While out grocery shopping at Trader Joes one day I spotted some mighty fine looking lamb loin chops. Despite having a deep love for lamb, my mom never really learned how to master the art of cooking red meat – usually just broiling it to a charred crisp as she was taught to via outdated cookbooks – which put me off to red meat when I was younger. Until I learned to cook for myself, of course, and realized how red meat was meant to be enjoyed. Now I’m the chef of the red meat in our house and though my mom cannot enjoy lamb at the moment I was determined to brush up my skills. I’m proud to say that my first go around was a major success and I duplicated it for sharing purposes.
Lamb Loin Chops with Butter Herb Sauce
You’ll Need
Loin lamb chops (no more than 2 chops to the skillet), fat trimmed and set aside
1 generous tablespoon of butter
3 gloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 shallot, sliced thinly
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
In a large skillet (cast iron preferably) place the trimmed fat and scoot around until melted.
Add your lamb chops and cook undisturbed for roughly 3 minutes, when a brown crust ought to have formed.
Flip and allow your chops to brown the other side
Drop the heat to medium-low and add the butter in the center of the skillet
As the butter is just about melted, add the garlic, herbs and shallots. Stir the sauce up and swish & flip your chops around, making sure every inch of them gets coated.
Cook to your desired likeness before plating up your chops and pouring the sauce on top.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes:
Other great herbs to use are fresh tarragon, oregano and sage.
You can determine how “done” your meat is by the “spring back” method. The springier the meat, the more undercooked it is. A perfectly cooked medium rare will have lots of give, and well done (which I don’t recommend) will have very little resistance to pressure.
