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.
Lamb Shoulder Chops Video
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
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.
Cooked the first side for 6 minutes and burned it black.
Same here. I wish I would have looked at the comments. My bad.
Hi Jim, I'm sorry they burnt. Perhaps your stove is much hotter than mine!
You should have fixed the recipe with the amount of comments
Hey Spencer, Sometimes I do make changes to a recipe. However, when a recipe has thousands of five star reviews, it goes to show it works out for most. I appreciate and read the feedback and take it all into consideration when deciding if any changes are needed to be made.
I read that people thought that lamb shoulders were tough. This is how i prepare it for the oven. I Season both sides and i sear it on high heat until brown on both sides. Then i place it in the oven for 1:30 minutes at 450 or until the juices start flowing into the pan. Soft every time. Add some golden potatoes also. Yummy
Hi Ken, Thanks for sharing! I appreciate the feedback. 🙂
I am preparing this dish for dinner.It is an easy recipe to prepare. I didn't have a large zip lock bag. So I put it in a large container with a lid. I hope it won't change the taste of the chops.
Hi Debra, I only recommend a Ziploc bag because it's convenient and easy to clean up. The taste won't change if you use a container. Enjoy!
Hey, the lamb cooked at high heat to me always gets tough for me. I decided to marinate it for 3/4 hours and i added Tarragon and Worcestershire sauce as well to bring out a little more flavour. I’m from the Caribbean so adding a little Angoustura Bitters helps as well with flavouring
Hi Brent, glad you made it your own. It sounds delicious!
This is how I've always cooked them, but they are always tough.
Love lamb, and can't reproduce that that tender dish with the gravy that my mom used to make.
Like pork chops I do not cook the lamb shoulder chops at a high heat. My mom use to make lamb shoulder chops Pizziola. chopped tomatoes, oregano, onion, peppers and sliced potatoes.
If you can get loin lambs chops for more tender cut. I go to Sam's or Costco type place to get a better price.
Hi Sue, Hmm, my lamb chops are not tough. I wonder why yours turn out tough - perhaps overcooking them or using low heat? That dish your mom used to make sounds delicious! I love a good gravy as well.
Would you prepare this way for the air fryer?
Hi Christopher, I haven't tested this recipe in the air fryer so I don't have tips regarding that.
Is it better to marinate over night if possible?
Hi Ariella, you can marinate the meat over night. I would love to know what you think about this recipe when you make it! Happy cooking!
Made this tonight. Marinated it for 3 hours and used the airfryer at 375 for 18mins. Delicious. Served with carmelised onions and broccoli slaw
I didn't marinate it but used all the seasonings and oil, and cooked it in the air fryer at 375 for 18 minutes like you said. It was tender and delicious! Thank you for this tip, and of course to the original recipe. I don't usually cook lamb and this was perfect.
I cooked it tonight and was about to put in oven and saw your comment and pivoted and put it in the air fryer. Thanks for sharing it was absolutely delicious! Definitely will be putting this recipe and your tip in rotation.
Hi Charlotte, wow! That sounds amazing! I am thrilled that the recipe was a success. Thank you for sharing your process and feedback. Enjoy!
This recipe was followed exactly! The meat was soo tough! It was like chewing on Boot Leather it was so bad! It was oily with no flavor. All around horrible dish.
Hi Richard, where do you purchase lamb shoulder chops? Mine are never chewy. I get them at Whole Foods or Costco. I am trying to understand why yours would be chewy. Did you get an extra thick cut?
I have never had a tender lamb shoulder chop in my life unless it was slow-cooked in one form or another. I always season them, brown them in a skillet, add a little chicken broth or water, cover and cook on low heat, turning occasionally. Beautifully tender every time.
Lamb shoulder chops are also excellent for lamb stew (they do not need to be cut up.)
I get mine from a wonderful local farmer whose lambs are beautifully raised and fed, and Intend to agree with Richard in that there are many sinus, bones and some fat, making them quite a challenge to eat! The meat was tender, but for me this recipe was much too fatty what with the fat of the lamb and the oil. As for Costco meats, I used to get them all the time until I became more conscious of where their meat comes from, and what the animals are fed to make their meat so incredibly tender! Now I shop locally and I know how the animals are treated and what they are fed. This is more important to me now than excessive tenderness! What I loved about this lamb recipe, though, is the flavour of the garlic, fresh rosemary and salt! Thanks for posting!
Hi Janet, I love how conscientious and picky you are about your meat. You are doing the right thing. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback, I am thrilled that the recipe was a success. Enjoy!
Just made this last night for my wife and she loved it. Very easy to prepare. I used a little Morton salt and pepper rub with a little Island Spice all purpose seasoning and let it marinate for a few hours in the fridge. Prior to cooking in a cast iron skillet, I rubbed some of the seasoning off. This is a can't miss!!!!! Thanks
Hi Alton, I am so thrilled that you and your wife loved this recipe! Sounds like it turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing your feedback, enjoy!
I made them tonight marinated them from
yesterday good thing I did read comments about putting them in the oven. They came out very good
Nanette, thank you so much for sharing this. I am so glad you enjoyed them!
I marinated my chops in Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Mint, Salt & Pepper 3 tbp of lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic and olive oil. They came out very tasty, it's just that there was not a lot of meat on the chops that I bought, so this was disappointing. Your recipe saved me because I was following another "lamb shoulder recipe" and this recipe must have been if you were cooking the whole roast! I started the shoulder chops in the oven at 450 for about 15 minutes and then lowered the heat to 350. I thought I had to cook these for at least 1-2 hours (in the oven), however, they reached 160 degree internal temperature in less than 20 minutes. To me, they were a bit tough - and I would like this same recipe with regular lamb chops I think would be delicious. I served them with carmelized onions done with 2 tbsp honey and Near East Rice Pilaf - both were a nice compliment to the lamb. Can you cook regular lamb chops slowly in the oven? I don't cook them a lot because if I broil them they smell up the whole house.
Hi Maria, I am glad that you had a way of saving them, sounds like a delicious combo. Personally, I wouldn't recommend cooking lamb chops on low heat, I think high temp will make them crispy and tender. Low and slow can make them dry. Hope this helps. Thanks for sharing your tips.
So I tried this recipe, and clearly something went wrong. After 3 minutes on one side alone, the chops were completely charred and internal temp was already 160.
Hi Jason, I too saw charring right off and it was because I left the marinade on. The garlic and the rosemary lit up like a Christmas Tree. I had read all of these comments before so as soon as the charring started, I scraped the marinade off and the second side went perfect. Also, high temp on a gas stove and cast iron pan is very different than a non-stick on an electric stove. So when the author says high heat in the recipe, what that really means is high heat for the stove and pan you are using. Today I has gas and cast iron so I reeled the temp to medium and that went well. On my other stove at an apartment I rent, which is a low quality electric, I would be cooking on a much higher setting even with my hexclad pans there. Hope this helps on your next efforts.
"High" heat is not the same on every stove. Cook at whatever temp you normally cook steaks.
Hi Jason. I am so sorry to hear that! I have not experienced that myself, so I am interested in what could have happened.
Hi Natalya, I'm planning on making these this evening for the first time!
I don't have Avacado Oil and was wondering if Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil would work for the marinade?
Thank you.
Hey there Lisa, You can absolutely use a different oil. I just prefer avocado oil for my recipes. Thank you for the question. Good luck! It's going to be delicious!
I’m trying this but what heat do I use on the stove top? Hi,med?
Hi there Jordan, In the recipe, It says to preheat the pan on very high heat. Good luck!
The flavor was good but the cooking instructions did not work for me. When I seared each side 6 min, the internal temp was only 130 so I lowered the heat and cooked covered. The outside ended up being too overdone. I think I should have seared them for less time on each side and then cook at a lower heat to raise the internal temperature - similar to how I would cook steak.
Hi Heather, I think I understand what could have happened. In the recipe, I state to finish cooking the lamb in the oven after searing on a cast iron skillet. I hope it was still quite tasty. Thank you for your feedback.
It doesn't mention the oven in the recipe, but I see it in your blog post above the recipe.
Hey Karen, you can finish it off in the oven if you prefer to. Usually the cuts I get, I just cook them on a pan for about 6 minutes on each side. The oven method also helps when you are trying to cook a thicker cut of lamb. The oven should be preheated to 400°F, baking time varies depending on how well done you want it. Hope this helps.
What type of oil do you use?
Hi Andrea, My go to is 100% organic Avocado oil.
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 had the same experience - using a cast iron Dutch oven. Surprised I didn’t set off the smoke alarm ! I too covered sns reduced the heat. I was pleasantly surprised - very tasty. Next time I will sear only and then bake. I didn’t read all the comments first.. the recipe clearly doesn’t indicate what you mention in the comments. Might consider amending the recipe. Thanks !
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!
Sometimes… but … we are 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!