- 8-9 bone-in lamb rib, loin, or leg chops, about 1-inch thick (about 2 pounds*)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon per pound)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons EACH olive oil and butter, for the pan
- Optional for serving: Italian salsa verde (recipe follows)
Pan Seared Lamb Chops
Yield: 4 servings
Quick to cook and loaded with flavor, this easy lamb chop recipe offers welcome variety to the weekly meal rotation and is sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Instructions
Pat the lamb chops dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. If possible, allow the chops sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking.
Heat the butter and oil in a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet or other heavy pan set over medium-high heat until the butter begins to turn light brown. Arrange the lamb chops in the pan, leaving a little space between them.
Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked to your liking. (See temperature guide above the recipe card.)
Remove pan from the heat, and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
*Depending on where and when you buy lamb chops, they can range from thin (½- to ¾-inch thick – which are great finger food and what we call lollipop chops) to an inch or more. When seasoning, I use ½ teaspoon kosher or coarse salt per pound of chops as a guideline. I’ve also seen REALLY thick chops at Costco, which take a good bit longer to cook through. (For these, rely on the temperature guidelines mentioned above.) I find that people who don’t think of themselves as lamb fans tend to really enjoy the thinner options.