Recipe: Grilled Garlic-Rosemary Lamb Chops

I’ve got a fever. And the only prescription is more grilling!

We live in lamb country here in Oregon. Something about rolling green hills requires sheep (see also: Ireland, Great Britain, New Zealand). It’s also springtime, which means it’s lamb season. And I’m grateful because it’s such a nice change-up from whatever the culinary status quo happens to be.

In the days of pre-Primal yore, I used to bust out complicated recipes that required me to…well…follow a recipe. These days, with all this gorgeous meat, it’s nice sometimes to notice that natural grass-fed flavor. So there’s nothing earth-shaking about this recipe, but it will complement your lamb beautifully. If I may paraphrase Mr. Henry David Thoreau, “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your [ingredients] be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your [recipes] on your thumb-nail.” What’s that rolling I hear coming from the direction of Massachusetts?

Grilled Garlic-Rosemary Lamb Chops

lamb loin chops, 2-3 per person depending on size (We had 12 for four people)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1) Sprinkle S&P on both sides of chops. Combine the rest of the ingredients (garlic through oil) in a small bowl and pour on chops. Seal chops in a large zip baggie or container and refrigerate for 4 hours.

2) Preheat grill (if gas, turn on high for 10 minutes; if charcoal, light and wait until coals are white and hot). Shake excess oil off chops to prevent flare-ups and then slap the chops on the grill (if using a gas grill, reduce heat to medium-high). Wait for good grillmarks, about 3 minutes, then flip for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. Be sure not to overcook! If someone’s squeamish about bloody meat, then offer them more salad.

Serves 4.

NOTES: Caveman Home Companion has been raving on Twitter about his lamb marinade. So if you’re feeling fancy and you have some lavender laying around, this looks pretty good too.