Nothing says gourmet like some juicy, perfectly pan seared lamb chops, and now you can have restaurant-quality lamb chops at home! With minimal ingredients and minimal prep time, you'll be amazed at how delicious homemade lamb chops can be!
1tablespoonbutter(high fat European butter is best)
2teaspoongarlic(minced)
fresh herbs(optional)
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Instructions
Start by heating extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dry 4 lamb loin chops by patting them with paper towels. Then, season them with lamb rub.
Next, when the oil is shimmering hot and almost to the point of smoking, carefully place the lamb chops in the pan. Make sure not to crowd them. Work in batches, if needed. Sear the lamb by cooking 4 minutes on one side and 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.
When the lamb is seared, add butter, minced garlic, and a sprig of rosemary.
Use a spoon to continuously pour melted butter over the lamb, also known as basting (or arroser), until it reaches desired doneness (*see note). The internal temperature should reach 125℉ (52℃) in the thickest part of the chop for medium-rare.
After the lamb is done, remove them from the heat and use a piece of foil to make a loose tent over the top. Let it rest for5 minutes before serving to reabsorb juices.
Notes
Warm lamb before cooking. Pull the lamb chops out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. Warming them up promotes even cooking.
Add sesame oil. Lamb can be a bit gamey. Loin chops are less so than leg chops, but to really reduce the gaminess, drip a drop of sesame oil into your olive oil when you make this recipe.
There's something wonderful about cast iron skillets for searing meat beautifully! That said, any skillet or frying pan can do the job. If you don't have a cast iron skillet handy, the next best frying pan would be one with a heavy bottom (they distribute the heat almost as well as cast iron).
Follow USDA guidelines. They say lamb should be 145℉ (63℃) for it to be safe to consume. We all have different preferences, though, so check out the degrees of doneness below. Also, note that lamb will continue to heat up (aka ‘carryover cooking’) another 5℉ after being removed from the heat.
Rare: 120℉ to 125℉ (49℃ to 52℃)
Medium-rare: 125℉ to 130℉ (52℃ to 54℃)
Medium: 130℉ to 135℉ (54℃ to 57℃)
Medium-well: 135℉ to 140℉ (57℃ to 60℃)
Well-done: 140+℉ (60℃)
Refrigerate leftover lamb chops for up to 3-4 days, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.