Lamb Shoulder Chops are so juicy and flavorful, plus they’re super easy to prepare. This is a guaranteed go-to, no-fail recipe.
Lamb Shoulder Chops are best served with Mashed Potatoes and Garden Salad.
Lamb Shoulder Chops are naturally more flavorful. The general lamb meat has a strong gamy taste to it and requires extra effort to bring out the right flavors. With Lamb Should Chops, the cooking process is much simpler, while providing an outstanding dish.
How to Cook the Lamb Shoulder Chops
Marinate the lamb with garlic, seasoning, rosemary and oil. Preheat the skillet on very high heat and add lamb to the skillet. Cook on both sides for about 6 minutes.
To cook lamb shoulder chop in an oven, use a cast iron skillet. Brown both sides to a nice crust. Place it in an oven for the remainder of the cooking time.
To verify the readiness of the chops – they should be cooked to 145°F for medium rare, 160°F for medium, or 170°F for well done.
How to Grill Lamb Shoulder Chops
Place the marinated lamb shoulder chops on a preheated grill to 450°F. Grill the lamb on each side for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cut and how well you want the meat to be done.
Other Lamb Recipes to Try
- Pan-Seared Lamb Loin Chops – Lamb steaks in garlic and herbs
- Lamb Kabobs – Lamb and veggie skewers
- Roasted Lamb – Roasted leg of lamb
- Uzbek Plov with Lamb – Rice dish with lamb
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Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients for the lamb shoulder chops recipe.
- Chop garlic and break down the fresh rosemary; combine with oil, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag.
- Add lamb shoulder chops into the seasoning and leave it to marinate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the skillet on high heat. Remove all seasoning from the lamb shoulder chops and add them to the skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side.
- Let lamb shoulder chops rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Aww man these were so good. I only had two but I used the same amount of marinade as above. My cook time was 5 minutes per side with a 5 rest. Definitely on my to do again list. 👍🏽👍🏽
Hi Josie - That's so great to hear. We are obsessed with these chops. Can't get enough and glad you feel the same.
Should I leave it to marinate in the fridge or counter?
Hi Nester, I would suggest keeping it in the refrigerator. Hope you love it
First time having a Lamb Shoulder chop and I used a mixture of herbs, instead of just rosemary and everything else you listed, it turned out perfect! Thanks!
So glad to hear that, Mary!
Nutrition Facts say 74 calories per serving …I.e., per shoulder chop. I don’t know about the rest of the values, but, that can’t be right. Even without the oil marinade, lamb is between 60 and 100 calories per ounce.
Hmm, that is an interesting point, Martha! We will have to look into that. We use an outside program to calculate nutritional info and sometimes it's a little finicky.
My first time making lamb shoulder chops, so I don’t have garlic or rosemary right now. I have a lot of different organic dry seasoning! What can I use? And I just want to bake it and with out searing it. How long can I bake it and at what degrees for?
Hi Vana- you can use dry herbs instead- dried rosemary is fine, and whatever other herbs you like! They are stronger than fresh herbs so make sure you only use a sprinkle. As for baking it, I haven't baked it without searing first, so I would recommend searing it for atleast a few minutes per side so that it gets that beautiful dark sear on it. The oven should be preheated to 400°F, baking time varies depending on how well done you want it. Start at around 8-10 minutes and keep an eye on the internal temp until it hits your desired temp. Well done would be 170°F. Hope this helps!
It sounds Delicious & easy but at what TEMPERATURE should I set THE OVEN and for how long ?
Hi Aleah- The oven should be preheated to 400°F, baking time varies depending on how well done you want it and how much you seared it! Start at around 8-10 minutes and keep an eye on the internal temp until it hits your desired temp. Well done would be 170°F.
Can I use rosemary seasoning and how much equal to fresh rosemary
Hi Gregory- I couldn't tell you the exact amount as I've only used fresh, but generally you would use a lot less of a dry herb than fresh. So maybe start at 1/2tsp or 1tsp and go from there. Hope this helps!
I had a similar experience as some others: the chops curled in the hot skillet; lots of smoke. The sear was more of a burn, but then not cooked inside. I lowered the heat & covered the pan to help the insides cook. Once complete, the meat was chewy. I suspect this would be a delicious receipe for a more tender cut of chop, but I think I should have gone with what the internet was telling me: shoulder chops are a tougher cut & should be braised &/or slow cooked.
So true I bake mine at 350 for about 2.5 hrs. They are tender and very good.
Hi Elizabeth- I'm sorry the recipe didn't come out as you'd hoped. If you decide to give it another go, perhaps you can try partially cooking it in the oven to reduce the amount of smoke. To cook lamb shoulder chops in the oven, you'll want to use a cast iron skillet. Brown both sides of lamb shoulder to a nice crust. Place it in an oven (400°) for the remainder of the cooking time, until you hit the desired temperature. (145°F for medium rare, 160°F for medium, or 170°F for well done.) Hope this helps!
I absolutely love this recipe! A hit for my Fiancé and I each time I make it.
Thank you for sharing!
India, you are so welcome! Thank you for the feedback.
Hi Natalia.....can I marinade overnight? I have to say that I have never made lamb shoulder chops before. When I do a rack of lamb, I marinade my rack in apple juice overnight. Then I pat dry and season with my herbs of choice. I then I put on a sear burner until med rare and they are simply fantastic. A chef friend of mine in a 5 star restaurant in Melbourne shared this recipe with me. I highly recommend you trying the marinade....you will not be disappointed.
Hi, Lisa! You can marinade overnight! The rack of lamb you describe sounds amazing, thanks for sharing!
We loved this! I traded some fresh caught Halibut for a couple packs of lamb shoulder steaks. This recipe was very easy to follow. I cook a lot and often, just not familiar with lamb. Thank you for sharing. My pan got so hot and the temp did not come down fast enough when I introduced the meat to the pan. I turned them at 4 minutes, followed with 8 minutes on side 2. Rested for 5 and enjoyed our steaks with a cauliflower veggie egg fried rice and naan bread.
OKAY! I'm officially hungry now, Jenny. That sounds so bomb. I'm obsessed with naan bread and cauliflower rice, so this would be a dream meal for me. Thanks for the kind words and so nice to hear from you!
Cooking for one is sometimes more trouble than it is worth. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious! Definitely worth it!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this, Pam. I love cooking for one in my cast-iron. It's the best for meat!
Cooked as directed and these came out stringy and tough. I then consulted recipes from several chefs and they all seem to agree that shoulder chops (as opposed to loin chops) need to be braised for at least 3 hours. Having tried both, I recommend the latter method.
Hi Dewey - Sorry these didn't turn out like you'd hoped. You can definitely braise them beforehand if you'd like. We find a quick marinade of 1 hour and a 6 minute sear on both sides works. Happy New Year!
Did NOT say what temp to heat the oven to
Hi Destiny - Thanks for reaching out! That's because these are cooked on the stovetop, not in the oven. Hope this helps and Happy New Year!
This recipe was super easy and quick. My chops were melt in your mouth delish. Thanks again.
Hi Felicia - Amazing! So happy they turned out so well for you. Thank you for your feedback and Happy New Year, friend!
I did it exactly how the recipe said, and it came out super chewy 🙁
Ah! So sorry, Ash. Not sure what happened. Perhaps your chop was on the thinner side? That would make it cook much quicker.
Not too happy with putting lamb shoulder chops on a very hot (high?) fry pan after soaking in olive oil. It filled the kitchen with smoke. Also the chops curled up making for non uniform cooking.
Hi Ralph - So sorry your kitchen got so smokey! We love cooking our lamb shoulder chops on high for the sear, but a key way to prevent the smoke is by removing as much of the marinade as possible before popping the meat in the pan. Hope you try this recipe again and nail it. Appreciate your feedback here.
Hello Natalya,
Do you cover the lamb in the oven?
Hi Inna! Thanks for the question. We actually cook the lamb shoulder in a skillet on the stovetop, not in the oven. You don't need to cover it, just flip it halfway through to get a nice sear on both sides. Hope this helps!
How long do I leave it in the oven after I have bound both sides?
Hi Francene, depending on your preferred doneness or until the internal temperature reads 145F. Enjoy, this one is a good one!
What temperature should the oven be pre-heated to for the chops?
How long should it take for well done?
Thanks.
The oven should be preheated at 400F and the temperature of the lamb shoulder chop should be 170°F for well done.
Amazing flavors! My kids who do not like lamb much asked for seconds. It was delicious and simple to make. Definitely a keeper!
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
My husband and I love this recipe. I've made this a few times and I don't change a thing. Thank you for posting this. It's now part of our regular dinner options.
Catherine, I'm so glad you love this recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
Hi I was wondering if I can add white wine to this recipe and sprinkle some parmesan cheese
That sounds so good but I haven’t tried the combo.
I do not have a cast iron skillet, can i make this on stainless steel? Generally, when a recipe says "high heat" i don't go above medium (5or6 on my electric stove) and it gets plenty hot. If i go over that, it burns and/or sticks. Should i do the same for this recipe?
Hi Jamie, it's hard to say but if this is the same case for all the high heat recipes, probably best to follow what you typically do. Maybe test it out with one piece.
Anyone try this on the bbq grill?
Thinking if giving that a try?
Thats a great idea. Please share how it comes out.
Hi Natalia. I was in Greece last year for the New Year. So I wanted to make something special. Went to the butcher shop and decided, lamb chops. He cut several pieces from a hanging lamb. How fresh can you get? 😁 his recipe was simple. Marinate in orange juice for an hour. Remove chops, season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven at 350 for 20 min. OMG, we had the best lamb chops ever. Just wanted to share. Will use your recipe 2nite. Thanks.
Hey Annie! What did you do with the leftover marinade? Did you add when you put in oven?
That sounds amazing! I love butcher shops in Europe, thank you for sharing that recipe! Let me know what you think of this one, Annie!
this was perfect and the whole table loved it
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for your feedback!
I followed recipe to the letter, it was absolutely amazing. Thank you!
Mario, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for your feedback!
I use rice flour to bread it and avocado oil to cook in after the marinade! It makes it real crunchy and buttery!
That sounds awesome, thank you for sharing your version, Michael!
This was the best shoulder chops EVER my wife could have eaten another chop!!!!! I did leave them in the garlic, rosemary, olive oil bath for two days yummie...
Marinating for a longer time always does wonders, thanks for that tip. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for your feedback!