If you’re a meat lover, you’ll most likely appreciate the easy preparation and deliciousness of lamb chops. Depending on the thickness of your lamb chops, you can get them cooked and ready to serve in a fair amount of minutes.
Lamb chops are cuts of meat with bone from the rib, loin, shoulder, and sirloin of lamb. With the chops marinated in your favorite herbs and spices, you’ll have a delicious plate of meat to gleefully consume. Lamb chops can be prepared for casual eating at home, and they can also be served to guests during an event.
Being a fan of delicious lamb chops, I’ve been approached by a few friends in the past who wanted to know how they could preserve their leftover lamb chops. If for some reason you’ve been left with excess lamb chops that you don’t want to waste, preserve them correctly!
Can you freeze lamb chops? Yes, you can freeze lamb chops. Lamb chops can be preserved for up to 9 months in the freezer. Cooked lamb chops can’t be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours – bacteria growth will multiply rapidly at room temperature and cause the meat to spoil. It is best to dispose of lamb chops that have been exposed to room temperature for over 2 hours.
If done correctly, your lamb chops can be preserved for up to 9 months through freezing; although the best is best consumed within the first 3 months of freezing for the most original tastes and texture.
Those who want a shorter period of preservation can make use of refrigeration, which keeps the lamb chops in good condition for about 3 – 4 days.
You should know that after your lamb chops have been frozen for a while, their qualities will start to diminish. This article contains some easy-to-follow steps for freezing lamb chops. Keep reading for more information.
Freezing Lamb Chops
There are a couple of important details that you need to pay attention to when freezing lamb chops. For instance, the quality of lamb meat used in making lamb chops will affect how well it will freeze.
Also, remember that you can’t leave cooked lamb chops to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you choose to preserve the lamb chops through refrigeration, you’ll have to consume it within 4 days of refrigeration.
Since lamb chops cook pretty quickly, you may even decide to freeze some uncooked portions of lamb chops. Besides, uncooked meat will be preserved much longer in the freezer than cooked meat. Your cooked lamb chops are best consumed within the first 3 months of freezing.
How to Freeze Lamb Chops
Whether you’re in need of preservation for leftover lamb chops, or a whole batch for bulk storage, freezing is the best way to go. Simple steps for correctly freezing lamb chops are:
Step 1: Prepare the Lamb Chops
Using your favorite recipe, prepare the portion of lamb chops you wish to freeze. You can marinate the lamb chops in your best herbs and spices – however, try to avoid using any sauces and liquids in the lamb chops till you’re done freezing and defrosting. Make sure the meat you’re making use of is quality meat. You may decide to freeze the lamb chops with the bones attached or without the bones.
If you do not wish to freeze the meat with bones, you can shred the meat off the bones. However, you must know that the flavor of whole lamb chops will be better kept in the freezer than shredded bits.
Step 2: Let the Lamb Chops Cool and Pick a Good Container
Let the lamb chops cool down before you pack them for freezing. Putting hot food in your freezer is a bad idea – however, you must be careful not to leave the cooked lamb chops sitting at room temperature for too long. Once the meat has cooled down properly, you’ll need to transfer it into a freezer-safe container or plastic bag.
The container of your choosing has to be air tight so as to prevent the lamb chops from coming in contact with cold freezer air that can cause freezer burn and damage the meat. You may combine plastic wrapping with container storage for optimal protection.
Step 3: Vacuum Pack the Lamb Chops and Seal Tight
Proceed to wrap the lamb chops in a layer or two of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped lamb chops in a plastic container or a freezer-safe bag. If you have a large portion of lamb chops, it is best to freeze them in individual bits that can be finished at once; this way you won’t have any leftovers whenever you thaw and reheat a portion of the chops for consumption.
Before sealing the freezer-safe bag or container, try to take out as much air as you can. You can either use a vacuum sealing machine or a straw to suck out the air. Once the air is out, proceed to tightly seal the freezer-safe bag.
Mark the container with the current date so that you’ll always know how long the meat has been frozen for.
How to Reheat Frozen Lamb Chops
You have to be careful when reheating your frozen lamb chops. This is because lamb chops can turn dry and lose their juicy texture during the reheating process. One of the most effective ways to reheat your frozen lamb chops is in the oven.
First preheat the oven to a temperature of 350⁰F. After that, transfer the portion of meat you wish to reheat into a baking pan – the pan should be spread with some aluminum foil. Allow the lamb chops to bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Once the first 10 minutes are up, you’ll need to turn the lamb chops over to their other sides and bake again for another 10 minutes. Your lamb chops should be ready for consumption soon after – with all the delicious flavors and juicy texture preserved.
The microwave is an alternative option to the oven. Select the high setting on the microwave and allow the lamb chops to sit in the microwave for about 2 – 3 minutes; you may add some broth for moisture and juicy texture.