Chimichurri Lamb Chops

Author Notes

Lamb chops and the chimichurri sauce are quite simple to prepare and inexpensive, but incredibly special and delicious.

The chimichurri sauce is bursting with flavors and can be used as a salad dressing, drizzled over tomatoes or topped on fish, chicken or steak. Making extra and storing the rest in the fridge is a good way to go.

This chimichurri sauce was inspired by lemons&anchovies.com which is an amazing and fascinating food blog that you will have to check out! I changed the sauce a little because I can’t handle raw garlic and I love my lemon, but either way is suburb! All of her recipes and pictures are mouth watering good! —CoconutsandCardamom

Test Kitchen Notes

You can feel August coming in the waning weeks of July in DC. The endless waves of heat have left our collective bodies and brains soppy and languid, unready to turn on ovens, and some days, even chop a shallot. We read recipes from the comfort of bed, planning Thanksgiving, because who really wants to think about tonight’s dinner. Or we lay prone on an Adirondack chair, wondering vaguely why someone hasn’t proffered a gin rickey. Tans deepen, in spite of expensive French sunscreen. Mosquitos hatch, then buzz quietly around ankles. And still the red line fails to come.

What antidote do we have really, other than the grill?

If you’ve a partner, you can really whip up Chimichurri Lamb Chops in ten minutes, but I am going to stretch this to a mere 20, just so your chimichurri sauce can develop a few flavors. Do take your meat out, to get it room temperature, and get the grill going.

If you read the recipe closely, you will note that CoconutsandCardamom seems to be testing you to see if you’re paying attention. The writer speaks in the chopping instructions of parsley, though it is never mentioned in the ingredients. You will need about a cup, or whatever you have lying about. Ditto for red pepper flakes; just get those out and have them at the ready.

You start with the garlic simmering in some nice olive oil (I say nice because it will be added to your sauce but of course use what you have) but I would not do so over a medium heat unless you want some burned garlic in this, which you don’t. Just do a fast little simmer at a low heat while you chop your herbs.

This all goes into the food processor, herbs first, then the oil and vinegar and red pepper. I had never heard of montreal steak seasoning, but I put her in the Google and realized it was essentially some onion and pepper mix. So add some black pepper. Whatever. Mix the olive oil in slowly as you may not need a half cup; it really depends on your desired consistency but I used only ¼ cup and it was great.

As your (DELICIOUS!) chimichurri sauce sits around developing its thing, go ahead and salt and pepper those lamb chops and grill them, watching carefully not to overcook. With the grill at 400 degrees, cook for roughly two minutes per side for rib chops and three minutes per side for thicker loin chops. A hot grill will sear the outside while, if you are disciplined about cooking time, leaving the chops warm and pink inside.

Throw some veggies on there too, if you have them, or mix up some orzo. That’s it. Go fold your last load of laundry. —Jestei