Lamb shoulder (French: épaule d’agneau) is the forequarter cut from the front of the animal. It contains several muscles, connective tissue and a useful amount of fat, giving it a rich flavour and making it well suited to roasting, braising and slow cooking. The exact fabrication may include the blade, arm and adjacent rib portions.
Lamb shoulder may be sold whole and bone-in, boned and rolled, cut into chops or diced for stews. North American specifications may distinguish square-cut shoulder, blade chops and arm chops. French butchery commonly uses épaule. Ask the supplier to confirm bone status, trim, weight and whether the neck or breast is included.
Bone-in shoulder can be slow-roasted until tender, while boned and rolled shoulder is suitable for stuffing and roasting. Shoulder chops can be grilled or pan-seared, but thicker or more connective-tissue-rich portions may benefit from braising. Diced shoulder is commonly used for navarin, curries, stews and other slow-cooked dishes.
Example: slow-roast a whole lamb shoulder with garlic and rosemary, or braise diced shoulder for navarin printanier.
Bone-in shoulder has a lower usable yield than boneless shoulder, and trim loss varies with fat cover and fabrication. Slow-cooked shoulder can be pulled, sliced or portioned depending on the dish. Record cooked yield and portion size when costing.
Chef’s tip: brown the shoulder well before braising or roasting, then cook gently until the connective tissue is tender. Rest before carving and skim excess fat from the jus.
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