Lamb Chops

[Gaillo]

Well, this evening will be my first ever attempt at cooking lamb chops! I'm a bit apprehensive, but we'll see how it turns out!

I took the 2 chops late last night, put them in a 1 Gal. Sized ziplock along with:

Juice from 1 lemon
1 TBSP Rosemary
2 TBSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Lemon Pepper (McCormick)
1 TSP Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Left them in the fridge to marinate overnight.

I plan on cooking them for around 10-20 minutes on the gas grill, med. Heat, continually brush basting with a mix of olive oil and Rosemary/Dill (equal parts). I've heard they are best with just a little pink left in the meat after cooking, so that's what I'll shoot for.

I'll let everyone know how it turns out tomorrow!

Anyone here have a favorite Lamb Chop recipe?

[Glass]

Well that sounds like my new favourite recipe there Gaillo. You'd think with so many sheep in Australia lamb would be cheap enough to eat every day. I'm lucky if I have it more than a couple times a year. Lamb is the national dish down under but very expensive.

[Dogman]

Well that sounds like my new favourite recipe there Gaillo. You'd think with so many sheep in Australia lamb would be cheap enough to eat every day. I'm lucky if I have it more than a couple times a year. Lamb is the national dish down under but very expensive.


Where does beef fit in?

[Gaillo]

Fresh update... they were FANTASTIC!!!! :D

It took about 12 minutes per side to get the right "done-ness" - and I used up all the basting oil/herbs (about 1/4 cup) before they were done... but what an amazing treat! Henny and I loved every bite.

[big country]

Lamb is one of our favorite meals in our household.

I usually do a "rub" with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, crushed mint, and crushed red pepper flakes. I dont measure, just do a little of this, some of that, in a bowl and rub it on the meat before frying. Normally pan fry in a cast iron pan w/o oil. traditionally lamb is "perfect" when cooked around medium rare.

In the Big Country household we eat it with mint sauce (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SAQJW4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0001LVX4U&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=10VHBTAAS5NE0ZW5S6HZ) or mint jelly as a "topping"

Mint and lamb is a perfect pair

[Shami-Amourae]

Question: Why are you using powdered garlic when you can use minced/crushed garlic? Same with the lemon pepper.

What if you used minced garlic, freshly ground pepper, lemon juice, and finished the lamb chops with some lemon zest from a microplane. Garlic powder is really only good for dry rubs IMO. When I cooked professionally we would grind whole peppercorns in those small spice/coffee grinders and store them in dishes (I do mason jars.) Make yourself a weekly supply so you get the pepper whenever you want, plus it's a rich black color, full of the natural oils found in the pepper which adds a more robust flavor.


Personally I'd drop the lemon entirely and replace it with merlot, the merlot would help with the game flavor. Also add some sprigs of thyme, and minced shallots (keep the rosemary and crushed garlic.) Once you finish marinading strain the liquid and cook it on the store and reduce it until the alcohol burns off. Whisk in some slurry (1/2 corn starch, 1/2 water mixed together), and allow the sauce to thicken, and whisk in whole butter, not allowing the sauce to break, and pour over the pork chops, (must be medium rare!)

Here's one of my fav ways I've done lamb (Roasted Ellensburg Lamb w/ Shallot-Melot Sauce, Fried Blue Cheese Croquettes, Summer Beans, and Micro-Green Salad):

[Gaillo]

Shami,
I normally would use minced fresh Garlic, but I was out of garlic cloves yesterday and had the powder handy in my spice cupboard. As for the lemon pepper, I was not sure the lemon juice would survive the grilling enough to add the "zing" I was after, so I added it just to make sure there would be some lemon flavor no matter what. The next time I cook Lamb, I'll definitely try the Merlot instead of lemon, that sounds really good!

[Shami-Amourae]

Shami,
I normally would use minced fresh Garlic, but I was out of garlic cloves yesterday and had the powder handy in my spice cupboard. As for the lemon pepper, I was not sure the lemon juice would survive the grilling enough to add the "zing" I was after, so I added it just to make sure there would be some lemon flavor no matter what. The next time I cook Lamb, I'll definitely try the Merlot instead of lemon, that sounds really good!


Simple solution is to squeeze a lemon over the lamb when it's finished cooking and top with some lemon zest. You can also marinade with the lemon zest because it releases the natural oils in the lemon which should survive through cooking.

[Shami-Amourae]

This is the same method I did the lamb picture above with, but I just did bread crumbs and garlic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B6HDmeMRtI

Also, since I'm showing you Ramsay, I HAVE to show you the BEST steak dish ever IMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzrofOTI5o8

[Gaillo]

Shami,
Earlier this evening, I tried the steak recipe you posted last night - and even though I slightly overcooked the Ribeyes (I'm used to cooking steaks on a grill, not in a pan...), they turned out THE BEST steaks I've ever eaten in my life! I followed the recipe exactly, except for the fresh Rosemary (I only had dried that I picked 2 months ago, so I sprinkled it into the melted butter before spooning it over the steak/garlic cloves).

THANK YOU for posting that!

[crazychicken]

Gaillo---

Thanks for starting this OUTSTANDING thread!

CC

[Shami-Amourae]

You really need to get the rosemary fresh, and roll it up in a paper towel and crush it between your fingers/hands. I grow it, and if you get it fresh and crush it like this it releases all of it's oils/flavors into the butter, penetrating it deeply. After it's cooked in the butter a while the rosemary will get crispy and you and brush the needles off the sprig on top of the meat. I would also recommend dropping some vine ripened cherry tomatoes in the butter while you cook, they will explode and add some needed acidity to cut through some of the fat to build a better balance to the steak.

Cooking steak to the proper doneness is an art in itself, but always stop cooking when it's 1 temperature below where you want (like if you want medium rare, cook it to rare OR if you want it to medium well, cook it to medium.) I've cooked at least 7,500 steaks (mainly filet mignon) in my cooking career, so I'm fairly familiar with the doneness by touch alone. The proper way to do it is by touch, but you can also do it with a thermometer if you don't know how to do it by touch.


Rare
120 to 125 degrees F

Medium Rare
130 to 135 degrees F

Medium
140 to 145 degrees F

Medium Well
150 to 155 degrees F

Well Done
160 degrees F and above


Almost all chefs agree Medium Rare is the best way to eat red meat. So cook it to 120 to 125 degrees F and let it rest on a plate at least 5 minutes before serving!

How to properly cook a steak (pay attention to what he does @1:10):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtIiR7DBAqY

[bellevuebully]

For the players.......