Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon-Mint Gremolata | Recipe | Elle Republic (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to grill or pan fry lamb chops? ›

Lamb chops are very tender, so it's best to season with salt and pepper and cook (either pan fry or grill on a barbecue or chargrill pan), over high heat for a few minutes each side.

Preheat the grill to low-medium heat — about 300 degrees. You are going to cook the chops at low heat first, then sear them over high heat. Place lamb chops on the grill. Close the lid and grill about 10 minutes or until chops reach an internal temperature of about 110 degrees.

To help draw blood out of the meat and to also get some of the gameness out of the lamb, after giving them a milk bath just rinse and cook. Marinating, milk contains lactic acid, this will help break down the structures in the meat protein.

Fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt are simple but amazing flavors that pair amazingly with the lamb! Each of these ingredients adds its unique warmth and depth to enhance the flavor of the dish.

While washing meat and poultry to remove dirt, slime, fat or blood may have been appropriate decades ago when many slaughtered and prepared their own food, the modern food safety system doesn't require it. Meat and poultry are cleaned during processing, so further washing is not necessary.

While your lamb chops are still on the grill, insert the digital meat thermometer into the thickest part to check the internal temperature. When they reach an internal temperature of 145°F, your lamb chops are done. Most lamb chops will reach doneness in 7 minutes total.

A rare, or pink, lamb chop that has been seared well on the outside should be fine because any bacteria on the outer surface will have been killed by the heat. But minced or diced lamb or mutton should never be served pink. It needs to be thoroughly cooked and browned. The same goes for burgers.

Temperature is by far the most critical aspect of cooking lamb chops. Undercooking even tender lamb chops can render them unpleasantly chewy, while overcooking will lead to tough, dried-out meat. Rib chops should be cooked to about 130°F, while loin chops are better at 135°F or even 140°F.

Before you begin the cooking process, be sure to remove your lamb from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This helps to ensure that the lamb cooks evenly and that you get an accurate temperature reading.

As the end of the cooking time draws near, press the outside centre of your lamb lightly with tongs or a clean fingertip to judge its degree of doneness. As a rough guide: Very soft = rare – bright red, raw centre. Soft = medium rare – pink inside with a red centre.

How do you tenderize lamb chops? ›

Dry brining with kosher salt can quickly tenderize tough lamb chops; you'll find that technique outlined in our Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa recipe here. The marinade for this recipe is a simple one—lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, Dijon mustard (optional, but nice), salt and pepper.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

That “gamey” taste, for lack of a better term, lies in the meat's fat, and is a result of the animal's diet. What it all comes down to is a particular type of fatty acid that lambs have and beef and chicken don't. It's called branched-chain fatty acid. This is something that humans can detect at really low levels.

Most of the potent flavor compounds are found in the fat of the animal, and in lamb, much of the gaminess results from branched-chain fatty acids. As sheep dine on grass, bacteria in their stomachs generate these fatty acids, which are a lot stronger in flavor and aroma than other forms of fat.

Coat each chop lightly in olive oil. Season lamb chops with garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Place lamb chops in a cast iron skillet. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

The dry heat of roasting is best for tender cuts of lamb, like the leg, rack, and loin. If you'd like to roast a cut like a lamb shoulder, go for a long, slow roast. If you're cooking a bone-in leg, keep in mind that because of the thicker and thinner portions of the cut you'll get a range of doneness.

Cook all raw lamb steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F (62.8° C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

Temperature is by far the most critical aspect of cooking lamb chops. Undercooking even tender lamb chops can render them unpleasantly chewy, while overcooking will lead to tough, dried-out meat. Rib chops should be cooked to about 130°F, while loin chops are better at 135°F or even 140°F.