These juicy and smoky grilled lamb chops are marinated in a 5-ingredient blend oozing with rosemary, garlic, and herby flavors with a little kick in between bites. This recipe is easy, fancy, and finger-licking good! A must-have for your spring and summer grilling repertoire.
There are those few people who find lamb’s meat flavor too strong to their liking, and I’m one of them. In fact, I realized that this one was only my second lamb recipe after nearly four years of blogging. Lamb lovers, please don’t hate me!
But that all changed after I went to a restaurant with my hubby and ordered some fancy grilled lamb chops. Oh, my word! If I had been at a backyard BBQ, I would’ve chowed down on those babies until nothing was left but the bone. And thus, the urge to nurture my love for anything lamb was born.
Why Grill Rib Chops?
If you’re still on the fence about lamb, try this recipe. I swear you’ll be a convert as soon as you finish your first chop. I like to choose a cut from the center (rib) section, which features long rib bones with meat at the end.
Grilling cooks at high heat giving you that beautiful Maillard reaction and the smoky flavor beautifully complements the lamb’s gamey taste. Ribs may not be the meatiest of all chops, but they make a lovely visual presentation with a smooth, tender flavor – something you’d pay a hefty price for at a restaurant.
How to Grill Lamb Chops
- Season the lamb with salt, pepper, and the marinade. Grill them or cook them in a grill pan.
- Sauté the onions in butter, add the broth, seasonings, mustard, and cream for the peppercorn sauce.
- Add the cracked pepper and simmer until thickened. Serve with your grilled lamb chops.
Tips and Tricks
- Undercooked lamb chops are too chewy, and overcooked chops tend to be tough and dry. For rib chops, aim to cook them to an internal temperature of 130℉ (55℃). For loin chops, anywhere from 135-140℉ (57-60℃) is ideal.
- Adjust your grilling time to your preferred doneness of the meat. And don’t forget to let the meat rest for 10 minutes before serving it so the juices can distribute evenly.
- Rib chops are already tender, so your marinade is all for flavor. If you can, marinate your chops overnight, but an hour will work fine if you’re pressed for time.
- Goat meat is popular in Africa and the Caribbean. Please don’t repeat my mistake by using lamb and goat interchangeably. The distinct flavor profiles mean that different spices work best for each. For example, there’s nothing like a good goat curry.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Prepare your herbs and spices and marinate the lamb ahead of time (the day before), but grill when you’re ready to eat! It only takes a few minutes for these bad boys to reach grilled perfection. The sauce is a great make-ahead and reheats well the next day.
Heat leftover lamb in the microwave, oven, or air fryer. Another great way to use leftovers is a clean-the-fridge stew or soup. Save all those veggies that need to be used today by chopping them, tossing them in a pot, adding broth and seasonings, and simmering until they’re tender. Chop up the leftover lamb, add it to the stew, heat it through, and enjoy. Save the bones for a delicious bone broth.
What Pairs With Grilled Lamb Chops
I love pairing lamb with fresh salads on the hearty side, such as a three-bean salad or a refreshing Greek salad. I almost always pair them with a side of potatoes, too. Fondant potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes are family faves around here.
More Savory Recipes for the Grill
This blog post was originally published in April 2018 and has been updated with additional tips and new photos.
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