Chops and Cutlets - Loin chops contain part of the backbone, and are cut from the loin as single or double loin chops (also known as butterfly chops).

Chump chops come from between the loin and the leg and are the largest and leanest.

Leg chops are slices taken straight across the leg joint and have an 'eye' of bone in the centre.

Cutlets are taken from the best end of neck. They have a small eye of meat and a long bone which can be left with meat on it or be trimmed both in length and free of meat.

Boneless chops include noisettes, which are taken from a boned-out best end of neck (or sometimes a small loin): the meat is rolled up tightly and secured with cocktail sticks or string and then cut into slices.

Lamb steaks are slices taken from a boned leg of lamb. They can be beaten out between two layers of clingfilm to make them thinner, if required.

Loin - This is a prime cut which is usually roasted on the bone or boned and rolled with or without a stuffing. It can also be pot-roasted. This part of the animal can be cut up and made into an assortment of chops.

Best end of Neck - This is also a prime roasting joint either on the bone or boned and rolled. It is from this joint that the spectacular crown roast of lamb and guard of honor roasts are made. It can be cut into cutlets which are left as they are or can be trimmed.

Breast - This is a versatile and cheap cut of lamb which is very tasty but also very fatty. It is ideal for casseroling, but should be cooked the day before required, so it can be cooled and the resulting layer of fat on the surface removed before the dish is reheated. It can be boned, stuffed, rolled and slow roasted or pot-roasted with great success.

Leg - This is a prime joint which is quite large and always rather expensive. It is often cut in half and sold as half legs, as the fillet end (or top half) and the shank end (or lower half). The fillet end is sometimes boned out and it is good for kebabs and casseroling. Leg of lamb, whether whole or in halves, is usually roasted although it can also be pot-roasted with great success.

Shoulder - One of the sweetest and most tender parts of the animal but it does have a fair amount of fat on it and is one of the most difficult of all joints to carve. It is always succulent and most often roasted either on the bone, or boned and rolled when some of the fat can be discarded. Shoulder meat can also be boned to use for kebabs, casseroles and mince, when excess fat can be trimmed off before cooking.

Middle and Scrag end of Neck - These are the cheap cuts with a rather high percentage of bone and some fat, but again with a good flavor. Well worth using for casseroles. Chops can be cut from the middle neck.