Consider this your new go-to marinade for grilled lamb chops. While our choice of spices borrows from Sichuan and Northern Chinese flavors, they have a chameleon-like quality and don’t read “Chinese” at all. They just season the lamb so well, and go with a wide variety of other flavors and side dishes!
Pure Umami
If you’re not using cumin on your lamb chops, you’re missing out! It’s not just us who think so. You’ll see cumin show up in lamb marinades in the Middle East, North Africa, India/South Asia, and Northwest China, where lamb is one of the most prized meats.
The warm and nutty flavor of the cumin really balances the flavor of the lamb which can sometimes be a bit gamey. In addition to the cumin, I add Sichuan peppercorns, salt, soy sauce, and just a little bit of sugar.
I love how all the flavors play off each other. The Sichuan peppercorn adds a wonderful citrus-y element to it, and an implacable flavor that adds depth. And the soy sauce is my secret ingredient to make these lamb chops really tasty!
While I love Bill’s more traditionally Western rosemary, mustard, and garlic crusted roast leg of lamb with mint sauce, this is the ultimate combination of flavors for lamb in my opinion!
A Versatile Lamb Chop Recipe
You may think that from what I’ve told you, these lamb chops taste overtly “Asian.” But surprisingly, they don’t! You’ll find that they are just savory and delicious.
Pair them with side dishes like potatoes, rice, and salads, without any clash of flavors. We love serving these lamb chops with Lebanese garlic toum, a creamy garlicky sauce with a mayonnaise-like consistency. Stay tuned for that recipe later this week!
I think these would also go equally great with Kaitlin’s Cucumber Tomato Salad with Mint or my Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad!
Shopping for Lamb Chops
For this recipe, we use tender lamb rib chops, which are sometimes called “lollipops,” because they have a long bone and a medallion of meat at the end.
We realize this recipe is an indulgence due to the price of lamb. Here’s a tip when shopping for lamb chops: buy a whole rack of lamb to sometimes save a few dollars, vs. pre-cut lamb rib chops. When you’re at the butcher counter or meat department, take a moment to compare prices, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Not only is buying the whole rack sometimes cheaper (we get ours from Costco), they often have more meat and fat on them! It couldn’t be easier to cut your own lamb chops from a rack, and there’s no need to do any fancy knifework to “french” them.
In fact, I think this technique of trimming the lamb chop bones (as they are often presented in fancy butcher shops and even some grocery stores) is wasteful, as you miss out on the flavorful meat and fat near the bone.
How To Cook Lamb Chops
In this recipe, we call for grilling the lamb chops. In a pinch, you could also cook them in a cast iron skillet or on a griddle indoors. Regardless, it’s very important to start with a super hot cooking surface, as they don’t cook for too long!
- Rare / medium rare: Cook them for 3-4 minutes per side for a total of 6-8 minutes, and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. The internal temperature will be 130-135°F / 54-57°C.
- Medium (our preference): Cook for 6 minutes per side, for a total cook time of 12 minutes, and rest for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. The internal temperature will be 145°F / 63°C.
I know some of you will be shocked at the suggestion to cook lamb beyond rare or medium rare.
But for lamb chops that are well marbled or have a fat cap, instead of trimming the fat away, you’ll get a much tastier result if you let that fat render and crisp on the grill, which takes longer. It adds so much flavor to the lamb chops. The meat will be just a blushing pink rather than red, and we find that this allows you to really taste the lamb.
In order to do this, we found the lamb chops needed about 6 minutes per side, for a total cooking time of 12 minutes or so. It will depend on the thickness and size of your lamb chops.
It’s similar to how sometimes fattier cuts of steak can taste richer and more flavorful when cooked to medium. I used to be the only one who enjoyed my red meat cooked medium, but the entire family is coming around to my way of thinking!
Grilled Lamb Chops Recipe Instructions
Rinse each chop, then pat dry with a paper towel. Add the chops to a large mixing bowl along the water, cumin powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, salt, sugar, and light soy sauce. If your lamb chops are on the leaner side, mix in the oil to lock in moisture.
Mix with your hands until there is no visible standing liquid (continuously mixing them with your hands will help the lamb chops absorb all the liquid). Marinate for 15-30 minutes before grilling. We don’t opt for a long marinating time in order to maintain the fresh flavor of the lamb chops.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill until the temperature gauge reads 400-450°F. Lay the lamb chops on the grill and don’t move them too much. Close the grill. After 2-3 minutes, rotate the lamb chops a half turn to get some grill marks. You may want to close the grill again to build up heat. But you be the judge as every grill is different. After another 2-3 minutes, flip the chops. They should be golden and burnished. (You may want to throw in another turn or two before you flip the chops.) On the other side, let the chops cook, rotating a half turn once again to get those grill marks. For the last 1-2 minutes, you may want to turn the lamb chops on their side (carefully, so they don’t fall through the grates) to brown and render the fat cap until it’s sizzling and golden.
Transfer the chops to a platter, and serve!
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Recipe
Grilled Lamb Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lamb rib chops
- ¼ – ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1-1½ teaspoons Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 1-1½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (my secret ingredient!)
- 1 tablespoon oil (optional; omit if you have fattier lamb chops)
Instructions
- Rinse each chop, then pat dry with a paper towel. Add the chops to a large mixing bowl along the water, cumin powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, salt, sugar, and light soy sauce. If your lamb chops are on the leaner side, mix in the oil to lock in moisture.
- Mix with your hands until there is no visible standing liquid (continuously mixing them with your hands will help the lamb chops absorb all the liquid). Marinate for 15-30 minutes before grilling. We don’t opt for a long marinating time in order to maintain the fresh flavor of the lamb chops.
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill until the temperature gauge reads 400-450°F. Lay the lamb chops on the grill and don’t move them too much. Close the grill. After 2-3 minutes, rotate the lamb chops a half turn to get some grill marks. You may want to close the grill again to build up heat, but you be the judge as every grill is different. After another 2-3 minutes, flip the chops. They should be golden and burnished. (You may want to throw in another turn or two before you flip the chops.) On the other side, let the chops cook, rotating a half turn once again to get those grill marks. For the last 1-2 minutes, you may want to turn the lamb chops on their side (carefully, so they don’t fall through the grates) to brown and render the fat cap until it’s sizzling and golden. Transfer the chops to a platter, and serve!
