Delicious Lamb Chop Recipe : 7 Simple Steps To A Perfect Dinner
4-Piece Steak Knife Set | Omega Series | Dalstrong ©
Delicious Lamb Chop Recipe
- Soak lamb chops in lemon water for 30 minutes. Drain chops and pat dry with paper towels to discard any bone fragments or wastes.
- Season with salt, black pepper, fresh rosemary, thyme, garlic, and parsley mixed with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Make sure the marinade is spread on both sides of the chops. And marinate for 30 minutes before you start cooking.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and place the lamb chops on the pan.
- Flip and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned.
- Keep cooking until meat reaches an internal temperature of 125 F (for a medium-rare term), 135 F (for medium-term).
- Rest the lamb chops before serving, 10 minutes will do it.
Cooking lamb chops sounds like an intimidating task. It sounds like a common dish Gordon Ramsay would prepare at his house but you would just order at the restaurant. Well, you shouldn’t really wait for a special occasion to enjoy a delicious lamb chop!
Learning how to cook lamb chops can be really easy if you follow the right recipe and have the proper utensils. Lucky for you, you’re reading this article, and today you’re going to learn how to cook lamb chops in different methods, the best sides to serve it with, how to store the leftovers, and some other tricks that will turn your kitchen into a Michelin restaurant.
The Culinary Commander | Dalstrong ©
Before navigating the deep waters of lamb chops preparations, it is useful to learn the overview of the properties of this meat. Lamb meat tends to be more expensive than other types of meat because lambs live a good quality life, and -compared to other meats- lambs require specialized care and handling.
Lamb chops bring a variety to the consumption of beef, chicken, fish, and pork chops because of their particular taste. Since lamb chops are full of fatty acids that beef doesn’t have, these fats can absorb flavor in a different way.
It also is a type of meat that can be cooked quickly and it pairs perfectly with fresh herbs and spices. Learn all the utensils, and ingredients you’ll need; best seasonings and recipes; serving suggestions, and tips to cook the best lamb chops ever.
1. Tools You’ll Need
A cutting board: your workspace for cutting and preparing your chops and vegetables for your side dish; as well as to check the tenderness of your meat after they’re cooked. We recommend checking these ones out:
- Teak Cutting Board. Hard enough to offer precision for clean cuts, with enough “give” to maintain your knife’s sharpness use after use, this is an investment that will outlive many of your favorite kitchen tools.
- Lionswood Colossal. It functions as your all-purpose chopping, slicing, and serving board.
Chef knives: a go-to knife in your kitchen arsenal. We highly recommend:
- A classic Chef’s Knife 6” | Gladiator Series. Perfectly weighted to handle both thicker, heavy-duty cuts and more delicate detail work.
- The Kiritsuke Chef’s Knife 9.5” | Phantom Series. This long blade ensures swift and effortless cuts. From slicing meats to chopping vegetables, it’s a perfect addition to your cooking set.
A grill kit: even if you decide to oven-roast or pan-fry your lamb chops, a grill kit will help you check if your meat is ready to be eaten. It will be your essential toolkit to cook like the pros.
An apron: cooking lamb chops requires some cleaning work before cooking and can be a little messy sometimes. That’s why having the best apron for you it’s a great way to prevent any unwished accidents.
A bowl: where you’ll be mixing the spices, oils, and ingredients for your marinade.
Paring knives: some chefs feel safe with a smaller knife because these are engineered for coring, mincing, and m fruits and vegetables. We highly recommend these options:
- Bird's Beak Tourne Paring Knife 2.75" | Gladiator Series. A master of intricate cuts. With a blade shape resembling that of a bird's beak, the short, curved blade is exceptional at making precise and small cuts.
- Paring Knife 4" | Omega Series. A versatile and masterfully forged precision skillet. Featuring a slightly longer than average blade length for improved effectiveness, the added length allows the blade to double as a nimble utility knife.
Cookware: named after mythical islands, with stunning design and high performance, this functional cookware is built to last a lifetime. From that high variation of cookware products, we suggest keeping in mind:
- 10" Frying Pan | Avalon Series. From thick proteins to delicate omelets, this professional cookware allows for precise searing, browning, sautéing, deep-frying, quick boiling, sauces, jams, and even baking.
- 12 Quart Stock Pot | Oberon Series. An ideal pot to either cook your chops with gravy or to boil potatoes or peas as a side dish for your lamb chops. Oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees F, the cookware is also freezer, dishwasher, and refrigerator safe.
- 12" Frying Pan Wok | Oberon Series. It has a nonstick technology that will not only last longer than traditional nonstick coatings but will also maintain its nonstick property significantly longer due to its extra-thick 35 micrometers coating.
2. Ingredients You’ll Need
Although it is not a very common recipe to prepare at home, it’s not difficult to make and it does not require many ingredients. The secondary dishes can vary between rice, potatoes, vegetables, salads, creams, and soups –it all depends on your preference, and later in this article, we will give different side options to eat with your lamb chops.
However, the ingredients to simply cook your chops with the greatest flavors are very simple –regardless of the cooking technique, you decide to implement. Keep in mind that this is what you’ll need for a recipe for 4 servings (2 lamb chops per person):
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8 lamb rib chops or loin chops |
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1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves |
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1 sprig of thyme |
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3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided |
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1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper |
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4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided |
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1 small chopped shallot |
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The juice of a lemon |
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1/2 cup chicken broth or beef broth |
3. Cooking Instructions
Before we go any further, we want to clarify that there are many variations to this recipe. The following recipe might be our favorite and we’re going to explain an alternate recipe later in this article. Nevertheless, you can take out, add or change details at will.
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Preparation Time: 35 minutes |
Cook Time: 15 minutes |
Total Time: 50 minutes |
Cleaning Your Rib Chops or Loin Chops First:
Before cooking some types of meat, it’s really important to properly clean them. On this particular occasion, it’s recommended to cut the lamb chops as you wish and proceed to
- Soak the lamb chops in lemon water (or vinegar water) for 30 minutes.
- Drain the chops as much as possible.
- Pat-dry them with paper towels to discard any bone fragments, wastes, and humidity.
Cooking Lamb Chops:
These recipe steps to cook the perfect lamb chops are not complicated. The only thing you’ll have to question after cooking your lamb chops is which side dish you will choose to eat them with.
- Season the lamb chops by massaging a combination of salt, pepper, rosemary, fresh thyme, garlic, and parsley mixed with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Make sure the marinade is spread on both sides of the chops. And marinate for 30 minutes before you start cooking.
- Preheat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil –or butter if you prefer– and place the lamb chops on the pan.
- Flip and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned. You can prove how well done is your meat by using an instant-read thermometer inserted on the meat.
- Keep cooking until meat reaches an internal temperature of 125 F (for a medium-rare term), 135 F (for medium-term).
- When they reach the cooking point you want, transfer to a plate or cutting board and cover in aluminum foil. Don’t forget to add some of its gravy! This will keep it moist.
- To keep working on the sauce, add garlic, onion, and thyme to the pan –without washing it–. Cook until onions soften for about 3 minutes. Add beef or chicken broth, the juice of a lemon, and mix.
- Cook the sauce until reduced by half for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed –and, as always, you can also add a little bit of garlic butter.
- Pour the sauce on top of the lamb chops and serve with your other preferred sides.
4. Best Methods To Cook Lamb Chops
There are other methods that allow you to cook lamb chops and obtain as tender, flavory, and juicy results as the recipe we previously explained. No matter the method you decide to follow, make sure you have the right tools for you, like the ones we previously mentioned.
Here we provide a few different options that will allow you to prepare chops following techniques that you can benefit from by being faster or simpler but always obtaining the same delicious results.
Grilled Lamb Chops
Preparing grilled lamb chops doesn’t require much work. Here we can explain a very easy method to obtain perfect and juicy grilled lamb chops:
- Add a splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, cayenne, and fresh rosemary to a food processor. Mix well until it becomes a paste.
- Rub the marinade on both sides of the lamb chops and marinate for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Heat a grilled pan or a grill over medium-high heat.
- Add the chops and sear for 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Serve the grilled lamb chops with your preferred sides and topping.
Oven-Roasted Lamb Chops
You can oven-roast chops! A perfect method to prepare this flavored dish.
- After marinating your lamb chops, preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Drizzle olive oil –or avocado oil– on each side of the chops and add a little extra season with salt and pepper.
- Oil a large oven skillet.
- Add the chops and cook for about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on your preferred term. Remember to flip constantly.
- Remove from the oven and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite side dish and toppings.
Smoked Lamb Chops
This may be a preferred method for smoked flavor lovers, you'll need a smoker but it will be simple, especially because you don't need to make special cuts on your meat before cooking.
- Set your smoker to high heat (about 225 F) using fruitwood.
- Place the lamb chops on the smoker and cook for around 45 minutes. Remember to flip constantly.
- Increase the heat, set it up for direct cooking targeting 450 F.
- Grill the lamb for two minutes per side for a sear.
- Rest and slice the lamb chops to serve with your sides and toppings.
5. Alternative Recipe: Greek Lamb Chops
We already listed the tools and ingredients that you’ll need, we already learned how to cook the best lamb chops; we already learned different methods to cooking them, but now we’ll see an alternative recipe that will provide different flavors to your meat.
One variation to lamb chops recipe we found really simple and interesting to make is Greek Lamb Chops. Besides the lamb chops and your common seasonings, there are only 4 main ingredients to this recipe: lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and olive oil (or garlic butter, as you wish). And this is what you need to do:
- After soaking the lamb chops in lemon water for 30 minutes –or a little longer–. Drain the chops, and use paper towels to pat-dry them.
- Mix the previously mentioned 4 ingredients in a bowl.
- Place the lamb chops on a large baking plate. Pour and rub the marinade all over the chops. Cover with aluminum foil and let them marinate for about 30 minutes more (or for longer if you wish them to have a little more flavor).
- Preheat a frying pan to medium-high heat with a splash of olive oil. When it starts to smoke, place the chops on the pan.
- Grill the lamb chops for 3 minutes on each side to sear. Cook for 10 more minutes or until done to your favorite term.
- Let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
6. Seasoning Ideas For Lamb Chops
Lamb chops are known for having a very robust flavor, therefore you can take advantage of that by adding strong herbs and spices to its preparation. Some spices that mix up well with the marinade seasoning are cayenne, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, or even mustard powder. Some of the herbs we recommend using when cooking lamb chops are basil, oregano, sage, or mint.
As we explained earlier in this article, marinating lamb chops is an excellent way to provide flavor and moisture to the meat (since pre-salting is a good strategy to retain moisture while the lamb chops are getting cooked).
As we previously recommended, earthy herbs and spices are perfect to marinate lamb chops. Marinating for at least 30 minutes before cooking will do the job. But you can also let the chops rest for longer up to 24 hours. It is also important to keep in mind that if you’re cooking double rib chops, you can let them marinate at room temperature for up to 45 minutes before cooking; meanwhile, single ribs can be refrigerated until you rather cook them.
7. How Can You Store Lamb Chops?
We know that it is irresistible to eat these delicious lamb chops after being served with your favorite dressing and sides. However, if you do happen to have some chops leftovers, we've compiled the best tips for preserving them –and reheating them– the best way possible:
- Let the lamb chops cool down to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. Keep in mind that properly stored lamb chops can last for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- It is highly recommended to add a splash of dressing, broth, stock, or some garlic butter to the lamb chops container so that the chops keep their moist while in the refrigerator.
- To reheat lamb chops without drying them out, we suggest you do it in the oven. Baking them covered in aluminum foil for about 10 minutes at 350 F.
- If you’re in a rush and decide to reheat lamb chops in the microwave, don’t forget to add dressing or stock to the chops. Cover them and microwave for about 3 minutes.
8. Lamb Chops Nutrition Facts
When eating meats from different animals it is common to wonder if they are healthy or not.
To explain a little, lamb is the meat from a sheep that is younger than a year old. It’s also a slice of fattier meat than a slice of beef because it tends to be grass-fed. This is the main reason why lamb has so much omega-3 in its nutritional value.
Although beef is richer in proteins, lamb is a good source of protein, fats, minerals, and vitamins. When consumed in moderation, lamb chops can be a healthy addition to a well-balanced nutrition; contributing with zinc, selenium, vitamin B, and iron to your diet.
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Nutritional Value for 2 Lamb Chops |
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Serving |
1/3 |
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Calories |
256kcal |
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Protein |
20g |
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Saturated Fat |
11g |
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Carbohydrates |
3g |
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Potassium |
24mg |
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Fat |
20g |
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Sodium |
1062mg |
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Cholesterol |
87mg |
9. Serving Suggestions
After cooking a main dish like lamb chops, it is essential to plan delicious sides to serve it with. Here are some ways you can elevate this dish and pair it with other items:
- You can serve lamb chops with greek pasta salad. We recommend you use the natural juices and excess dressing that gets collected at the bottom of the bowl as the dressing for your salad.
- As well as creamy mashed potatoes are a great fit, grilled potato wedges are another great option that could also be mixed with the lamb chops dressing or with a macadamia nut pesto.
- Spanish Yellow Rice can be a common but delicious side, served it with another side of soup or cream.
- Peas, asparagus, and green beans are another healthy yet delicious option to serve aside with lamb chops.
- Now, let’s talk about how many lamb chops you would need per person. Since lamb chops are smaller than other cuts of steak or pork, serving two of three chops per person is a good portion. If you happen to overcook more lamb chops than you expected, don't worry about leftovers! Earlier in this article, we've explained how to store chops so they stay fresh and delicious.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cook lamb chops?
Lambs chops –as well as steaks– should be cooked fast. Over a high-medium heat that could sear and roast its side and leave the inside of the meat juicy and tender. Some of the best methods to cook lamb chops are grilling, oven roasting, pan-frying, and barbecuing.
What seasonings go best with lamb?
Some great spices that mix well with the marinade seasoning for lamb chops are cayenne, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, or even mustard powder. Some of the herbs we recommend using when cooking lamb chops are basil, oregano, sage, or mint.
What do you soak lamb chops in?
As you may already know, fat holds odors and flavors. Therefore, trimming as much fat as possible before cooking it’s a great tip. To help in this process, it is recommended to soak the lamb chops in lemon water (or vinegar water) for 30 minutes. This will open the meat pores. After that, you can proceed to drain the water and pat dry the chops to start marinating them.
How does Gordon Ramsay cook lamb chops?
On his website gordonramsay.com, chef Ramsay introduces his recipe “Gordon’s 10 minutes Lamb Chops.” It is a 13-step recipe that we will try to summarize below.
- Coat the lamb chops with sunflower oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Lightly coat a griddle skillet with sunflower oil then place lamb chops in high heat. Crush a clove of garlic, and cut about 3 mushrooms quartered and add them to the pan as well.
- Flip lamb chops once seared on one side. Once flipped, add 2 knobs of butter and a touch of sunflower oil until lamb is medium-rare.
- For the dressing, take 1 tbsp of mustard, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp smoked chipotle paste; put it into a mason jar and shake. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove lamb chops when medium-rare and add vinaigrette.
As for sides, chef Ramsay prepares grilled potatoes, mushrooms, and peas.
Written by Camila Feijoo
Camila is a foodie by nature. She believes that the best way to get to know a culture is through its food. She always cries while chopping onions; and just like Julia Child, Camila agrees that “with enough butter, anything is good.”
