How to Trim Mutton Cutlets

Ingredients

• 1 rack mutton cutlets (as a rack, bone-in) (Ask your butcher for a full rack of mutton cutlets, still joined together, with the bones intact. This technique is performed before cooking.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the rack of mutton cutlets bone-side up on a sturdy chopping board. Using a small hacksaw or a bone saw, carefully saw across the ends of the exposed rib bones so they are all level and even in length. Then, using a sharp knife, locate the outer flap — the thin layer of fat and membrane running along the outside edge of the rack — and cut it away cleanly. Removing this flap gives the cutlets a neater appearance and prevents them from curling during cooking.
2. 2Turn the rack so the meaty side faces up. Using your sharpest knife, position the blade between two rib bones and make one clean, decisive downward cut through the meat all the way to the bone. Do not saw back and forth — a single confident stroke gives a cleaner edge. Repeat between each pair of bones until all the cutlets are scored down to the bone. A clean cut here keeps each cutlet intact and attractive.
3. 3Now use a meat cleaver (chopper) to fully separate each cutlet. Position the cleaver along the scored line between two bones, raise it firmly, and bring it down in one decisive stroke to cut cleanly through the bone. Repeat for each cutlet. One confident stroke per cutlet is the goal — multiple strikes will splinter the bone and leave untidy edges. You should now have a set of individual cutlets, each with its own rib bone.
4. 4Lay each individual cutlet flat on your chopping board. Using a cutlet bat (a meat mallet or the flat side of a heavy knife will also work), give each cutlet a few firm, even strokes across the surface of the meat. This gently flattens the cutlet to an even thickness so it will cook uniformly. Do not pound too hard — the goal is to even out the thickness, not to pulverise the meat.
5. 5Using your sharp knife, tidy up the edges of each cutlet. Trim away any ragged pieces of fat, sinew, or loose meat so each cutlet has a neat, rounded shape. The bone should be clean and the meat compact. Well-trimmed cutlets not only look more appealing on the plate but also cook more evenly.
6. 6Once all cutlets are trimmed and shaped, transfer them immediately into your prepared marinade. Ensure each cutlet is fully coated and submerged. The cutlets are now ready to marinate before being cooked according to your chosen recipe.