HERBED GRILLED LOIN LAMB CHOPS

Loin lamb chops are as good as better than steak, IMHO.  It surprises me that so many people are afraid of them.  Just pretend they’re mini Porterhouse steaks. 

My favorite way to season them is with Grey Salt and black pepper.  But, recently, I thought I would try something new.  Fresh oregano, garlic and lemon zest minced together made a flavorful paste that seasoned the chops as they warmed to room temperature on the counter.  I have to say these were quite tasty and were a nice change.  Grey Salt and pepper will remain my go-to chop seasoning, but I'll season with herbs when I want a change.

(Why Grey Salt?  It’s loaded with minerals that impart a deep natural flavor that just can’t be described.  So, besides being good for you, it also tastes great.  Yes, you can substitute kosher salt, but you will lose that special flavor.)  Please note that fine grind Grey Salt is not as superfine as table salt.  

Herbed Grilled Loin Lamb Chops Rating:  8.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

FOR EACH LOIN CHOP:  Fine grind Grey Sea Salt (or Morton coarse kosher salt) 1 tsp. minced fresh oregano leaves 1/2 garlic clove, minced or grated 1/4 tsp. lemon zest Big pinch black pepper Wipe chop(s) with damp paper towel.  Sprinkle bottom(s) and top(s) lightly with salt, using about 1/2 tsp. per chop.  Combine oregano, garlic, lemon zest and pepper on cutting board and chop together to form a coarse paste.  Rub over top of chop.  Leave at room temperature for 1 hour.  In the meantime, heat grill to 475F - 500F, leaving one burner off.  Place chop on hot burner to sear, about 2-3 minutes per side till grill marks form.  Transfer chop to turned-off burner.  Cover and finish cooking to desired doneness.  (Lamb, just like beef, tastes best when it’s rare to medium-rare.)

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS

I love lamb chops. Not the shoulder chops -- they're for braising. The lamb chops that are like little T-bone steaks, cut 1-1/2" thick and grilled till rare. IMHO, they are better than steak. They're not cheap, but oh, are they good and worth the extra bucks.

Lamb chops don't need a lot of embellishment to make them good. The flavor is already built in. So they're a simple and quick entree to prepare. Most of the time, I just salt and pepper them and grill them. But this time, I did my "steak" trick with them. I coated them with some
EVOO and minced fresh garlic along with the salt and pepper and let them sit out at room temp for 15 minutes before grilling them. Perfection.

You don't need a recipe for this. Just be sure you only turn them once on the grill, and don't overcook them. I get the grill good and hot (425-450F) and turn the middle off. Be sure your grill maintains the hot temp after the middle is turned off. Put the chops on the turned off section. That way, they won't flare up and get too black. I do mine about 5 minutes each side, but it really depends on how thick the chops
are. Use a meat thermometer to
determine doneness. You want it to
register about 125F when you take them off. Remember, they'll keep cooking. Let them sit a few minutes while you get the last-minute things on the table. Then dig in and enjoy!