You will love these delicious Marinated Lamb Loin Chops. Tender and succulent, they are full of flavour, easy to prepare and quick to cook. A Mediterranean inspired herb and spice marinade transforms plain lamb loin chops into a special meal which the whole family will enjoy. Dinner is made easy with this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- It is family friendly as you can customise the flavours in the marinade to suit your taste.
- The recipe uses simple ingredients and is quickly and easily made. Marinate the chops in the morning and you have the beginning of your dinner.
- The Mediterranean flavours of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and fresh rosemary perfectly complement the lamb chops.
- We serve the chops with a simple Garlic Yoghurt Mint Sauce; they are great companions.
- Cooked as per the recipe, the Marinated Lamb Chops are naturally gluten-free.
- With fine weather, you can take this meal outdoors and cook the chops on the barbecue.
Recipe Inspiration: for many people, lamb has been a quintessential part of their diet for decades. To give what is already a beautiful cut of meat a flavour boost, I created this marinade and am delighted by the delicious result.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Lamb loin chops – this is a tender cut of meat. The chops cook quickly and will remain tender if they are not overcooked. We have some tips below for you to avoid overcooking the meat. Lamb loin chops come from the loin area of the lamb, situated along the back of the lamb between the ribs and the hip. It is a prime cut, producing tender meat and sometimes called the lamb equivalent of the T-bone steak.
- Extra virgin olive oil – an essential ingredient in Mediterranean cooking, it adds great flavour. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Lemon juice – we use it in our marinade and Yoghurt Sauce. For the best result, use freshly squeezed juice. The acidity helps tenderise the meat and tames the slight gamey flavour.
- Sugar – just a small amount of sugar aids with caramelisation of the surface area of the chops and balances the other flavours.
- Coarse cooking salt – sea salt adds flavour to the marinade and Yoghurt Sauce, as well as tenderising the chops as they marinate.
- Rosemary – fresh rosemary is a popular herb in Mediterranean cuisine; aromatic and flavoursome, it is a great addition.
- Garlic – we prefer to use fresh cloves.
- Mint – fresh mint leaves are a classic companion to lamb. They add great flavour to the marinade and the yoghurt dressing.
- Black pepper – for the best flavour, use freshly ground black pepper. It has a brighter flavour than pre-ground pepper.
- Greek yoghurt – the base for our sauce. Greek yoghurt has been strained and is thicker than regular yoghurt.
Variations:
Lamb loin chops – this is our preference, but you can use lamb cutlets if you wish. Our simple Grilled Lamb Cutlets is also an easy, delicious recipe.
Herbs – vary the herbs to suit your taste. Oregano, marjoram or thyme would all be good choices.
Spice – if you like some spice, you could add some dried chilli flakes.
How To Make Marinated Lamb Loin Chops:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare the Mediterranean marinade:
Add all marinade ingredients to a small food processor and whiz to combine. If you do not have a food processor, the ingredients can be finely chopped.
2 – Place the chops into the marinade:
Tip the marinade into a glass or ceramic dish, large enough to hold the 8 chops. Add the chops and turn once or twice to thoroughly coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours up to 24 hours, turning the chops in the marinade several times. Remove the chops from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking.
3 – Grill the lamb loin chops:
Heat a ribbed grill pan or heavy based frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chops and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side depending on their thickness. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 63 degrees C (145 F). It is considered well done at 70 degrees C (160 F).
When cooked, remove to a platter and set aside to rest for 4 minutes. Serve with Herbed Garlic Yoghurt Sauce.
4 – Prepare the Yoghurt Sauce:
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Check that the seasoning is to your liking. Chill until you are ready to serve.
Hint: a meat thermometer is a very useful kitchen tool and will help ensure your lamb is cooked to your liking. For the best result, bring the lamb chops to room temperature before cooking. This ensures that the meat cooks more evenly. And be sure to allow a few minutes to rest the meat after cooking. It is an important step as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it more succulent and tender.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
A marinade has a dual purpose. It acts as a brine, making the texture more succulent and tender as well as infusing the chops with flavour.
You can prepare the chops in advance to make weeknight meals a breeze. Ideally, the chops should marinate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
To have tender, juicy chops, it is essential that they are not overcooked. The most accurate way to ensure that your meat is cooked to perfection is to use a thermometer and cook the meat to the temperature that we recommend. I consider a thermometer an essential kitchen accessory, and I use mine frequently. Otherwise, you can use the suggested cooking time as a guide, but it is not precise as the time will vary depending on the heat you use and the thickness of the chops.
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you prefer, you can freeze them, wrapped well in cling wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn, for up to 2 months. Be sure to label and date them.
I prefer not to reheat them as there is the risk of making them tough. I like to slice them thinly and add to a sandwich or salad. They are still delicious cold. But if you wish, you can reheat them in a 150 degrees C (300 F) oven on a baking tray or heatproof platter covered firmly with foil. Heat for about 10-15 minutes. For safety purposes, the centre of the chops should register a temperature of 63 degrees C (145 F). You can also reheat them over medium-low heat in a frying pan with a small amount of oil and a lid on the frying pan. Again, check the internal temperature as above.
Top Tip:
Although they take very little time to cook, you do need to plan so you can marinate them overnight or on the morning of serving.
As there are so few ingredients, I recommend that you buy good quality individual lamb loin chops, or if it suits your requirements better, you could use lamb cutlets.
Serving Suggestions:
With the Mediterranean flavours of the marinade, I like to serve the lamb with one or several of these options:
- Crispy Roasted Smashed Potatoes
- Roasted Red Pepper Salad
- Mediterranean Baked Beans
- Charred Corn Salad
- Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
If you have not previously Marinated Lamb Chops, you will be delighted by the way it enhances their flavour. Having learned that cooking tender, flavoursome Lamb Chops depends on not overcooking them, you will find yourself turning to this easy recipe on a regular basis. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below!
Alex xx
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Marinated Lamb Loin Chops
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
Lamb Marinade:
- 8 loin lamb chops – about 3 cm (1 inch) thick – approximately 1 kilo (2.2 lb) See Note 1
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice – freshly squeezed See Note 2
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt – not table salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves – roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic – roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoon fresh mint – roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Yoghurt Sauce:
- ½ cup (120ml) Greek yoghurt
- 1 small garlic clove – finely grated or chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint – finely chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt See Note 3
Instructions
For the Lamb Marinade:
- Add all marinade ingredients to a small food processor and blend to combine.Tip into a glass or ceramic dish, large enough to hold the 8 chops.
- Add the chops and turn once or twice to thoroughly coat both sides.Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours (or up to 24 hours), turning the chops in the marinade several times.
- Remove the chops from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a ribbed grill pan or heavy based frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook in two batches if necessary so you don't overcrowd the pan.When hot, add the chops and cook for about 3-4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to an internal temperature of 63 degrees C (145 F).When cooked, remove to a platter and set aside to rest for 4 minutes.Serve with the Garlic Yoghurt Sauce.
For the Minted Garlic Yoghurt Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Check that the seasoning is to your liking. Chill until you are ready to serve.
Notes
- Lamb loin chops: come from the loin area of the lamb, situated along the back of the lamb between the ribs and the hip. It is a prime cut, producing tender meat and sometimes called the lamb equivalent of the T-bone steak.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each tablespoon listed.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Proper seasoning is essential for a delicious dish that is well flavoured.
- Make-ahead: the chops should marinate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
- Storage: once cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you prefer, you can freeze them, wrapped well in cling wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn, for up to 2 months. Be sure to label and date them.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
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