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. I prefer garlic powder to fresh minced garlic, as it coats the chops more evenly.
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 Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Storage: 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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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Margaret says
I was hesitant to cook the meat without adding liquid but I did and wallah the chops were fall off the bone. Great and perfect for someone who doesn’t want fussy recipes, totally set and forget.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Margaret! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to review it - I appreciate it!
Marlene says
Hi my lamb is sizzling in the slow cooker and one of the pieces on the top layer are starting to curl up. I don’t feel it’s cooking . What should I do?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Marlene,
If you followed the recipe and are using a 6-quart slow cooker, it should work. The warm, moist environment of the slow cooker should cook all the chops after 6 hours, including those on the top.
Libby says
This recipe was superb. The meat fell away from the bones & the flavour was incredible! I did brown off chops quickly prior to slow cooking & I cooked on low for 7 hours. It was one of best lamb dishes I’ve made at home.
Vered DeLeeuw says
How wonderful, Libby! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Bri says
The best lamb I’ve ever cooked. Tender, juicy and so much flavour.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Bri! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Sherry Beach says
I only have 2 pieces of lamb shoulder chops.So do I still cook them on low for 6 hours
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Sherry,
Two pieces will be ready much faster, but I haven't tested this recipe with such a small amount of meat, so I'm not sure how fast.
Sara says
Hi, Just wondering if i can do this in a dutch oven? Do i need liquid if i use that instead of a slow cooker? I don't own a slow cooker 🙂
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Sara,
I'm sorry - I only tested this recipe in a slow cooker.
Grapesoda says
Just made this recipe, but with 3 large shoulder blade lamb chops in a 4 quart crockpot; used 1/2 the amount of spices because 3 lamb chops was 1/2 the amount that the recipe called for & I added a little onion powder & excluded the cumin—no liquid—cooked on low for 6 hrs—then broiled chops 2 mins on each side…These lamb chops were tender, almost buttery, fatty but in a good way & decadent !!! Highly recommend!!!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks.
Leonie says
My husband said the best lamb chops he had ever have. He thought it was better than a restaurant meal. Thank you for sharing
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Leonie! I'm so glad this was a success.
Rosemarie says
My friends said this was the best lamb they had ever had. I was nervous until I tasted the end result. Yum. They have already made a request for the same recipe at Christmas.
Vered DeLeeuw says
How wonderful, Rosemarie! This is perfect for Christmas. I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Kim D. says
This recipe is EXCELLENT! Until the last couple of years, I hadn't eaten or cooked much lamb, but my husband was in 4-H as a kid, and wanted to support a friend's son in 4-H. We purchased two of his 4-H lambs in the last couple of years, and it's forced me to learn!
I wish I had this recipe a long time ago, because it is by far the best method for cooking lamb shoulder chops, and these were the last we had on hand. We are currently camping in an RV, so I didn't take the second step of browning in the broiler, but they still turned out AMAZING.
It's interesting that there is no liquid called for as it cooks down in its own fat and stays very moist and super tender. Seriously delicious! HIGHLY recommend.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kim! And how wonderful that you and your husband are supporting the 4-H project.