Lamb and veal chops, and the fifteen minutes that decide them.
Know the two lamb chops
First cut comes off the rib — small, tender, elegant, the one you hand to people at the table. Shoulder chops, second cut — bigger, meatier, more forgiving, and the better buy for a family. Both want exactly the same thing: high heat and a short time over it.
Veal chops
Thicker and paler than lamb, mild where lamb is gamey. Veal is lean, so it punishes overcooking more than any other chop on the shelf — pull it early and let it finish off the heat.
Temperature
Lamb is at its best at 130–135°F, still pink through the middle. Veal wants 145°F and not a degree further. Both rest five minutes before anyone cuts them.
When it should look like an occasion
A rack, plain or frenched, carves into chops at the table and does more for a Yom Tov setting than anything else its size. Fat side up, high heat to start.
The long end of the counter
Shanks, brisket and boneless shoulder want the opposite treatment — liquid, a covered pot and a few unhurried hours. Ground lamb and ground veal make the best kebabs and meatballs you'll cook all year.