Lamp chops are a classic staple in most kitchens. If you find yourself with too many, you may be tempted to freeze them. After all, red meat can be pricey! But, is freezing lamb chops doable?
Can You Freeze Lamb Chops?
Yes, you can freeze lamb chops for up to 9 months. Wrap them in a layer of baking paper, then wrap that in a layer of plastic wrap. Transfer the wrapped lamb chops to your freezer, which will keep well for 9 months.
Do Does XXXXX freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze XXXXX? No
How to Freeze Lamb Chops
Freezing lamb chops is fairly straightforward, but you will want to follow a few steps to protect them from freezer burn. We’ve covered the full method below:
- Clean and Dab: Begin by ensuring that there are no contaminants or anything similar on the surface of the meat. This will affect how well the meat would freeze and how well the meat will keep.
- Wrap: Once youāre sure the meat is clean and isnāt out of date, wrap the lamb chop in a layer of baking paper or parchment paper. This first layer must be one of these options, as it needs to be something fairly permeable.
- Wrap Again: With the permeable layer dealt with, the next step is to manage the non-permeable layer – this will insulate the lamb chops slightly. Simply wrap the lamb chops in a sheet of cling film.
- Bag Up: You can optionally pop all the wrapped chops into a freezer bag, so they don’t get lost in the freezer.
- Label and Freeze: Write a clear label on the bag, seal it up and then pop it into the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Lamb Chops
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing lamb chops to have the best results:
Double Layer
The double-layer wrapping of the meat is vital to ensure that the meat is kept as well as possible. We recommend wrapping in the order of paper-then-plastic, as that will allow condensation and ice to form on the paper first, preventing freezer burn on the meat.
Consider Thawing in a Marinade
We suggest thawing lamb chops in a marinade. As the lamb will have to sit in your fridge for several hours, either way, it may as well be sitting there absorbing some pleasant flavours.
Freeze on a Plate
When raw meat is placed in or on any surface or container, it tends to leak myoglobin, a thin red liquid similar to blood. We suggest you place your wrapped chops onto a plate to catch this myoglobin, preventing it from dripping onto other items in your freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Lamb Chops?
You can freeze lamb chops for 6 to 9 months in your home. Beyond those dates, freezer burn may begin to set in, which is less than ideal, as it will lead to the degradation of the meat youāre using.
Raw lamb chops will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Cooked lamb chops will keep for a further 2 days or so.
How Do You Defrost Lamb Chops?
The best way to defrost lamb chops is to leave them in your fridge overnight.
This is the best way to do it because you cannot store meat at room temperature for more than a few hours without it becoming unsafe to eat. Therefore, keeping the meat in the fridge is wise for food safety.
Can You Refreeze Lamb Chops?
Yes, you can refreeze lamb chops. Due to the relatively low water content of red meat, repeated freezing will not lead to ice crystals forming and damaging the texture of the meat.
Do Lamb Chops Freeze Well?
Yes, lamb chops do freeze well. Because of their high protein and fat content, it takes a long time for the freezer to take a toll on lamb chops. This means that they typically thaw almost as good as they froze.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing lamb chops or lamb in general, then these may help:
Yes, leftover cooked lamb chops can be frozen for around 3 months. Once cooked and then cooled, they can be popped into a freezer bag. When sealing the bag up, remove as much air as possible.
No, not at all. Freezing lamb chops properly will not ruin them in any way. This is especially true if you wrap the chops in a double layer of paper and then cling film.
