These lamb shoulder chops are incredibly tender and delicious. I cook them in the slow cooker and then broil them briefly to brown the fat.
I enjoy the taste of lamb and cook it often, using recipes like lamb steak, lamb ribs, and lamb shanks. These chops are one of my favorite lamb recipes. They are flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth tender. They are also easy to make, and the leftovers are just as good as the freshly cooked dish. Served with the cooking juices for dipping, they make a hearty, satisfying meal!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
Bone-in lamb shoulder chops: I use six large chops. Their total weight, when raw, should be about 4 pounds.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin, and dried rosemary.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Combine the spices in a small bowl. Place the chops in your slow cooker in three layers of two chops. Sprinkle each layer with a third of the spice mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
This is what the chops look like when they're fully cooked. As you can see, at this point, they need to be browned:
Briefly broil the chops to brown and crisp the fat. Transfer them to dinner plates. Serve, if desired, with small bowls of the strained cooking juices for dipping.
Recipe Tip
These chops are a tough cut of meat with a large amount of connective tissue. Just like any other tough cut of meat (such as beef heart, beef tongue, or beef cheeks), they require low, slow cooking. This makes them ideal for your slow cooker.
You can't quickly pan-fry or grill them. They really do need to be cooked low and slow. The reward for your patience: Intensely flavorful, delightfully fatty, melt-in-your-mouth meat.
Recipe FAQs
Adding liquids to the slow cooker pan is unnecessary, although adding ¼ cup of water or broth is fine. The meat will release liquids as it cooks, and too much liquid in the pan could result in boiled rather than braised meat.
You can, but I prefer garlic powder, which coats the chops more evenly.
These chops have the typical, distinct flavor of lamb meat. However, it's milder than lamb meat that you cook quickly, such as lamb steak. The prolonged cooking not only tenderizes them but also makes them taste milder.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these chops with one of the following side dishes:
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder Chops
Video
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 6 lamb shoulder chops - large, bone-in; 4 pounds total weight
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and dried rosemary.
- Place the chops in a 6-quart slow cooker in three layers of two chops. Sprinkle each layer with a third of the spice mixture.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- Remove the chops to a foil-lined baking sheet, arranging them on the baking sheet in a single layer. Set the oven to broil on high (500°F) and position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiling element.
- Carefully strain the cooking juices from the slow cooker pan into a heatproof glass jar or measuring cup. You can skim the fat layer from the top with a spoon if you wish.
- Briefly broil the chops to brown and crisp up the fat for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
- Transfer the chops to dinner plates. Serve them, if desired, with small bowls of the strained cooking juices for dipping.
Notes
- If your chops are relatively small, so that six of them weigh a total of 3 pounds, you can cook them on low for just five hours. They'll be amazing after six hours, but so tender that they'll fall apart.
- There's no need to add liquids to the slow cooker pan. The meat will release juices as it cooks. However, there's no harm in adding ¼ cup of broth or water to the bottom of the slow cooker pan before adding the chops.
- I prefer garlic powder to fresh minced garlic. It coats the chops more evenly.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition per Serving
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Mike says
Great recipe.
Both of my crockpots cook it too quickly, even on the low setting. Will try switching it off intermittently, adding some initial liquid and maybe adding chopped mint leaves. However - a great recipe. The lamb falls off the bone and the residual liquid makes a really good base for a stock (gravy/sauce).
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Mike,
Glad you like the recipe! Adding 1/2 cup of water to pan is a great idea.