The Ultimate Butcher’s Guide to Lamb Cuts
Expert Breakdown & Cooking Uses Written with Ant the Butcher from Butchers Bible
Friendly, practical guidance for smallholders, hobby farmers, and anyone passionate about raising their own meat.
Raising your own lambs is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have on a smallholding. From the care you put into your flock to the moment you fill your freezer, every step brings a sense of pride and connection to the food you feed your family.
But when it comes to processing your lamb, the butchery world can suddenly feel like another language. Shoulders, chumps, loins, racks which cuts are which? What do they look like? And most importantly: what cooking method brings out the absolute best in each one?
This guide, created in collaboration with Ant the Butcher, lifts the curtain on the entire carcass. It’s written in clear, confidence-building language so you can understand exactly what you’re getting from your butcher or make informed decisions if you’re doing your own breakdown.
Whether you’re looking to maximise flavour, minimise waste, or simply make the most of every part of the animal you have raised, this is your complete, smallholder-friendly roadmap to the lamb carcass.
1. SHOULDER CUTS
Bone-In Shoulder Roast
What it is: Upper forequarter with blade + arm bone left in.
Best for:
Slow roasting (4–6 hours)
Pulled lamb
Sunday roasts
Greek lamb (kleftiko-style)
Why: All that connective tissue melts into flavour.
Boned & Rolled Shoulder
What it is: Shoulder opened, bones removed, rolled into a neat joint.
Best for:
Roast lamb
Stuffed shoulder
Easier carving for customers
Marinade-and-roast dishes
Diced Shoulder
What it is: Cubes from shoulder muscles.
Best for:
Stews & casseroles
Curries
Tagines
Slow braising
Why: Holds shape and stays juicy.
2. NECK CUTS
Scrag End
What it is: The very top of the neck with lots of connective tissue.
Best for:
Stocks
Broths
Slow soups
Long braises
Middle Neck (Neck Chops)
What it is: Meaty chops from the neck.
Best for:
Stews
Casseroles
Middle Eastern dishes
Slow braising
3. BREAST & FLAP
Lamb Breast / Spare Ribs
What it is: Rib section with fat, cartilage, and long grain.
Best for:
Slow-cooked ribs
Barbecue
Smoked ribs
Crispy lamb breast slices
Rolled Breast Joint
What it is: Deboned breast rolled tight.
Best for:
Slow roasting
Stuffed roulades
Cheap but very flavourful dinner joints
Breast Trim
What it is: Fatty, flavour-rich trim.
Best for:
Burgers
Mince
Kofta
Sausages (adds moisture)
4. LOINS / SADDLE
Loin Chops
What they are: T-bone style chops, equivalent of mini lamb steaks.
Best for:
Grilling
Pan-frying
BBQ
Quick roast trays
Barnsley Chops (Double Loin Chops)
What they are: Both loins cut together.
Best for:
Gastro-pub meals
Pan fry + finish in oven
High-end plating
Lamb Noisettes
What they are: Boneless loin rolled and sliced.
Best for:
Fine dining
Quick sear
Creamy sauces
Paired with herbs & wine
Lamb Rack
What it is: Rib section of the loin, trimmed, sometimes French trimmed.
Best for:
Rack of lamb roasts
Cutlets
Crown roasts
Restaurants/fine dining
Competitions
Lamb Cutlets
What they are: Individual chops cut from a rack.
Best for:
Grilling
BBQ
Crusted cutlets
Marinades
5. CHUMP
Chump Chops
What they are: Heavy chops from where the loin meets the leg.
Best for:
Pan‐fry
Griddle
Mid-price restaurant dishes
BBQ
Chump Roasts
What they are: Boned and rolled chump joint.
Best for:
Roasting
Stuffing
Small roasting joint for two people
6. LEG CUTS
Whole Leg (Bone-In)
Best for:
Classic roast lamb
Easter roasts
Long roasting for tender meat
Carving at table
Shank
What it is: The lower leg.
Best for:
Slow braising
Red wine shanks
Moroccan shanks
Pressure cooker meals
Easy-Carve Leg
What it is: Leg with center bone removed but shank bone kept for presentation.
Best for:
Easy-to-carve roasts
Garlic/herb studded legs
Family roasts with minimal mess
Boneless Leg
What it is: Entire leg deboned and rolled.
Best for:
Fast roasting
Butterflying for BBQ
Kebabs
Marinated rolled legs
Leg Steaks
What they are: Thick steaks cut from the leg.
Best for:
Griddle/pan fry
BBQ
Quick weekday meals
Minted leg steaks
7. TRIM & ADDED VALUE PRODUCTS
Lamb Mince
Used for:
Shepherd’s pie
Moussaka
Lamb mince curry
Lasagne
Pastitsio
Lamb Burgers
Used for:
BBQ
Mint/rosemary burgers
Spiced lamb burgers
Smash-style lamb patties
Kofta Mix
Used for:
Skewers
Middle Eastern wraps
Grill/griddle
Street food style lamb
Lamb Kebabs
Used for:
BBQ
Marinated diced lamb
Greek souvlaki
Turkish-style skewers
8. FLANK / TRIMMINGS
Used for:
Doner-style lamb mince
Sausages
Value-added marinated strips
Stir fry lamb
FULL BUTCHER’S BREAKDOWN OF A WHOLE LAMB CARCASS
Traditional UK shop method, can be used for retail or competition work
1. Set-Up & Prep
Hang the lamb saddle facing you, legs closest to you, neck away.
Ensure steel is sharp, block clean, gambrels steady.
Identify natural seams before cutting: shoulder seam, loin/saddle, breast, chump, leg.
2. Primary Breakdown
A. Remove the Forequarter
With the carcass on the bench, locate the 5th rib.
Using a handsaw or a long knife, separate the forequarter from the saddle in one clean pass.
Forequarter contains:
Shoulder
Neck (scrag + middle neck)
Breast + Flap
Shin/foreshank
Place aside
B. Separate the Legs
Turn the carcass tail-down.
Follow the natural seam through the pelvic bone, removing the chump with the legs.
Cut through the backbone between the last lumbar vertebra and the chump.
Now you have a hindquarter consisting of:
Legs (x2)
Chump
Flank (if left attached)
C. Split Saddle
Split the saddle down the backbone with saw or cleaver to create:
Loin (x2)
Tenderloins (left in)
Set these aside for loin chops, racks, or roasting joints.
3. Secondary Cutting: Component by Component
SHOULDER
Option 1: Bone-in Shoulder Roast
Remove the foreshank at the knuckle joint.
Trim excess fell.
Square off the breast side.
Leave bone-in for a classic roasting shoulder.
Option 2: Boned & Rolled Shoulder
Open up through the natural seams.
Remove blade bone and arm bone cleanly.
Trim sinew, roll tightly, string.
Option 3: Diced Shoulder
Cube into 25–30 mm pieces for stewing/lean diced lamb.
NECK
Scrag End
Cut into 1-inch rings or leave whole for slow cooking.
Middle Neck
Saw into chops or bone out for mince/dice.
BREAST & FLAP
Lamb Ribs / Spare Ribs
Trim excess fat.
Square edges.
Remove sternum if turning into riblets.
Rolled Breast Joint
Peel back the flap.
Remove soft bones/cartilage.
Roll tightly and string.
Trim
Ideal for burgers or lamb mince.
LOIN / SADDLE
Option 1: Loin Chops
Remove tenderloins.
Cut the loin into 1-inch chops using bandsaw or handsaw.
Option 2: Double Loin / Barnsley Chops
Keep the saddle whole and cut across both loins.
Option 3: Lamb Noisettes
Bone out the loins carefully.
Remove all fat cap if preferred.
Roll and tie into noisette logs.
Slice to portion.
Option 4: Lamb Racks
From the front section of the loin.
French trim to competition standard if needed.
CHUMP
Chump Chops
Saw across the chump into thick chops.
Chump Roasts
Bone out the aitch bone.
Roll and string for a compact roasting joint.
LEGS
Whole Leg (Bone-in)
Remove the shank at the joint.
Trim fell and cap fat.
Score or diamond the fat if for roasting.
Easy-Carve Leg
Tunnel bone the femur cleanly.
Leave shank bone on for presentation.
Roll and net/string.
Boneless Leg
Remove:
Femur
H-bone
Knuckle
Square up and roll.
Leg Steaks
Slice thick 1-inch steaks from the center of a boneless leg.
Shanks
Fore + hind shanks saved for braising cuts or display.
4. Trim & Added Value Products
From all seam fat and lean trim:
Lamb mince
Lamb burgers
Kofta mix
Stuffed breast joints
Lamb kebabs
Marinated lamb ribs
Shoulder/leg skewers
5. Typical Yield Guide (UK Lamb 18–22 kg)
(Varies by style & trim)
Legs: ~33–36%
Shoulder: ~28–30%
Loin/Rack: ~18–20%
Breast/Flap: ~10%
Trim: ~6–8%
