Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic and Rosemary

Ahhh….Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic and Rosemary. One of my easiest, most delicious, go-to dishes.

And yet, I read this weekend that, according to a 2011 survey by the American Lamb Board, nearly 40 percent of Americans have never eaten lamb.

Really?

Okay, I admit it: my first time having lamb was cooking chops myself until the point of near incineration. I didn’t know that it could be “temped” (done by temperature) like beef, so I cooked it to a second death for fear that I would under-cook it. Even the smell of them was bad. Ugh.

I refused to ever try lamb again.

Fast forward a few years past that and a friend of mine had me over for Easter dinner. Her Greek mother made a leg of lamb for dinner and even I had to admit that this time it smelled delicious….garlic and herbs and oil all roasting slowly in the oven.

Now I was raised that it was good manners to try a little bit of everything that a host prepared unless I was deathly allergic of course. And even I had to admit that it sure smelled wonderful. And…it was.

Now, thanks to that lovely Greek goddess, I am a huge fan.

Blah, blah, blah…just get to the supposedly easy recipe, right? Okay, let’s do this and don’t say I didn’t warn you when I said it was easy.

Easy Loin Lamb Chops with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe

• 4 lamb loin chops, at least 1 1/2 inches thick (if thinner, cooking time will need to be reduced – many loin chops I find are only about 1 inch thick.
• 3 large cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary or1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Place the garlic, rosemary, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper into a mini food processor or large mortar and pestle.
• Pulse just until the garlic and rosemary are roughly chopped.
• Scrape out into a medium-sized dish or a plastic storage bag.
• Add lamb chops and toss well so that all sides of the chops are coated well.
• Remove chops from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400º

Heat a heavy, oven-safe skillet (I typically use my cast iron – just be sure not to use a non-stick pan for these) over medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil + drain a teaspoon or so of the marinade from the chops into the pan.

Add chops and cook for 4 minutes. Flip with tongs and let cook for 3 more minutes.

Place pan in oven for 8-10 minutes for medium to medium rare, remove, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Now, I’ve let the chops sit in the marinade from 30 minutes to a day…it depends on my free time and planning capabilities. Yes, it’s better if you let them sit for a few hours but even 20 minutes will render you a delicious dish. If you’re letting them marinate longer than 30 minutes, pop ’em in the fridge but be sure to bring them back to room temperature before cooking.

This also works great with shoulder chops, but I really like to let these marinate overnight, as it’s a less tender cut of lamb.

Wanna do these on the grill? Even better! Grill them on high heat for about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

A little splash of acid such as lemon juice or balsamic vinegar is always nice with this – just be sure to add it to the marinade only an hour or so before you cook them. Lamb is a wonderful dish when it’s cooked right.

Enjoy!