If you are planning to try the lamb for the first time, you might wonder where the lamb chops come from, and what they taste like.
Lamb has a unique flavor that is complimented by the use of many different types of herbs and spices. This makes it a favorite meat for chefs to use when making special recipes.
But what are lamb chops? Lamb chops are cuts of lamb obtained from young domestic sheep aged typically under 1 year old. The chops can be cut from the shoulder, loin, ribs and rump of the animal, and are cooked and served with the bone intact. Due to the size of the animal, the chops are small and generally 2 or 3 chops are considered a normal adult serving.
We will now look in more detail at the different types of lamb chops you can purchase, and how they differ in size, taste and cooking methods.
Which Animal Do Lamb Chops Come From?
There are 3 main varieties of ‘Lamb’ that you will find for sale in your meat markets or stores. Although they are all considered lamb, there are subtle differences that may sway your buying choices.
Spring Lamb is from an animal that has been fed on its mothers milk and slaughtered before weaning. This very young animal produces light pink meat with a very delicate flavor. Due to the small yield from such a young animal, spring lamb is considerably more expensive than regular lamb.
Lamb is from an animal that is slaughtered later than spring lamb but still under one year old. The meat from this lamb is slightly darker than the spring lamb, and will have a thin white overing of creamy white fat. The taste will still be delicate, but more pronounced than the younger animals.
Hogget is still considered ‘lamb’ but us usually slaughtered between one and two years of age. Due to the longer lifespan, the size of the lamb cuts from hoggets are larger than the younger animals, and the meat is a darker red with a thicker fat covering. The meat from a hogget will be more distinctive but will not yet have the ‘gamey’ taste that is associated with the mutton meat from older animals.
Is Lamb the Same as Mutton?
Although from the same animal, mutton is from an animal that is usually aged 2-3 years old.
Due to the diet, and living through a couple of winters, the mutton will have absorbed some of the flavors of what the sheep has been eating . This can result in the meat having a stronger ‘gamey’ flavor, which can be an acquired taste.
The meat from the older animal is much darker in color, and also tougher. Usually mutton will require long slow cooking to break down the muscle fibres in the meat to become tender.
What Are The Different Types of Lamb Chops?
As mentioned previously, there are different types of lamb chops that you can buy.
Depending on the type of meal you are wanting to serve, it will be handy to know the differences between them so that you can prepare and cook them accordingly to ensure you end up with a delicious and tender meat.
Lamb Shoulder Chops
As the name suggests, these are chops taken from the front shoulder of the animal.
When the lamb shoulder is cut into chops, it is usually cut about ½” – ¾” thick right across the full width of the shoulder through the bone.
The shoulder of an animal is a hard working muscle and therefore the meat tends to be tougher and slightly fattier than other cuts, however they will be much more flavorful tasting.
Lamb shoulder chops are best cooked slowly braised to help break down the tough meat and reduce the fat content.
Shoulder chops are the biggest, and usually the least expensive lamb chops to buy, with 1 good sized chop usually considered a decent portion for an average eater.
Rib Chops
The rib chops are taken between the shoulder and the loin of the animal.
These chops can be referred to as rib chops or best end chops when separated individually, or as a ‘rack of lamb’ when sold as two or more chops joined together.
There are usually 8 ribs per side of lamb, and have a small eye of meat on the end of a long rib.
These chops are not much more than a bite sized piece of meat, and you would usually require about 2 or 4 per chops per portion depending on whether you were serving as a starter or main meal.
Sometimes these chops are ‘French Trimmed’ which consists of removing all the fat and meat that covers the rib, to expose a nice white clean bone.
Due to the small yield, and the tenderness of the rib chops, they are the most expensive chop sold on the animal and are often found on the menu of gourmet restaurants due to the impressive presentation that a ‘rack of lamb’ provides when trimmed and plated.
Barnsley or Butterfly Chops
Barnsley Chops, also referred to as Butterfly chops due to their likeness to the insect, are basically a pair of rib chops that remained joined at the backbone.
These impressive chops allow you to put something a little different on the plate and are sure to be the talking point of your dinner.
Lamb Loin
The loin lamb chops are situated along the back of the animal between the ribs and the hip.
The loin chop is the equivalent of a ‘T-Bone’ steak, but obviously much smaller than the beef version due to the size of the lamb in comparison to a cow!
These lamb chops are succulent and tender, with a thin fat covering to the outside edge.
Due to the tenderness, they can be cooked in a variety of ways from pan frying, grilling, baking and broiling.
These chops are usually cut about 1” thick, however they can be cut as thin or thick as you want, and your butcher will be happy to cut them to the size you require for your meal plan.
Two 1” thick cut lamb loin chops would be considered a normal portion for an average eater, however you may want 3 if cut thinner.
Chump Chops
The ‘Chump’ of a lamb is the rump area of the animal located between the loin and the leg.
These chops usually have a small round bone and a healthy fat covering to the outside edge. There can also be some internal fat content on slightly larger lambs.
The meat on the chump is more tender than the shoulder chops, but not quite as tender as the loin or rib chops. They tend to be slightly bigger than the loin chops but smaller than the shoulder.
The chump chops can be cooked in a similar way to the loin chops and are a versatile cut of lamb.
One larger chump chop may be enough for an average eater, but generally 2 would be required for a main meal portion.
How Can You Tell If Lamb Chops Are Fresh?
The best way for you to tell whether your meat is fresh, is by using your senses.
Sight, Smell and Touch will all help you to determine if you have a fresh cut of meat, or if the meat has spoiled and should be avoided.
Sight
Performing a visual inspection of any cut of meat before buying or cooking, is always best practice.
Although uncooked meat may not be something that you consider ‘visually appealing’, you will still have an element of whether or not it looks ‘good’ to you.
If you are turning your nose up just at the sight of the meat, then right there you may already have answered the question as to whether it is fresh or not.
Healthy and fresh lamb will be a pale pink to dark red color, depending on the age of the animal, and will have a nice creamy white fat covering to the outside edge. It will also have a moist sheen to the flesh.
If you are looking at lamb in the meat counter and it is looking dried out or greyish in color, then the lamb is not fresh and you should consider whether you want to purchase it or not.
That the meat is discolored does not necessarily mean that it is ‘bad’, merely that it is not as fresh as it once was. If you are intending to use the lamb right away, and you can purchase it for a greatly reduced price, then by all means consider getting the meat.
Smell
Although fresh lamb with have a slight odor to it, it will not be an unpleasant smell.
If you have taken some lamb out of the refrigerator or freezer and it has a distinct unpleasant smell, then it should not be eaten, and disposed of instead.
Likewise, if you are cooking the lamb and there is an unpleasant smell coming from the oven, dispose of the meat as it has probably spoiled.
Fresh lamb will have a delicious smell when cooking that should get your mouth watering. If you find yourself turning your nose up at the cooking smells, then there is likely an issue with the meat and you are better off not eating it.
Touch
If you are looking at some lamb that looks like you are unsure if it is still useable, however it smell fine, then touching the meat can help you decide.
Fresh lamb will have a moist touch, or possibly dry if the chops have been cut a day or two. However, if the meat has a ‘sticky or slimy’ feel to it, then avoid using it as spoilage has occurred.
That sticky or slimy feel is the build up of harmful bacteria that are multiplying on the surface of the meat and have the ability to male you very ill if eaten.
Can Lamb Chops Be Eaten Rare?
Lamb chops can be enjoyed just how you like your beef steak, however you do have to ensure that the thickest part of the chop reaches a minimum internal temperature of 140oF/65oc to ensure any harmful bacteria have been eliminated.
The most reliable way to ensure the meat has reached a safe internal temperature is to use an instant read meat probe thermometer which are available for under $20, and ensure perfectly cooked meat every time. This probe is a best seller on Amazon
We will now explain how your lamb will look once cooked to your preferred doneness
Rare – 140oF/60oC
When cooked rare, the lamb chops are usually prepared at a very high heat, for instance, a smoking hot griddle pan. The lamb is seared very quickly on all sides to crisp the exterior fat whilst ensuring the interior meat remains juicy, and deep red in color.
Medium Rare – 145oF/63oC
When cooked medium-rare, the lamb chops are usually prepared in the same way as for rare but left on the heat for maybe a minute longer.
Again, the lamb is seared very quickly on all sides to crisp the exterior fat whilst the interior meat will have turned from a dark red to a juicy and moist light pink color.
Medium – 160oF/71oC
When cooking the chops to medium, you will want to lower the heat slightly so as to not burn the exterior fat whilst waiting for the interior meat to get to the right doneness.
Medium cooked lamb chops will have crispy seared fat exterior whilst the interior meat will have a moist pinkish center, with a grayish ring toward the fat edge of the meat.
Well Done – 170oF/77oC
When cooking lamb chops well done, the chops are cooked on a high heat to sear and crisp the exterior fat and then the heat is lowered to allow the interior meat to cook to doneness without buring the exterior.
Care must be taken to ensure that once the required temperature is reached for the chops to be well done, that they are removed from the heat to prevent the chops from overcooking and becoming dry.
Perfectly cooked well done lamb chops will have a crisp seared fat exterior with interior meat that has just turned from pink to gray but retains moisture to the meat.
What Flavors Work Well with Lamb Chops?
The taste of lamb chops is very robust, making them suitable for cooking with strong herbal and spice flavors, making it a popular meat choice for dishes such as curries and morroccan recipes. It will add a nice punch if you add spices such as coriander, cumin, or paprika.
Herbs like basil, oregano, sage, and mint also work well if you are doing a more traditional roast dinner.
Herbs like thyme, basil, oregano, sage, rosemary and mint also work well if you are doing a more traditional roast dinner.
Lamb chops also work well if marinated, or having a herb or spice rub applied to the meat prior to cooking.
Here is a video making Garlic & Herb crusted lamb chops to get you started!
