The best Lamb Chops recipe for easy, perfectly cooked lamb in 30 minutes.Tender lamb chops topped with a red wine, garlic, and thyme gravy.
While a full Lamb Leg Roast or Roasted Lamb Shoulder makes a stunning Holiday Main Dish for a crowd, individual chops are perfect for a more intimate special Dinner. Plus these smaller cuts of meat gives you juicy, succulent lamb meat in less than an hour including marinating time.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Lamb Chops Recipe
These pan-seared lamb chops have all the decadent rich flavor of lamb without needing to be reserved for holidays like an expensive full leg of lamb. Not only are they cheaper than a full cut of lamb, they have a shorter marinating and cooking time than lamb leg roast to get juicy, flavorful meat.
This recipe for Lamb Chops is great for beginners in the kitchen and those new to eating lamb! It has a fool-proof method for getting perfectly medium rare tender meat that pairs perfectly with the red wine and fresh herb gravy made with pan drippings. The flavorful pan sauce balances any gaminess and is made with just a handful of ingredients like fresh thyme, garlic cloves, and tomato paste.
Ingredients
- Lamb: This recipe uses lamb rib chops because they are fattier and more tender than lamb loin chops. They come from a rack of lamb and are arguably the most premium cut of lamb. You can use lamb loin chops, but be careful not to cook them as long.
- Thyme and Garlic: The sauce is seasoned simply with fresh thyme leaves and 2 garlic cloves. The earthy herbs and spicy garlic are all you need to bring out rich, deep flavors.
- Red Wine: A good rule of thumb when making a pan sauce with wine is to use a wine you would like to drink. The best red wines for cooking lamb are Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon to balance the savory, gamey flavor.
- Butter: Cooking the lamb in butter gives them an rich amazing flavor and gives the lamb meat a caramelized crust. Later the butter is combined with the pan juices for the base of the savory buttery garlic sauce.
- Tomato Paste: The thick tomato paste brings out the deep notes of the red wine and cuts through the fatty richness of the meat and butter.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
Cast Iron Skillet: You want a large heavy duty skillet like a cast iron pan because it will hold the heat evenly and is less likely to burn your meat or the butter for the sauce.
Aluminum Foil: The foil is a key tool because it indirectly finishes cooking the meat off the heat. This gives you perfectly cooked lamb that is extra juicy and succulent.
How to Make
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Season the Meat
Rub lamb chops with salt and black pepper and let the meat rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Resting at room temp allows the meat to cook evenly throughout. Set aside a baking sheet and a piece of aluminum foil large enough to tent the baking sheet.
- Sear the Chops
Add 6 tablespoons butter to a large heavy skillet, preferably a cast-iron skillet, on medium-high heat. Cook the lamb for 4-5 minutes on each side. You are looking for a good brown sear on each side and for the internal temperature to reach 145 degrees with a meat thermometer. Transfer the lamb chops to the baking sheet and tent with foil to continue cooking to 150 degrees while resting.
- Start the Sauce
While the lamb is resting, reduce the skillet to medium medium and add red onion to the pan. Cook onions for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Reduce with Wine
Using a wooden spoon, stir in the red wine and tomato paste, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring until the paste is melted into the liquid. Cook until red wine is reduced by half, about 5-6 minutes.
- Finish and Serve
Turn off heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter to combine with the sauce as it melts. Plate lamb chops and spoon red wine sauce over the chops.
Can Lamb Chops be made ahead of time?
While you can absolutely season the lamb rib chops and marinate them overnight, they are best enjoyed freshly cooked. Pan-seared lamb chops will be the ideal temperature the first time they are cooked but will continue to cook if you reheat them.
Nutritional Facts
Cooking Lamb Chops Tips & Tricks
- Perfectly Cooked Lamb Meat
In order to get the lamb meat perfectly cooked to medium or medium rare, you actually want to under cook it by 5 degrees. Transfer it to a plate or non-porous cutting board and tent with foil. The foil helps indirectly cook the meat to the perfect temperature and the meat soaks up the juices.
- Lollipop the Chops
For a fancy French presentation, you can “lollipop” the chops. This means you cut away the excess meat and sinew away from the bone just under the thick lamp coin. You can save the scraps of meat to make a savory meat broth later or let your pets indulge in some fancy lamb too!
What to Pair With Lamb Chops
Drinks: This rich, flavorful red meat goes beautifully with red table wines like Pinot Noir or Bordeaux blends. It also tastes amazing with full-bodied Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignon. Idealy, you should serve it with the same wine you use in the sauce.
Sides: Rustic simple sides like Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Crusty French Bread would be perfect for soaking up the amazing garlicky wine gravy. Garden fresh Sauteed Carrots or Green Bean Almondine would be delicious as a spring dinner side.
How to Store
Serve: Lamb chops should reach 150 degrees internal temp before serving. They can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Once lamb and sauce are cool, store separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: If you want to reheat your lamb chops, let them come to room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. Brush them lightly with oil and either reheat them over medium heat or covered with foil in a preheated oven at 350 degrees.
Freeze: Cool everything completely before freezing to prevent freezer burn. Freeze in separate sealed containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Grilled Lamb Chops
- Coat the lamb chops in ¼ cup olive oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper, and ¼ red wine.
- Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- You can marinate the lamb in the seasonings and oil for up to 8 hours before grilling.
- Lightly brush the grates with oil and heat to high heat.
- Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper again.
- Sear the lamb on the preheated grill for 4-5 minutes on each side, until medium heat.
- Once the meat hits 145 degrees inside, remove from the grill and tent with foil.
- Prepare the pan sauce on the stove with 6 tablespoons of butter and the ingredients on the recipe card.
Frequent Questions
No. While lamb rib chops are specifically from a rack of lamb, or bone-in cut from under the rib, lamb chops can refer to cuts of meat all over the lamb. Lamb chops can be boneless and are from the shoulder blade, loin, or thick cuts from the rack.
Lamb rib chops are a rich, succulent cut of meat so although they look small, you should plan on 2 lamb chops per person, maybe 3 at the most. The rich, fatty meat will fill you up more than a leaner cut of beef steak or chicken breast.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 lamb rib racks , cut 1-inch thick, with bones trimmed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup red onion , minced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme , removed from sprig
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Season lamb chops with salt and black pepper, let the meat rest for 10 minutes.
- To a large heavy skillet, add the butter on medium-high heat.
- Sear the lamb for 4-5 minutes on each side, until you have a good brown sear on each side. Using a thermometer, look for the meat to hit 145 degrees.
- Remove the lamb chops, tent them with foil to rest, they will continue cooking to 150 degrees while resting.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add red onion to the pan.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion is translucent, then stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add in red wine and tomato paste, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the pan.
- Stir until paste is melted into the liquid and cook for 5-6 minutes until red wine is reduced by half.
- Turn off heat and add in final tablespoon of butter, whisking to combine it with the sauce as it melts.
- Serve lamb chops and pour red wine sauce over the chops.
Nutrition
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Variations
Lamb Loin Chops: If you want a less expensive cut, go with lamb loin chops. They will cook for less time but they are just as delicious. They are best served rare to medium rare, or an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees.
Herbs and Seasonings: Other earthy herbs that work well with the gamey flavor of lamb are fresh rosemary, parsley leaves, or sage. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice in the wine sauce would bring out the freshness of the herbs.
Creamy Mustard Sauce: Swap ¼ cup Dijon mustard for the tomato paste to make creamy Dijon pan sauce. Use white wine, like a Pinot Grigio, instead of red wine for an even lighter Dijon-thyme sauce.
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