4 Types of Lambchops Everyone Should Try

When you cut lamb at a perpendicular angle to the spine, you get a single serving known as a lamb chop! You can easily identify a lamb chop by keeping an eye out for the parts of the rib or vertebrae. The collagen in the bones and the fat found in these areas liquefy and melt into the meat while cooking, making the lamb tender. If you’re ready to sink your teeth into some luscious lamb, let’s take a look at four types of lambchops everyone should try.

Rib Chops

Rib chops are arguably the most iconic lamb chop. When a cut joins two or more chops together, this cut is called a rack of lamb! Butchers take this cut from between the shoulder and loin of the lamb, resulting in that famous lollipop shape. However, the meat you get from a singular rib chop is quite modest, and the small yield makes this cut high-priced. The average eater would need about three or four rib chops to create a satisfying main course.

Shoulder Chops

Shoulder chops are usually about a half to a quarter of an inch thick. The shoulder is a hard-working muscle, so this cut is a little tougher than the others. However, it has a decent amount of fat marbling, so as long as you cook it low and slow, it can be just as tender as other cuts of lamb. Due to the healthy amount of meat this cut contains, one shoulder chop is typically enough to satisfy your average dinner guest.

Butterfly Chops

Butterfly chops, also known as a Barnsley chop, is a cross-section of the lamb’s loin. The result is a double-sided chop with a bone in the very center. You’ll only really need to serve one cut per person, as this cut has a decent amount of meat on it. The butterfly chop is a beautiful and unique cut to serve that can delight guests. It’s also just as tender and juicy as other cuts—perhaps even more so due to the close meat-to-bone ratio.

Loin Chops

Butchers take loin chops from the lumbar area, also known as the saddle. These chops are one of the leanest cuts of meat, as they’re almost entirely muscle. However, this cut does have a “T-bone” in the middle with a covering of thin fat around the outside edge of the cut. These chops usually come in at about an inch thick. Two loin chops are typically enough to satisfy the average eater.

Whether it’s well-marinated or spice-rubbed, everyone should try at least one of these four types of lamb chops. If you’re ready to try something new at the dinner table, shop online at Vincent’s Meat Market. Here, we have fresh rib lamb chops for sale that come in packs of two or four, and we can ship them right to your door!