Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops are marinated in a garlic-herb and lemon marinade, then grilled to give the meat a smokiness that you’ll adore. The fresh herb combination takes you to the Greek Isles, while the succulent lamb lifts you straight into food heaven. These chops are perfect for your next outdoor dining session but can also be prepared in your oven.
What Part of the Animal Do Lamb Chops Come From?
Lamb is a young sheep- usually under 12 months old, but sometimes as old as 16 months. Lamb chops come from the animal’s hindsaddle (or middle to backend), specifically the loin. Because of their age, most lamb chops will be tender, but the texture depends on what the animal ate during its lifetime.
Is Lamb a Better Option Than Beef?
Lamb is a healthier choice than beef because of the way it’s fed as it’s raised.
Remember, lamb is a young animal whose diet is mostly (hopefully) milk, grass, then (sometimes) grain-finished before going to market. Because of that, lamb meat has more calories than beef. However, beef cattle in the States are largely raised on grain. As a result, the quality of lamb makes it a better choice because of its diet before it reaches your table. Lamb also contains vitamins K and D, which beef doesn’t.
What Country Produces the Best Lamb?
In my opinion, the best lamb comes from New Zealand. Kiwis are more strict with their lamb production: the animal must be younger than a year old and has an exclusive grass diet, meaning it’s free-range and more humanely raised. Lamb from New Zealand is very tender because of all these factors. That said, New Zealand lamb has a gamier flavor than American or Australian lamb. Because the lambs are left to their own devices, chilling in the pasture and whatnot, the meat is also a smidge tougher.
American lamb is less gamey in flavor than New Zealand lamb. You may want to start with domestic lamb (if you’re here in the States) if you’re just dipping your toes into the lamb-eating pool. American lamb is grain-finished, meaning it is fattened up quickly before going to market. Grain-finishing also tones down the flavor of the meat considerably.
Australian lamb is the middle of the road in terms of flavor and tenderness. You might prefer this if you like more gaminess in your lamb but still want a somewhat tender cut of meat.
What Do I Need to Make These Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops?
This recipe requires lamb loin chops, fresh oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme, flat-leaf parsley, dill, garlic, a shallot, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
A blender or immersion blender comes in handy when making the garlic-herb marinade. You also need an outdoor grill (a gas or charcoal grill works) or an indoor grill pan, though I’ll include baking instructions if you don’t have access to either of those.
What Type of Lamb Chop Do I Buy?
There are four cuts of lamb chops on the market: loin chops, shoulder chops, single-rack chops, and sirloin chops. Shoulder and sirloin chops are too tough to use in this recipe. I recommend using loin chops for most grilling recipes because they are meatier, tender, and less expensive than single-rack chops.
Usually, you can buy a rack of lamb and cut them yourself, but you’re likely to pay upwards of $25 a pound for that particular cut of lamb Butchers like to make single-rack chops, “lollipop” chops, meaning they remove much of the meat on the lower portion of the frenched bone. For me, loin chops are more accessible.
Can I Substitute or Omit Any of The Herbs?
Start by prepping the herbs for the garlic-herb marinade. The quintessential herbs used on Greek lamb are mint, oregano (Greek oregano if you can find it), fresh flat leaf parsley, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. I add fresh dill, as well. You can omit or substitute some of these herbs for the grilled lamb chops. You can also add (or replace) one of these with fresh marjoram, another popular herb in Greek cuisine. Don’t get rid of the core herbs, though. You don’t want to leave out the oregano or the mint and only use fresh parsley. The lamb chops will taste like grass if you do.
Remove the woody stems from the herbs that have them, pick off the leaves of the mint, and cut off the ends of the dill and parsley.
Give the herbs a fine mince. You don’t want to leave the leaves in large pieces because they’ll smoke and char on the grill.
How Do I Make the Garlic Herb Marinade for the Grilled Lamb Chops?
To finish making the garlic herb marinade, add the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, dijon, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a large jar or small bowl.
Use an immersion blender set on medium-high speed to blend these ingredients into a thick paste. Once the combination is mostly broken down, drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. This creates an emulsion. Blend until a thick, salad dressing-like marinade forms.
You can also use a blender to make the marinade base. Just follow the same steps. You might have to use a rubber spatula to move the aromatics and spices around initially, but it should all come together when you add the oil.
How Far Ahead Can I Make the Garlic Herb Marinade?
Once the marinade base is emulsified, fold in the minced herbs. It is now ready to use.
You can make this garlic herb marinade up to 24 hours ahead and store it in a covered jar in the refrigerator. I wouldn’t make it much farther ahead because the acid from the lemon juice begins to break down the tender leaves of the herbs. If you want to make it further ahead, don’t add the herbs until 5 minutes before you plan to begin marinating the lamb chops. You can make and store the garlic herb marinade for up to one week without the herbs.
How Long Do the Lamb Chops Need to Marinate?
Pour 1/3 of the garlic herb marinade into a 9×13-inch baking dish or a large bowl (avoid using a metal bowl because it will react with the acid from the lemon juice). Add the lamb chops to the marinade in a single layer, then pour another third of the marinade over the top of the chops. This coats the lamb chops completely.
Cover the dish or bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and transfer them to the fridge. You’ll get tastier results if you marinate your lamb chops for at least 2 hours. You can marinate the lamb chops for up to 4 hours, but the longer you marinate them, the tougher the final product will be.
Remove the lamb chops from the fridge at least 30 minutes before grilling them. This allows the meat to warm up, so you’re not having to grill the chops longer to reach the proper internal temperature.
How Long Do I Grill Lamb Chops?
Preheat your charcoal or gas grill to 400°F (204°C). Grease the grates will cooking oil or cooking spray. Shake off the excess marinade from each of the lamb chops. Discard any of the remaining marinade that the lamb chops were in.
Place the chops on the grill once it reaches the proper temperature. I always insert a thermometer probe into one chop because I prefer my lamb chops to be cooked to medium or light pink in the center. Monitoring the temp as the chops grill is the easiest way to ensure perfectly cooked meat.
Grill the chops on the first side for 3-4 minutes.
Follow these same instructions if you’re using an indoor grill pan, preheating it to medium high heat before grilling the lamb rib chops.
What is the Proper Internal Temperature of Cooked Lamb Chops?
Flip the lamb chops over after 3-4 minutes and grill the meat for another 4-5 minutes. The second side will cook more or less, depending on your preferred internal temperature.
According to the USDA, a safe internal temperature for lamb chops is 145°F (62°C). That temperature is also medium-well, which, to me, might as well be lamb jerky.
Lamb chops are rare at 115-120°F (46-49°C), medium-rare at 125°F (52°C), 130°F (54°C), and medium-well to well-done at or above 145°F (62°C). Lamb chops continue to cook after you remove them from the grill; a process called carry-over cooking. Removing the meat from the grill at the temperatures previously listed ensures that they end up at the proper internal temps after you allow them to rest.
And rest, they must. Rest the lamb chops for at least 5 minutes before digging into them. That way, their juices have time to settle down in the meat, which results in a succulent lamb chop.
Can I Use the Garlic Herb Marinade That’s Left Over?
Heat the remaining garlic herb marinade in a pot over medium heat. Bring the marinade to a simmer and allow it to heat for 1 minute. Reserving some of the marinade before adding the rest to the meat is the best way to avoid a food-borne illness.
I don’t recommend reusing marinades, but never reuse a marinade that meat has been in unless you bring it to a full boil and boil it for at least 1 1/2 minutes.
Serve the warm marinade (now sauce) on the side or drizzle it over the rested lamb chops.
Can I Bake the Lamb Chops Instead?
You can also bake these garlic herb lamb chops if you don’t have access to a grill:
- Marinate the lamb chops as instructed, then remove them from the fridge for 30 minutes to take the chill off of the meat.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil in the pan begins to shimmer, press the marinated lamb chops into the pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes on the first side to brown the meat.
- Flip the lamb chops in the pan to the other side and carefully slide the pan into the preheated oven.
- Roast the lamb chops for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness. Remove the lamb chops from the skillet and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
What Do I Serve with Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops?
After resting the lamb chops, serve them with a garden salad and steamed grains. Here are my go-to dishes to serve lamb chops with:
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover grilled lamb chops in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat the lamb chops:
- Arrange them in a baking dish and cover them with any remaining garlic herb sauce/marinade.
- Allow them to come to room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place the pan in the oven once it reaches temperature.
- Reheat the lamb chops for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Can I Freeze Grilled Lamb Chops?
To freeze cooked lamb chops, allow the chops to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw the chops in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed above.
Don’t let the holidays or grilling season pass you by without making these Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops. It’s an easy recipe that makes for a delicious dinner, whether it’s al fresco or indoors. Be sure to let me know what you think of them in the comments below. Pin and share this recipe and tag me in your posts to let me know you love them.
Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- immersion blender or blender
- gas or charcoal grill
- meat thermometer with probe optional
Ingredients
For the Garlic Herb Marinade
- 1 bunch (1/4 cup or 19 grams) oregano leaves removed from stems (or 2 tablespoons of dried oregano leaves)
- 1 bunch (1/4 cup or 19 grams) mint leaves removed from stems (or 2 tablespoons dried mint leaves)
- 2 stems (3 tablespoons or 9 grams) rosemary leaves removed from stems (or 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed dried rosemary leaves)
- 2 stems (3 tablespoons or 9 grams) thyme leaves removed from stems (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves)
- 1/4 bunch (2 tablespoons or 2 grams) flat leaf parsley 2-inches of stems removed (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes)
- 1 tablespoon (1 gram) fresh dill 1-inch of stems removed (or 1/2 tablespoon dried dill leaves)
- 1 medium shallot peeled and rough chopped (about 1/2 cup or 45 grams)
- 1 1/2 heads (15 cloves, 75 grams, or 1/3 cup) garlic rough chopped
- 4 large lemons juiced (about 3/4 cups or 180 milliliters)
- 1 tablespoon (20 grams) kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup (250 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
For the Lamb Chops
- 4 pounds (2 kilograms or 8 each) lamb loin chops
Instructions
Prepare the Garlic Herb Marinade
- With the herbs on a large cutting board, use your chefs knife to give them a fine mince.
- Next, add the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large jar, bowl, or blender.Use an immersion blender set on medium-high speed (or your blender) to blend these ingredients into a thick paste. You might need to move things around with a spoon or rubber spatula to get the process started.
- Once these ingredients are mostly broken down, drizzle the olive oil into the bowl to develop an emulsion. Continue blending until a thick, salad dressing-like marinade forms.
- Once the marinade base is emulsified, fold in the minced herbs. You can make this garlic herb marinade up to 24 hours ahead and store it in a covered jar in the refrigerator. To store it for up to a week, don't add the herbs until 5 minutes before you plan to begin marinating the lamb chops.
Marinated the Lamb Chops (Begin Up to 2 Hours Ahead)
- Pour 1/3 of the garlic herb marinade into a 9x13-inch baking dish or a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb chops to the marinade, then pour another third of the marinade over the top of the chops to coat the lamb chops completely.
- Cover the dish or bowl with a lid or plastic film and transfer them to the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Grill the Lamb Chops
- Remove the lamb chops from the fridge at least 30 minutes before grilling them. Meanwhile, preheat your charcoal or gas grill to 400°F (204°C). Clean and oil the grates liberally with vegetable oil or peanut oil. If you're using an indoor grill pan, preheat it over medium-high heat with the vent fan on high.
- Shake off the excess marinade from each of the lamb chops and discard any remaining marinade.Place the chops on the grill once it reaches the proper temperature, if you have one, insert a thermometer probe into one chop to monitor the temp as they grill.
- Grill the chops on the first side for 4 minutes. Flip the lamb chops over after 4 minutes and grill the meat for another 4-5 minutes. The second side will cook more or less, depending on your preferred internal temperature.Lamb chops are rare at 115-120°F (46-49°C), medium-rare at 125°F (52°C), 130°F (54°C), and medium-well to well-done at or above 145°F (62°C).
- Remove the chops from the grill to a platter and allow the lamb chops to rest for at least 5 minutes before eating them.
Create a Sauce with the Remaining Marinade, Then Serve
- While you're resting the lamb chops, heat the remaining garlic herb marinade in a pot over medium heat. Bring the marinade to a simmer and allow it to heat for 1 minute.
- After resting the lamb chops, drizzle the warmed marinade (now sauce) over the rested lamb chops, or serve it on the side. Serve the finished lamb chops with a garden salad and steamed grains.
Notes
Oven-Baked Lamb Chops:
- Marinate the lamb chops as instructed, then remove them from the fridge for 30 minutes to take the chill off of the meat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat. Once the oil in the pan begins to shimmer, press the marinated lamb chops into the pan.
- Sear for 2-3 minutes on the first side to brown the meat.
- Flip the lamb chops in the pan to the other side and carefully slide the pan into the preheated oven. Roast the lamb chops for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
- Remove the lamb chops from the skillet and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Swaps and Substitutions:
- You can omit or substitute some of these herbs or add (or replace) one of these with marjoram, another popular herb in Greek cuisine. See post for more details.
- Swap the shallot out for 1/2 cup (26 grams) chopped red onion.
- Decrease the garlic to 10 cloves if you're not a huge fan of garlic.
- Replace the Dijon mustard with yellow mustard.
- Replace the lamb loin chops with single-rack (Frenched) lamb chops.
Tips and Techniques:
- Don't leave the herbs in large pieces because they'll smoke and char on the grill.
- You can marinate the lamb chops for up to 4 hours, but the longer you marinate them, the tougher the final product will be.
- Removing the meat from the fridge 30 minutes prior to grilling allows the meat to warm up, so you're not having to grill the chops longer to reach the proper internal temperature.
- Lamb chops continue to cook after you remove them from the grill; a process called carry-over cooking. Removing the meat from the grill at the recommended temperatures ensures that they end up at the proper internal temperature after allowing them to rest.
- Reserving some of the marinade- instead of using the marinade the meat sat in- is the best way to avoid a food-borne illness.
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
- Store leftover grilled lamb chops in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat cooked lamb chops:
- Arrange them in a baking dish and cover them with any remaining garlic herb sauce/marinade.
- Allow them to come to room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place the pan in the oven once it reaches temperature.
- Reheat the lamb chops for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
-
To Freeze cooked lamb chops:
- Allow the chops to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw the chops in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed above.
Nutrition
What Part of the Animal Do Lamb Chops Come From?
Lamb is a young sheep- usually under 12 months old, but sometimes as old as 16 months. Lamb chops come from the animal’s hindsaddle (or middle to backend), specifically the loin. Because of their age, most lamb chops will be tender, but the texture depends on what the animal ate during its lifetime.
Is Lamb a Better Option Than Beef?
Lamb is a healthier choice than beef because of the way it’s fed as it’s raised.
Remember, lamb is a young animal whose diet is mostly (hopefully) milk, grass, then (sometimes) grain-finished before going to market. Because of that, lamb meat has more calories than beef. However, beef cattle in the States are largely raised on grain. As a result, the quality of lamb makes it a better choice because of its diet before it reaches your table. Lamb also contains vitamins K and D, which beef doesn’t.
What Country Produces the Best Lamb?
In my opinion, the best lamb comes from New Zealand. Kiwis are more strict with their lamb production: the animal must be younger than a year old and has an exclusive grass diet, meaning it’s free-range and more humanely raised. Lamb from New Zealand is very tender because of all these factors. That said, New Zealand lamb has a gamier flavor than American or Australian lamb. Because the lambs are left to their own devices, chilling in the pasture and whatnot, the meat is also a smidge tougher.
American lamb is less gamey in flavor than New Zealand lamb. You may want to start with domestic lamb (if you’re here in the States) if you’re just dipping your toes into the lamb-eating pool. American lamb is grain-finished, meaning it is fattened up quickly before going to market. Grain-finishing also tones down the flavor of the meat considerably.
Australian lamb is the middle of the road in terms of flavor and tenderness. You might prefer this if you like more gaminess in your lamb but still want a somewhat tender cut of meat.
What Do I Need to Make These Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops?
This recipe requires lamb chops, fresh oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme, flat-leaf parsley, dill, garlic, a shallot, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
A blender or immersion blender comes in handy when making the garlic-herb marinade. You also need a grill, though I’ll include baking instructions if you don’t have access to one.
What Type of Lamb Chop Do I Buy?
There are four kinds of lamb chops on the market: loin chops, shoulder chops, single-rack chops, and sirloin chops. Shoulder and sirloin chops are too tough to use in this recipe. I recommend using loin chops for most grilling recipes because they are meatier, tender, and less expensive than single-rack chops.
Usually, you can buy racks of lamb and cut them yourself, but you’re likely to pay upwards of $25 a pound for them. Butchers like to make single-rack chops, “lollipop” chops, meaning they remove much of the meat on the lower portion of the frenched bone. For me, loin chops are more accessible.
Can I Substitute or Omit Any of The Herbs?
Start by prepping the herbs for the garlic-herb marinade. The quintessential herbs used on Greek lamb are mint, oregano, flat leaf parsley, rosemary, and thyme. I add dill, as well. You can omit or substitute some of these herbs for the grilled lamb chops. You can also add (or replace) one of these with marjoram, another popular herb in Greek cuisine. Don’t get rid of the core herbs, though. You don’t want to leave out the oregano or the mint and only use parsley. The lamb chops will taste like grass if you do.
Remove the woody stems from the herbs that have them, pick off the leaves of the mint, and cut off the ends of the dill and parsley.
Give the herbs a fine mince. You don’t want to leave the leaves in large pieces because they’ll smoke and char on the grill.
How Do I Make the Garlic Herb Marinade for the Grilled Lamb Chops?
To finish making the garlic herb marinade, add the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, dijon, and spices to a large jar or bowl.
Use an immersion blender set on medium-high speed to blend these ingredients into a thick paste. Once the combination is mostly broken down, drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. This creates an emulsion. Blend until a thick, salad dressing-like marinade forms.
You can also use a blender to make the marinade base. Just follow the same steps. You might have to use a rubber spatula to move the aromatics and spices around initially, but it should all come together when you add the oil.
How Far Ahead Can I Make the Garlic Herb Marinade?
Once the marinade base is emulsified, fold in the minced herbs. It is now ready to use.
You can make this garlic herb marinade up to 24 hours ahead and store it in a covered jar in the refrigerator. I wouldn’t make it much farther ahead because the acid from the lemon juice begins to break down the tender leaves of the herbs. If you want to make it further ahead, don’t add the herbs until 5 minutes before you plan to begin marinating the lamb chops. You can make and store the garlic herb marinade for up to one week without the herbs.
How Long Do the Lamb Chops Need to Marinate?
Pour 1/3 of the garlic herb marinade into a 9×13-inch baking dish or a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb chops to the marinade, then pour another third of the marinade over the top of the chops. This coats the lamb chops completely.
Cover the dish or bowl with a lid or plastic film and transfer them to the fridge. You’ll get tastier results if you marinate your lamb chops for at least 2 hours. You can marinate the lamb chops for up to 4 hours, but the longer you marinate them, the tougher the final product will be.
Remove the lamb chops from the fridge at least 30 minutes before grilling them. This allows the meat to warm up, so you’re not having to grill the chops longer to reach the proper internal temperature.
How Long Do I Grill Lamb Chops?
Preheat your charcoal or gas grill to 400°F (204°C). Shake off the excess marinade from each of the lamb chops. Discard any of the remaining marinade that the lamb chops were in.
Place the chops on the grill once it reaches the proper temperature. I always insert a thermometer probe into one chop because I prefer my lamb chops to be cooked to medium or light pink in the center. Monitoring the temp as the chops grill is the easiest way to ensure perfectly cooked meat.
Grill the chops on the first side for 4 minutes.
What is the Proper Internal Temperature of Cooked Lamb Chops?
Flip the lamb chops over after 4 minutes and grill the meat for another 4-5 minutes. The second side will cook more or less, depending on your preferred internal temperature.
According to the USDA, a safe internal temperature for lamb chops is 145°F (62°C). That temperature is also medium-well, which, to me, might as well be lamb jerky.
Lamb chops are rare at 115-120°F (46-49°C), medium-rare at 125°F (52°C), 130°F (54°C), and medium-well to well-done at or above 145°F (62°C). Lamb chops continue to cook after you remove them from the grill; a process called carry-over cooking. Removing the meat from the grill at the temperatures previously listed ensures that they end up at the proper internal temperature after you allow them to rest.
And rest, they must. Rest the lamb chops for at least 5 minutes before digging into them. That way, their juices have time to settle down in the meat, which results in a succulent lamb chop.
Can I Use the Garlic Herb Marinade That’s Left Over?
Heat the remaining garlic herb marinade in a pot over medium heat. Bring the marinade to a simmer and allow it to heat for 1 minute. Reserving some of the marinade before adding the rest to the meat is the best way to avoid a food-borne illness.
I don’t recommend reusing marinades, but never reuse a marinade that meat has been in unless you bring it to a full boil and boil it for at least 1 1/2 minutes.
Serve the warm marinade (now sauce) on the side or drizzle it over the rested lamb chops.
Can I Bake the Lamb Chops Instead?
You can also bake these garlic herb lamb chops if you don’t have access to a grill:
- Marinate the lamb chops as instructed, then remove them from the fridge for 30 minutes to take the chill off of the meat.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil in the pan begins to shimmer, press the marinated lamb chops into the pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes on the first side to brown the meat.
- Flip the lamb chops in the pan to the other side and carefully slide the pan into the preheated oven.
- Roast the lamb chops for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness. Remove the lamb chops from the skillet and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
What Do I Serve with Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops?
After resting the lamb chops, serve them with a garden salad and steamed grains. Here are my go-to dishes to serve lamb chops with:
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover grilled lamb chops in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat the lamb chops:
- Arrange them in a baking dish and cover them with any remaining garlic herb sauce/marinade.
- Allow them to come to room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place the pan in the oven once it reaches temperature.
- Reheat the lamb chops for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Can I Freeze Grilled Lamb Chops?
To freeze cooked lamb chops, allow the chops to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw the chops in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed above.
Don’t let grilling season pass you by without making these Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops. You won’t regret making them at least once during the season (and maybe even after). Be sure to let me know what you think of them in the comments below. Pin and share this recipe and tag me in your posts to let me know you love them.
Garlic Herb Grilled Lamb Chops
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- immersion blender or blender
- gas or charcoal grill
- meat thermometer with probe optional
Ingredients
For the Garlic Herb Marinade
- 1 bunch (1/4 cup or 19 grams) oregano leaves removed from stems (or 2 tablespoons of dried oregano leaves)
- 1 bunch (1/4 cup or 19 grams) mint leaves removed from stems (or 2 tablespoons dried mint leaves)
- 2 stems (3 tablespoons or 9 grams) rosemary leaves removed from stems (or 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed dried rosemary leaves)
- 2 stems (3 tablespoons or 9 grams) thyme leaves removed from stems (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves)
- 1/4 bunch (2 tablespoons or 2 grams) flat leaf parsley 2-inches of stems removed (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes)
- 1 tablespoon (1 gram) fresh dill 1-inch of stems removed (or 1/2 tablespoon dried dill leaves)
- 1 medium shallot peeled and rough chopped (about 1/2 cup or 45 grams)
- 1 1/2 heads (15 cloves, 75 grams, or 1/3 cup) garlic rough chopped
- 4 large lemons juiced (about 3/4 cups or 180 milliliters)
- 1 tablespoon (20 grams) kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup (250 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
For the Lamb Chops
- 4 pounds (2 kilograms or 8 each) lamb loin chops
Instructions
Prepare the Garlic Herb Marinade
- With the herbs on a large cutting board, use your chefs knife to give them a fine mince.
- Next, add the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large jar, bowl, or blender.Use an immersion blender set on medium-high speed (or your blender) to blend these ingredients into a thick paste. You might need to move things around with a spoon or rubber spatula to get the process started.
- Once these ingredients are mostly broken down, drizzle the olive oil into the bowl to develop an emulsion. Continue blending until a thick, salad dressing-like marinade forms.
- Once the marinade base is emulsified, fold in the minced herbs. You can make this garlic herb marinade up to 24 hours ahead and store it in a covered jar in the refrigerator. To store it for up to a week, don't add the herbs until 5 minutes before you plan to begin marinating the lamb chops.
Marinated the Lamb Chops (Begin Up to 2 Hours Ahead)
- Pour 1/3 of the garlic herb marinade into a 9x13-inch baking dish or a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb chops to the marinade, then pour another third of the marinade over the top of the chops to coat the lamb chops completely.
- Cover the dish or bowl with a lid or plastic film and transfer them to the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Grill the Lamb Chops
- Remove the lamb chops from the fridge at least 30 minutes before grilling them. Meanwhile, preheat your charcoal or gas grill to 400°F (204°C). Clean and oil the grates liberally with vegetable oil or peanut oil. If you're using an indoor grill pan, preheat it over medium-high heat with the vent fan on high.
- Shake off the excess marinade from each of the lamb chops and discard any remaining marinade.Place the chops on the grill once it reaches the proper temperature, if you have one, insert a thermometer probe into one chop to monitor the temp as they grill.
- Grill the chops on the first side for 4 minutes. Flip the lamb chops over after 4 minutes and grill the meat for another 4-5 minutes. The second side will cook more or less, depending on your preferred internal temperature.Lamb chops are rare at 115-120°F (46-49°C), medium-rare at 125°F (52°C), 130°F (54°C), and medium-well to well-done at or above 145°F (62°C).
- Remove the chops from the grill to a platter and allow the lamb chops to rest for at least 5 minutes before eating them.
Create a Sauce with the Remaining Marinade, Then Serve
- While you're resting the lamb chops, heat the remaining garlic herb marinade in a pot over medium heat. Bring the marinade to a simmer and allow it to heat for 1 minute.
- After resting the lamb chops, drizzle the warmed marinade (now sauce) over the rested lamb chops, or serve it on the side. Serve the finished lamb chops with a garden salad and steamed grains.
Notes
Oven-Baked Lamb Chops:
- Marinate the lamb chops as instructed, then remove them from the fridge for 30 minutes to take the chill off of the meat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat. Once the oil in the pan begins to shimmer, press the marinated lamb chops into the pan.
- Sear for 2-3 minutes on the first side to brown the meat.
- Flip the lamb chops in the pan to the other side and carefully slide the pan into the preheated oven. Roast the lamb chops for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
- Remove the lamb chops from the skillet and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Swaps and Substitutions:
- You can omit or substitute some of these herbs or add (or replace) one of these with marjoram, another popular herb in Greek cuisine. See post for more details.
- Swap the shallot out for 1/2 cup (26 grams) chopped red onion.
- Decrease the garlic to 10 cloves if you're not a huge fan of garlic.
- Replace the Dijon mustard with yellow mustard.
- Replace the lamb loin chops with single-rack (Frenched) lamb chops.
Tips and Techniques:
- Don't leave the herbs in large pieces because they'll smoke and char on the grill.
- You can marinate the lamb chops for up to 4 hours, but the longer you marinate them, the tougher the final product will be.
- Removing the meat from the fridge 30 minutes prior to grilling allows the meat to warm up, so you're not having to grill the chops longer to reach the proper internal temperature.
- Lamb chops continue to cook after you remove them from the grill; a process called carry-over cooking. Removing the meat from the grill at the recommended temperatures ensures that they end up at the proper internal temperature after allowing them to rest.
- Reserving some of the marinade- instead of using the marinade the meat sat in- is the best way to avoid a food-borne illness.
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
- Store leftover grilled lamb chops in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat cooked lamb chops:
- Arrange them in a baking dish and cover them with any remaining garlic herb sauce/marinade.
- Allow them to come to room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place the pan in the oven once it reaches temperature.
- Reheat the lamb chops for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
-
To Freeze cooked lamb chops:
- Allow the chops to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw the chops in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed above.
I wanted to switch it up for Labor Day so we decided to make these grilled lamb chops. BABY – Imma be outside in the snow grilling these all winter long, they were THAT good. The marinade was so herby and delicious. Best lamb chops I’ve ever made.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jessica!
These are one of the best lamb chops I’ve had! The flavors are incredible and was so easy to make 😉
Thank you, Veronika!
My husband truly loved these! Thanks for making our anniversary dinner such a memorable
Affair 🙂
You’re welcome & happy anniversary!
I love lamb. It’s really my favourite red meat and I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it! This marinade was so delicious with all the herbs. I cooked the chops in the oven and they came out perfect!
Awesome Jacqueline!
I have never cooked lamb chops myself before this and I was nervous I wouldn’t do them justice but this recipe was so helpful and delicious! Thanks for the step by step photos.
You’re welcome, Christy!
So glad I found this grilled lamb chops recipe! We have had lamb in the deep freezer for awhile now, unsure of what to make with it. This is perfect for an end of summer cookout! I love the simple ingredients and knew we will love this!
A great way to end any season, Lauren!