Whether you’re cooking lamb or pork, there are a few simple tips and techniques that will always lead to the perfect chop.

Buying

No matter what, make sure the meat you’re buying is fresh. The most obvious way to tell is by the date, but you can also get a sense of the freshness by looking at the package. If there seems to be a lot of juice accumulated, the meat has probably been sitting out for a while. When you touch the meat, it should give a little but not seem squishy. With lamb, go for pink chops as opposed to red -- it means they’re younger and more flavorful. Free-range meat tends to have more flavor, and bone-in chops tend to have more moisture. (Both are good things!)

Cooking

A few quick tips: Don’t trim the fat before you cook the meat -- it provides lots of flavor. If you don’t want it, cut it off after you’re done cooking. Also, use the right size pan. A pan that is too large will allow moisture to evaporate.

Recipes

Try out a few of The Nest’s great chop recipes! Below are a few of our favorites.

Braised Pork Chop With Tomato, Orange, and Chile

Pork Chops With Sweet Potato Gravy

Lamb Chops (Saddle & Rib)

Thai-Style Lamb Chops

How to Broil gives you the basics of Broiling.

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