- 4 lamb shoulder blade chops
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 cups dry red wine
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef or lamb stock
- 1 tbsp herbes de Provence
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 strip orange zest
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Red Wine Braised Lamb Blade Chops
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the chops dry, season with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the chops 3-4 minutes per side until well browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 3-4 minutes to cook off the raw alcohol smell.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, stock, herbes de Provence, bay leaf, and orange zest. Return the chops to the pot, nestling into the liquid.
- Cover and braise at a gentle simmer (stovetop over low heat or 325°F oven) for 1.5-2 hours, until the meat is very tender but still holding to the bone.
- Stir in the olives for the final 15 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the orange zest and bay leaf, skim any excess fat, and taste for seasoning before serving each chop with plenty of the Provençal-style sauce spooned over.
Chef's tip
Blade chops have more marbling and connective tissue than a leaner cut, which is exactly why they're built for braising rather than a quick sear - low and slow turns that fat and collagen into flavor and richness.
