Ina Garten's Grilled Lamb Chops

Ina Garten's grilled lamb chops come out juicy and tender flavored with lemon and Moroccan-inspired spices in this recipe. This recipe is beginner-friendly for those who want to learn how to prepare perfectly grilled lamb chops. These lamb chops would be wonderful served with some couscous due to their Moroccan influence.

How to Make Ina Garten's Grilled Lamb Chops

Ina Garten provides easy instructions for cooking lamb chops on the grill with this recipe. You start by making the seasoning mixture which is made with garlic, fresh mint leaves, ground turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin, lemon zest, and olive oil, and then you rub it all over the chops. Then, you make a mixture with yogurt, Sriracha, and lemon juice and let the lamb chops soak in this mixture for 12 hours.

Grilling lamb chops will take between 5 to 8 minutes for each side. You will know that they are done when the internal temperature reaches 135 F to 140 F. Once the chops, you can serve them with rice, mashed potatoes, or couscous.

Ina Garten's Grilled Lamb Chops Ingredients

• 6 large garlic cloves
• ⅓ cup julienned fresh mint leaves
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 5 tablespoons good quality olive oil, plus extra for the grill
• 3 racks of lamb (6 to 7 ribs each), cut into chops
• 1 ½ cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (12 ounces)
• 1 ½ teaspoon Sriracha
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Couscous with Pine Nuts and Mint, for serving, recipe follows 

Couscous with Pine Nuts and Mint:

• 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 ½ cups couscous
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup julienned fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts

Ina Garten's Grilled Lamb Chops Instructions

1. Add the garlic, mint, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon zest, and 2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse the mixture until finely ground. 

2. Add the olive oil to the mixture and mix until well combined.

3. Place the chops on a large baking sheet. 

4. Rub the spice mixture evenly on both sides of the chops. 

5. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the Sriracha and lemon juice, and pour the mixture evenly on the lamb chops. 

6. Cover the chops and place them in the fridge for about 6 to 24 hours.

7. Prepare the grill (a charcoal grill) with hot coals and place the cooking grate 5 to 6 inches above the coals. 

8. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill the lamb, with the yogurt side facing up, for 4 to 5 minutes.

9. Turn and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare. 

10. Check the internal temperature, which should reach 135 F. If not, give the chops an extra 2 minutes on each side and check again.

11. Transfer the lamb chops to a clean plate, cover them tightly with aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

How to Cook Couscous with Pine Nuts and Mint for the Grilled Lamb Chops

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat.
2. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes until tender but not browned.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil.
4. Add 1 ½ cups couscous with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook the mixture for 2 minutes. 
5. Remove from the heat and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid; allow the couscous to steam for 15 minutes. 
6. Add the mint and pine nuts to the couscous and stir until combined.
7. Taste and add 1 teaspoon of salt or less and ½ teaspoon of pepper. 
8. Serve hot with the grilled lamb chops.

How to Store Ina Garten's Grilled Lamb Chops

In the Fridge:

According to the USDA FSIS, grilled lamb chops can last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. All you have to do is let them cool until they reach room temperature, and then cover them with plastic wrap, heavy-duty aluminum foil, or glass containers and then place them in the fridge.

In the Freezer:

To store grilled lamb chops for more than 4 days, your should place them in the freezer. You can use Ziploc bags, wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil, or plastic storage containers. Properly stored grilled lamb chops will maintain the best quality for 2 to 3 months.

How to Reheat:

The easy way to reheat leftover lamb chops is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F, place the lamb chops in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil and reheat them for 10 minutes on each side. Check the lamb chops' internal temperature using a thermometer. Once they are heated, the temperature should be 135 F.

Don't reheat lamb chops from frozen. You should thaw them first.

How to Thaw Grilled Lamb Chops

You can thaw frozen lamb chops in three different ways; in the fridge, in cold water, and in the microwave.

• In the Fridge: It will take more than 24 hours until the lamb chops are completely thawed, although bone-in lamb chops may take a little bit longer.
• In Cold Water: Simply place the frozen lamb chops in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes until they are thawed. This should take 2 to 4 hours.
• In the Microwave: It can take 10 to 20 minutes until the lamb chops are completely thawed. Make sure to check the meat every 2 minutes after the initial 10 minutes of heating.

What to Serve With Grilled Lamb Chops

Mashed potatoes, grilled veggies, couscous, and much more side dishes can be served with grilled lamb chops. You can prepare cranberry sauce and serve it on top of the lamb, or serve the lamb with Scalloped Potatoes. Also, cooked white rice can work well with grilled lamb chops.

Here is a list of the best side dishes that can be served with grilled lamb chops:

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Glazed Carrots
• Lemon Dill Rice
• Grilled Asparagus Salad with Lemon & Feta
• Cucumber Radish Salad
• Garlic Roasted Radishes
• Spinach Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Feta
• Green Bean Casserole
• Costco's Stuffed Peppers
• French Onion Soup
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Frequently Asked Questions

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Ina Garten’s Grilled Lamb Chops

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ina Garten’s grilled lamb chops come out juicy and tender flavored with lemon and Moroccan-inspired spices in this recipe. This recipe is beginner-friendly for those who want to learn how to prepare perfectly grilled lamb chops. These lamb chops would be wonderful served with some couscous due to their Moroccan influence.

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Ingredients

• 6 large garlic cloves
• ⅓ cup julienned fresh mint leaves
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 5 tablespoons good quality olive oil, plus extra for the grill
• 3 racks of lamb (6 to 7 ribs each), cut into chops
• 1 ½ cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (12 ounces)
• 1 ½ teaspoon Sriracha
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

1. Add the garlic, mint, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon zest, and 2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse the mixture until finely ground. 
2. Add the olive oil to the mixture and mix until well combined.
3. Place the chops on a large baking sheet. 
4. Rub the spice mixture evenly on both sides of the chops. 
5. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the Sriracha and lemon juice, and pour the mixture evenly on the lamb chops. 
6. Cover the chops and place them in the fridge for about 6 to 24 hours.
7. Prepare the grill (a charcoal grill) with hot coals and place the cooking grate 5 to 6 inches above the coals. 
8. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill the lamb, with the yogurt side facing up, for 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Turn and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare. 
10. Check the internal temperature, which should reach 135 F. If not, give the chops an extra 2 minutes on each side and check again.
11. Transfer the lamb chops to a clean plate, cover them tightly with aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 452Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 214mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 25g