The result: wonderfully juicy meat with browned, crisp, delicious fat. Even the leftovers are good! Pan-fried lamb chops are surprisingly easy to make. It’s one of those dishes that they serve you at restaurants, and it seems all fancy and complicated. But in fact, it’s as easy as fast food (though certainly not as cheap). Since they’re quite expensive, I don’t make them very often. But when I do, everyone raves about them. They are juicy and delicious!
Ingredients
Recipe Card
Single-rib lamb chops: I usually buy them at Whole Foods at the meat counter, although I often spot them at the supermarket too. To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary. Sometimes, I also add a sprinkle of cumin. Another tasty option instead of the rosemary, and the one I use in the video below, is dried thyme. Ghee: Perfect for high-heat cooking and very flavorful! You can also use avocado oil, or even olive oil - especially if it’s marked as suitable for high-heat cooking.
Your first step is to season the chops with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary. Cook them in a cast-iron skillet for 2-3 minutes per side. If they’re thick, you should also cook the edges, especially the ones with the fat strip. Before serving, let them rest for a few minutes. That’s it! So, your main concern when frying these chops is to avoid overcooking them. Unless very thick, they only need 2-3 minutes per side on high heat. That’s why I don’t remove them from the fridge prior to cooking them. Cooking them chilled helps ensure that I don’t accidentally overcook them. (I do the same with steaks, including New York Strip and ribeye steak). I usually go with roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted cherry tomatoes. A simple salad also goes well with this dish and nicely balances out its richness. Good options include cucumber salad, arugula salad, and tomato salad (as shown in the photo below).
