder at learning the names in Czech.
You can imagine that one of the good reasons my husband and I do our grocery shopping together is to make sure we have decent cuts of meat to eat. When I go off by myself to pick up some meat its best to stick with fish and the few cuts I know, unless I’m feeling adventurous. Sadly for my husband I’m very curious about food. The other day I saw lamb at the grocery store and it’s not an every day occurrence, woohoo happy dance! Plus it was organic meat, double happy dance! Without much more thinking I took the lamb home. On the walk home I was daydreaming about how soft, tender and juicy it was going to be. I showed my hubby what I bought and he broke the news to me that is was Lamb shoulder. Of course I looked at him completely perplexed and said yeah but it’s going to be good right? Oh.
Lamb Shoulder Chops Searing LambWe both started doing some research online about the best methods to prepare this cut and site after site suggested braising. Braising is a great technique to use on cuts that are tougher or chewier, aka cheaper cuts. But it is also a technique I like to use with other more expensive cuts. Of course good spices must be used and the results are always tender and juicy meat. We ended up with succulent lamb shoulder chops that were so tender, juicy, and the meat just fell off the bone. No chewy or fatty taste at all, Just awesome! 
Braised Rosemary Lamb Shoulder Chops
- Total Time: 255 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Tender lamb shoulder chops, slow-braised to juicy perfection with rosemary and garlic. A comforting, flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs (550 g) lamb shoulder chops
- 1 medium onion
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) dried rosemary
- 6 whole allspice
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) vegetable broth
- fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Over medium heat, melt the butter in a frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, then add the spices and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan contents and set aside.
- Turn the heat to high. Pat the lamb dry, then place it in the frying pan. Brown on both sides.
- Turn the heat off.
- Mix the onion and spice mixture back with the lamb.
- Place the lamb and pan contents into a baking dish and pour the broth over the lamb, then place the dish into the oven.
- Cook the lamb for 3–4 hours, or until the meat is very tender and breaks up easily. Add a little more water or broth as needed to prevent the baking dish from drying out.
- Reserve the pan juices and serve them as a sauce over the meat.
- Serve with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, marinate the lamb chops in the rosemary, garlic, and thyme for at least 30 minutes before braising.
- If lamb shoulder chops are unavailable, bone-in lamb shanks can be substituted, increasing braising time to 4-5 hours.
- Leftover braised lamb can be shredded and used in tacos, salads, or sandwiches for a delicious second meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 275g
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150
I served our lamb with some mashed potatoes, from scratch, and so wilted baby spinach. Enjoy and try my recipe with any lamb cut of your choice. See mistakes always have a way of working themselves out and a cheap cut of meat can still be tasty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I braise the lamb shoulder chops?
Lamb shoulder chops benefit from at least 1.5 to 2 hours of braising at low heat, around 325F. They are done when the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone.
Do I need to sear the chops before braising?
Yes, searing them in a hot pan before adding liquid builds a deeper, browned flavor in the braising liquid. Pat the chops dry and sear in batches to avoid steaming.
How much fresh rosemary should I use, and can I substitute dried?
Two or three fresh rosemary sprigs are enough for a full pan of chops. Dried rosemary works, but use about half the amount since it is more concentrated, and crush it between your fingers before adding.
Made this for my husband tonight and he said it was delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Lovely, lovely recipe. Just finished my supper in Barbados with fresh local thyme and rosemary. The lamb is from NZ. Cooked up beautifully in 3.25 hours at 300. Mine turned out a darker colour but the meat was lovely and tender. Added a bit of hot pepper to spice it up. Delicious. Thank you for adding this.
I made this dish for Easter Sunday and it was a huge hit! Easy and fast to prep, 3 hours in the oven, perfect lamb.I served it with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. Thanks for the recipe, will definitely make it again.
Thanks so much for the technique. My husband and I love lamb but it’s obviously pricey and so hard to find around my area, so I was happy to get some shoulder chops. I will probably cook these in a dutch oven. Do you think that would decrease the cooking time? I have found that it does for other meats, but I’m not sure how to tell as it will be cooked so slow. Just until it falls apart easily? Thanks!
Do you cover the dish with foil???
I’m making the dish right now but with fresh rosemary and thyme since I had them on hand. Very easy prep and I’m using a roasting pan (uncovered) since I’m making four (though I might use a cast iron pan when I make two). It’s been cooking for two hours so far and smells amazing, and there is still plenty of liquid, even as the lamb continues to brown. I’m looking forward to eating it tonight, alongside mashed potatoes and an asparagus/tomato/black olives from Jamie Oliver
i was wondering, after i did the onions etc and then browned the lamb, etc. into a baking dish etc. the recipe said ‘check to make sure the dish doesnt dry out and add water/broth if necessary. i presume this is for the oven braising. should i cover the dish in tinfoil or left it open. seems it might dry out quicker if i do not cover it?
Thanks for info on this cut that I was not familiar with. I have them in oven right now. I do have a suggestion as I hate having all these extra pans and dishes. Use a cast iron frying pan then you can just stick it in the oven. Plus it gives extra flavor to the dish.
Thanks for a great recipe. I don’t cook lamb that often, so I always have to search online for ideas when we do have it. Your braise is definitely a keeper!
this recipe is awesome!
I love lamb shoulder. I did a really great lamb stew a couple of weeks ago but was looking for something without tomato this time. Looks like I found my match! If you are interested in lamb shoulder, might I suggest my Lamb and Farro stew?
http://fictionalkitchen.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/lamb-stew/
This was very tasty (and super easy). I didn’t have vegetable broth, so I used chicken broth, which worked fine. I also served it over redskin mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach. I strained the reserved juices and poured the liquid over the top of everything, which was a nice touch.
I bought the lamb shoulder chop from the local grocery store but wasn’t sure how to prepare it. I then did a Google search for the best recipe for the meat. Your recipe came up among several others bit upon reading the reviews I opted to go with your yours. I’ll let you know how it turns up. Thanks everyone.
Davidson
Making this recipe for the 3rd time since my first post!! Can not believe how fantastic this dish is!! I always follow your recipe to a “T”. Thank you ever so much for sharing this!!
Really good recepie. Came out amazing
tried this tonite; it was utterly delicious, the meat was tender & did fall off the bones. YUMMY!
my youngest son loves lamb; and no how i try to marinate and cook it; it always turns out tough. so i had almost given up on cooking shoulder chops.. that is, until i came across your recipe. thank you so much. this is going to be one of our regulars – tried & tested as they say.