These grilled lamb chops are succulent and flavorful. Marinated in fresh herbs and grilled to perfection they will be the star of the show!
Marinated lamb chops are perfect for grilling on a mild spring evening, or under the broiler any other time of the year.
The marinade goes together really easily and then you let them marinade overnight.
If you don’t have overnight, a minimum of 8 hours will give you a tender, juicy chop.
But if you forget, and we all know that happens, I have had good results with just an hour in the marinade.
The longer they marinade the better, though. Turn them every few hours. When you’re awake anyway. 🙂
Grilled Lamb Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, or 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme, or 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp juice from Preserved Lemons, OR 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 lamb chops, about 3/4 inch thick, or 3 large shoulder chops, cut in half
Instructions
Lamb Chop Marinade
Start by mincing the garlic. I had some ginormous garlic so I just minced one clove.
If you are using fresh herbs, mince them up as well.
Then add the garlic and the rest of the marinade ingredients to a small bowl that is non-reactive.
I’m stressing non-reactive because of the acid and salt in the marinade. You don’t want to use anything that would react with the ingredients and give an off flavor to the marinade.
So that means no metal except stainless steel.
I actually prefer to use stoneware most of the time for mixing up marinades.
Onward 🙂
Preparing the chops
I had shoulder chops which are rather large, so I divided them in half. There is a natural division in the chop that makes it really easy to do.
Place the chops in a single layer in a non-reactive baking dish. Then pour or drizzle about half the marinade on the chops.
Turn the chops over and put the rest of the marinade on them. Now give ’em a good rub down.
You want to make sure that they are all covered up in the awesomeness you spent all that time making.
Time to cover them up and put them in the fridge to chill for a bit.
You can cover them with plastic wrap, or a kitchen towel. Or you can use one of these washable and reusable Bee’s Wraps. They are cloth that is covered in bee’s wax.
Very cool.
You warm the wrap with your hands and mold it around whatever you are covering. You should check them out.
How to Grill Lamb Chops
About 20 minutes before you are going to cook them, get them out of the fridge and let them come to room temp.
I usually start the grill at the same time to let it get good and hot. But my grill is propane.
I’ve never cooked on a charcoal grill before. So you do whatever you do to your grill to get it ready.
Make sure the grill is really hot when you put them on so you get the great grill marks from the sear.
I did these with the top open for about 5 minutes per side.
I then closed the grill for another 5 or so minutes.
You have to keep an eye on them. The time they need to be on the grill depends on how thick the chops are, how hot your grill is, and how you like your meat.
You could of course cook these inside under the broiler if the weather is not cooperating. Or even on top of the stove in a cast iron grill pan.
I love using my grill pan when I can’t cook outside because it will give you those same cool grill marks.
But I’m sure that however you choose to cook them, they will be equally as tasty.
After the chops are cooked to your liking, remove them from the heat and cover them for about 5 minutes to let them rest.
Resting the meat allows the juices to redistribute evenly so the whole thing is succulent and yummy.
Remember that they will continue to cook during their little time out, so keep that in mind when they are still on the grill.
My favorite side dishes to serve with this grilled lamb recipe are Brown Rice Pilaf, Steamed Asparagus with Balsamic Vinaigrette, and some garlic toast to round out the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grilled Lamb Chops
Tightly covered, these lamb chops will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put in a zip top freezer bag. Frozen grilled lamb chops will last 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
You can, but they won’t be exactly the same as chops from the grill. Heat a cast iron grill pan on high until smoking. Put the chops on to sear. Turn after 2 minutes and sear the second side. Turn heat down to medium and cook, turning once until done.
You can if you have a broiler. Turn the broiler on high. Move the top rack up so the chops are about 3 inches away from the broiler element. Broil until browned on the top, then turn. Cook until done.
More main dish recipes you’ll love:
Grilled Lamb Chops with Herb Marinade
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried rosemary or 3-4 sprigs fresh
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 2-3 sprigs fresh
- 1 tsp course grind black pepper
- 1 Tbsp juice from Preserved Lemons or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Lamb Chops
- 6 lamb chops about 3/4 inch thick or 3 large shoulder chops cut in half
Instructions
- Mix marinade ingredients in a non-aluminum bowl.
- Place the chops in a glass container to marinate.
- Pour about half the marinade over the chops and then turn them over. Add the rest of the marinade and make sure that both sides are well covered.
- Cover the container tightly and put in refrigerator to marinate.
- Let marinate overnight. The longer the better.
- About 20 minutes before cooking, remove chops from refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.
- Discard the marinade.
- Cook on the grill or under the broiler. Cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side.
- Remove from grill, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes.