How to Cook the BEST Lamb Chops

Prepared lamb chops arranged on grey plate.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grilled lamb chops

Prep Time: 8

Cook Time: 10

Marinating Time: 30

Total Time: 48

Servings: people

Calories: 1027kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

Learn how to cook lamb chops with perfect results every time! Make a quick marinade with olive oil, garlic, lemon and rosemary. Then, cook your chops on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove.

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Ingredients

8 lamb rib chops ¾ inches thick
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic grated or minced
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped, or 1 tsp dried rosemary
1 lemon zested and juiced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt & pepper in a small bowl.
Pour the mixture over the lamb chops and let marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Grill

Heat grill to 500-degrees and grill chops for 2-4 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reads 135-degrees, for medium-rare*.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Grill Pan

Cook on medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes per side.

Broiler

Preheat your broiler to HIGH. Remove lamb chops from the refrigerator 30-minutes before you plan to cook them. Broil for 3-5 minutes per side.

Video

Notes

Cooking temperatures

Rare: 115ºF – 124ºF (very pink inside)
Medium rare: 125ºF – 135ºFF (bright pink inside)
Medium: 136ºF – 144ºF (light pink inside)
Medium well: 145ºF – 154ºF (barely any pink left)
Well done: 155ºF (no pink)

Note: The USDA recommends cooking lamb to an internal temperature of 145 degrees with a 3 minute rest.

Tips

Don’t over-marinate the lamb. If the lamb is left marinating for more than 24 hours, the citrus will cause the meat to break down too much.
Be sure to let your lamb come to room temperature before placing it on your hot grill. This ensures that it will grill up evenly, without the inside of the lamb being too rare.
Use a meat thermometer! It’s much easier than eyeballing it. When the internal temperature reaches 130ºF, the lamb will be a nice medium rare.
Leaving the grilled chops to rest for 5 minutes is preferred to seal in the delicious juices and flavor.

Nutrition