(A rustic slow-cooked pasta sauce using lamb chops instead of mince)
When you’ve got a freezer full of lamb chops and you’re after something a little more comforting than a grill and salad, this rich, Italian-inspired lamb ragu is the answer.
It’s hearty. It’s slow-cooked. It transforms bone-in forequarter or neck chops into tender, fall-apart meat in a deeply flavoured tomato sauce.
Serve it with pasta, polenta, mash, or crusty bread—and enjoy the kind of meal that feels like it’s been bubbling away in a Tuscan kitchen all afternoon.
🍲 Why This Works
- Uses up cuts of lamb that can be tricky to pan-fry (like forequarter or neck chops)
- Economical and freezer-friendly
- Feels luxurious, but built from everyday staples
- Bone-in cuts add deep flavour to the sauce
Lamb Chop Ragu
Ingredients
- 4-6 lamb chops neck or forequarter work best
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for browning
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 celery stalk finely diced (optional)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine or extra stock
- 1 tin 400g crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef or lamb stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme
- Fresh rosemary or bay leaf optional
- Optional: pinch of sugar or balsamic to balance acidity
- Optional: Capsicum/red bell peppers
Instructions
- Season and sear the chops
- Season chops well with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven.
- Sear lamb chops in batches until browned. Set aside.
- Build the flavour base
- In the same pot, add onion, garlic, carrot and celery.
- Sauté gently until softened (about 10 mins).
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Deglaze & simmer
- Add wine and let it simmer for a few minutes to reduce.
- Add tomatoes, stock, herbs, and a pinch of sugar or splash of balsamic.
- Return lamb to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- Slow cook
- Cover and transfer to a low oven (160°C fan-forced) for 2.5–3 hours.
- Alternatively, simmer gently on the stove or use a slow cooker (6–8 hrs on low).
- Shred and serve
- Once the lamb is tender and falling from the bone, remove chops.
- Shred the meat and discard bones and excess fat.
- Return the meat to the sauce and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve over pasta, mash, polenta, or even stuffed into baked potatoes.
What to Serve With
- Tagliatelle, rigatoni, or pappardelle pasta
- Creamy mashed potato
- Soft polenta
- A crusty sourdough roll and a bitter leaf salad
- Garden greens like wilted kale or sautéed silverbeet
Freezer Tips
- Freeze in portions for quick midweek meals
- Defrost overnight in the fridge or gently reheat from frozen
- Works beautifully stirred through leftover pasta or spooned onto toast
Why I Love It
This is my go-to when I want something comforting that doesn’t rely on mince.
It transforms freezer chops into something rich and special—and feels like the kind of dish you’d serve with good company and a glass of red.
It also gives those tougher cuts the love they deserve—and stretches beautifully into leftovers.