Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic-Rosemary Marinade

Tips for Cooking The Best Lamb

• Season properly – Lamb can be gamey so to combat this ensuring the meat is properly salted and marinated is essential. Salt and garlic mellow out the gamey flavor and make all the difference. When people say they don’t like lamb, under-seasoning is usually why it did not turn out. Serving it with a mint jelly or this mint yogurt sauce also balances the flavor.
• Marinate – Beer is an excellent base for any lamb marinade. The enzymes in the beer break down the fibers making the meat more tender. Beer also adds a sweet caramel-like flavor to the meat. But be sure not to marinate for too long or those fibers will break down too much and the texture of the meat will become unpleasant.
• Cook To Temp – just like cooking steak, keep track of the temperature. Overcooked lamb will become dry and tough.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Lamb Loin Chops – Other cuts of lamb will also work well in this recipe. If choosing to use a leg of lamb be sure to have your butcher cut it into chops. Or you can marinate the leg of lamb and attach it to a BBQ spit, basting it with the juices as it cooks.
• Beer – A mild flavored beer like lager or ale is recommended. Doesn’t need to be expensive, so save the craft beer to drink.
• Garlic – One of the best spices to balance out the “gamey” flavour of lamb!
• Fresh Rosemary – Gives this lamb loin chops recipe its earthy, piney flavour.
• Salt – Added just before grilling and very important to reduce the “gamey-ness” of lamb.

How To Make Grilled Lamb Chops

1. Place the lamb chops in a casserole dish. Pour the beer over top of the lamb chops and sprinkle with garlic, rosemary and seasoning salt. 
2. Marinate covered in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Remove from the fridge a half hour before grilling to help bring the meat up to room temperature.

How Long To Cook Lamb?

Depending on the outside temperature cooking times may vary (I was grilling in the winter surrounded by snow so mine took a little longer). For medium doneness, a meat thermometer in the centre should read 155ºF. I recommend staying on the medium to medium-rare side as well-done or overcooked lamb can be tough.

To tell the temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the center of your lamb chop. According to American Lamb, the following temperatures are recommended:

• Medium-Rare – 145ºF
• Medium – 160ºF
• Well-Done – 170ºF

What To Serve With Lamb Chops

• Garlic Cauliflower and Potato Mash
• Butter Smothered Green Beans & Cashews
• Italian Peas and Mushrooms

How long does it take to marinate lamb? 

These rosemary lamb chops must marinate for at least 2-3 hours. A couple of hours is plenty of time for the marinade to infuse the meat. You can allow the lamb chops to marinate for longer if needed but you should not let it marinate for over 24 hours as the fibres can begin breaking down.

Storage

Lamb chops should be stored in a shallow, airtight container or tightly wrapped in aluminum foil before being refrigerated. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan over medium-low heat with a little olive oil to avoid sticking.  Covering with a lid will help it to come up to temperature faster.