Roasted Lamb Shoulder Chops – A delicious dish popular in Francophone West Africa, this tender lamb dibi marinated in a ginger garlic sauce is a winner!
While lamb is not commonly found on American dinner tables, it is very popular in other parts of the world. This is especially true in Francophone West Africa, where people in countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast eat a dish called dibi.
Dibi is a delicious way to cook tender, flavorful roasted lamb shoulder chops. To make West African inspired dibi, start by making an easy marinade with ginger, garlic, mustard, scotch bonnet pepper, red wine vinegar, and oil. Rub the marinade on seasoned lamb and roast the chops low and slow until they are absolutely succulent.
Please note that this is a recipe that you definitely want to save for the weekend, because it takes some time for lamb shoulder chops to get tender. However, it is worth the wait! I love cozy Sunday afternoons filled with the aromas of Ghanaian jollof rice simmering on my stovetop and lamb dibi roasting in the oven.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients needed for this recipe are quite simple, and you can use them again and again for different dishes. They are especially handy for other West African recipes!
You will need:
- Lamb shoulder chops – Thinly sliced lamb shoulder chops work great in this recipe, but you can also use lamb stew meat (cubed boneless lamb shoulder or leg) or lamb chops.
- Herbs and spices – Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and thyme make for deliciously spicy, smoky roasted lamb shoulder chops.
- Aromatics – Ginger, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper are the base for just about every savory West African inspired recipe, and this dish is no exception. If you cannot find scotch bonnet peppers, habanero peppers are a great substitute.
- Mustard – Dijon or spicy brown mustard add an addictive tang to the easy lamb marinade.
- Vinegar – Acid is very much needed when dealing with the heavy flavor of lamb, and it is another key ingredient in dibi lamb.
- Oil – Adding a little oil to the marinade brings it all together and allows it to adhere better to the roasted lamb shoulder chops. Vegetable oil, olive oil, and avocado oil all work well here.
- Salt and Pepper – These two seasonings are mainstays in just about every kitchen. I like to use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The quantities of salt called for in the recipe below reflect the fact that kosher salt is less salty than table salt. I also add an entire Maggi seasoning cube for an extra burst of umami flavor, and would not recommend leaving it out. It gives the tender West African dibi its signature taste.
How to make this recipe
Season the lamb shoulder chops – Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt, pepper, herbs, and spices (Photo 1).
Make the dibi lamb marinade – Blend aromatics with mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Add the marinade to the seasoned lamb and marinate for at least an hour before roasting (Photo 2).
Roast the lamb – Cover the marinated meat with foil and roast on a rack for about 3 hours in a 300 degree oven. Once the meat is tender, uncover it and bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes to make it nice and brown (Photo 3).
Rest the lamb – Let the lamb shoulder chops rest for a few minutes before serving. This will allow for all the juices to settle, making for super juicy and tender lamb.
Sides for braised lamb shoulder chops
- Ghanaian Jollof Rice
- Steamed white rice
- Mashed Potatoes
- Green salad
- Fried Plantains
Recipe tips & frequently asked questions
- Dry the lamb before seasoning – By patting raw lamb dry with a paper towel, you will ensure that the seasonings better adhere to it and that it browns nicely.
- Roast the lamb on an oven rack – Line a sheet tray with foil and top it with an oven rack. Place the lamb pieces directly on the rack. This will ensure that the lamb does not become soggy by sitting in its own fat as it roasts.
- Cook the lamb low and slow – By cooking lamb shoulder chops on low heat, the meat will be tender. If lamb is roasted at too high of a temperature, it will be tough and dry.
Tender West African Dibi q & a
A food processor, sheet tray, and oven rack are helpful when making this recipe.
Lamb dibi is roasted lamb marinated in a tangy ginger garlic sauce.
Dibi is common in the Francophone countries of West Africa such as Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Lamb, herbs and spices, aromatics, mustard, vinegar, and oil make for a delicious meal.
Cook them low and slow on an oven rack for about three hours at 300 degrees until the lamb chops are tender.
Roasted lamb dibi can be refrigerated for three to five days.
Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and thyme make for delicious lamb shoulder chops.
More West African recipes to enjoy
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to know what you think.
PrintRoasted Lamb Shoulder Chops (Tender West African Dibi!)
Roasted Lamb Shoulder Chops – A delicious dish popular in Francophone West Africa, this tender lamb dibi marinated in a ginger garlic sauce is a winner!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hour, 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: West African
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
- 3 lb lamb shoulder (cut into thin chops)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 maggi shrimp cube
- 1 2 inch piece ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°.
- Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Make a seasoning mixture with tbsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Season the lamb.
- Make Dibi sauce: Blend maggi cube, ginger, garlic, mustard, red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil. Brush the sauce over the lamb.
- Set the lamb on a cookie rack placed over a foil lined sheet pan. Cover the lamb with foil and slow roast for about 3 hours (until fork tender).
- Turn the oven up to 425°. Uncover the lamb and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Remove lamb from oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
Notes
- Dry the lamb before seasoning – By patting raw lamb dry with a paper towel, you will ensure that the seasonings better adhere to it and that it browns nicely.
- Roast the lamb on an oven rack – Line a sheet tray with foil and top it with an oven rack. Place the lamb pieces directly on the rack. This will ensure that the lamb does not become soggy by sitting in its own fat as it roasts.
- Cook the lamb low and slow – By cooking lamb shoulder chops on low heat, the meat will be tender. If lamb is roasted at too high of a temperature, it will be tough and dry.
Keywords: West African inspired recipes, Lamb Recipes
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I’ve never tried Jollof rice but it sounds amazing, and I would love your adaptation of it! I am a HUGE garlic and herb fan, and I say no to mushy rice as well!
Please try jollof rice. It takes rice to an entirely different level! And yes, the Dibi would be right up your alley then 🙂
I am sadly not a fan of lamb, but the dish looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try your jollof rice, it seems super delicious! Do you think I could use a different meat instead of lamb in this case? x
The jollof rice is definitely the star of the show! The Dibi sauce is also delicious with chicken.
Really interesting recipe. Sounds really tasteful
Thanks for sharing
https://uncuaderno4cero.wordpress.com/
Thank you so much!
I’m so happy to have found your blog!!Food is life and healing and with all these spices woman I better be glowing from inside out hahah! But no I’ve always enjoyed Jollof rice when it was cooked at events, so wish me luck as I try it at home!
Haha aww I am glad to have you here!! Ma’am these spices make the jollof rice SING! Wishing you all the luck, please let me know how it turns out.
I never had Jolof rice, but I heard it was delicious! And this dish you prepared looks even more deliciouset!
Is there any comparison from Jolof rice to Chinese rice? Or nah?
★★★★★
Thank you so much! By Chinese rice, I am not sure if you are referring to fried rice? If so, I wouldn’t say that they are similar. However, they are both big on flavor 🙂
I had Lamb Dibi at Cecil’s Steakhouse of Harlem and it was absolutely delicious. So glad i found your recipe and I look forward to making it!
I hope you enjoy my take on it! I am sure it was incredible at Cecil’s.