Grilled Lamb Chops with Greek Herbs & Spices from ‘The New Mediterranean Table’

Photograph by Matt Lien

From Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week: The New Mediterranean Table by Sameh Wadi

Grilled Lamb Chops with Greek Herbs & Spices 
4 servings as an entrée or 8 as a snack

When I was growing up, lamb was a staple meat in our house, particularly the tougher cuts, such as the shank or shoulder that needed to be braised or slow cooked. I rarely remember eating the chops. Those always went into the bottom of the pan of grape leaves, to prevent the grape leaves from burning, as they have very little flavor. Nowadays, I must admit that I love a good chop. Cooking meat on the bone really makes a difference in the flavor. The trick to achieving a perfect char on these chops is in slathering them with the rendered lamb fat and the spice blend. I personally prefer to cook lamb chops to medium with a charred outer layer to melt the fat enough to be enjoyable. Serve with Smoky Corn Farina.

For the Lamb Chops

1 (4 lb) 8-bone whole rack of lamb, domestic preferred, chime bone removed, fat cap trimmed, cut into individual chops (not frenched) 
2 tbsp rendered lamb fat, warmed but not hot (see Chef ’s Tip) 
2 garlic cloves, sliced 
2 fresh oregano sprigs 
2 fresh thyme sprigs 
Sea salt 
Magic Greek Spice (recipe follows), as needed 
Extra virgin olive oil

In a large, shallow baking pan, liberally brush the chops with the rendered lamb fat, top with half the garlic and herbs, refrigerate until the lamb fat is hard, flip the chops over and repeat on the other side. This can be done up to 1 day in advance. Alternatively, you can skip the lamb fat and just toss the chops in vegetable oil, garlic and herbs and marinate overnight. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to moderate-high heat. Bring the chops to room temperature and discard the garlic and herbs. Season liberally with salt and Magic Greek Spice. Grill the chops until firm and charred on the outside, about 3–5 minutes per side, depending on their thickness and how you like the meat done. Rest the meat for 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle more Magic Greek Spice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

For the Magic Greek Spice

3¾ tbsp black peppercorns 
2¼ tsp dried green peppercorns 
2 tsp coriander seeds 
2 tbsp dried oregano 
2½ tsp garlic powder 
2 tsp citric acid

In a small frying pan, combine the black peppercorns, green peppercorns and coriander, and toast over moderate heat, stirring the spices occasionally so they toast evenly, for 2–4 minutes, until they start to warm up and become fragrant. Be careful not to over toast and burn. Remove from the pan and let cool. Pour the spices into a spice grinder and finely grind in small batches; place in a mixing bowl. Grind the oregano, combine with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Chef’s Tip: If you don’t have access to a charcoal or gas grill, you can achieve similar but less dramatic results by using a ridged cast-iron grill pan. The Magic Greek Spice blend used in this recipe makes more than you will need. But trust me, that’s a good thing. It’s very versatile and you will want to use it with fish, chicken, beef and vegetables. 

To make rendered lamb fat, finely dice the trimmed fat cap or any lamb fat and place in a heavy-bottomed pot with a few tablespoons of water. Slowly melt over moderate heat until the fat is completely rendered, about 1 hour. Reserve in an airtight container in the freezer indefinitely.

Reprinted with permission from The New Mediterranean Table by Sameh Wadi (Page Street Publishing).