Use the simple technique of pan-searing to make some mouth-watering lamb loin chops. Give them a quick sear in a hot pan, add some herbs, and that's it! The flavor comes from the quality of the meat — because great flavor starts with great ingredients, not a bottled marinade or sauce.
The meat is complemented simply with good salt and pepper, but I’ve included additional seasoning ideas after the recipe for variations to this fresh, fabulous dish.
I also must add that every time I've made this dish for company with only sea salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence, someone exclaims, "This is so good! What did you put on it?" And then we all giggle at the simplicity of it. You can save this idea to your recipe app under the category "Easy Entertaining," because it is! Add a side dish you can make ahead, a simple salad, and maybe splurge on a special dessert from your favorite bakery, and your menu is complete.
2 lamb loin chops per person — grass-fed or grass-finished, if possible
Olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
If you have time, take the lamb out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Pat the chops dry with a paper towel (this helps with browning). Or they can go straight from fridge to pan — it's fine for a quick dinner.
Add just a touch of olive oil to a skillet to coat it to prevent sticking, and brown the chops. Cast iron, copper, or stainless steel skillets are excellent for heat conductivity, cooking evenly, and searing.
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat.
Place the chops in the hot pan and cook without moving them for 2 minutes to get a nice crust.
After 3-4 minutes, season the lamb chops with salt & pepper and flip them to cook the other side.
Cook for about 3 more minutes on the second side for rare.
Season the second side with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat.
Flip the chops again and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. This keeps the juices inside and the meat tender.
In general, the longer you cook meat, the more flavor it loses. As it cooks, moisture evaporates and fat renders out, leaving the meat drier and less rich the more it is cooked. Also, the proteins in the meat contract, squeezing out moisture, which can make it tougher in addition to losing flavor. In addition, the compounds that give meat its rich, savory taste break down at higher temperatures. That’s why rare or medium-rare meat keeps its flavor more than a well-done cut.
That said, some meats handle longer cooking better than others. Lamb, for instance, is more forgiving than beef because of its higher fat content. You can't go wrong with lamb; it tastes great rare and even well done.
Also, slow-cooked cuts (like braised short ribs or lamb shanks) develop deep flavors over cooking time due to fat breakdown and collagen turning into gelatin. But for quick-cooked cuts like steaks or chops, medium-rare to medium is the sweet spot for maximum flavor.
You can use a meat thermometer to gauge the temperature while cooking. I prefer not to pierce the meat because that lets the juices escape. After searing meat a few times, you’ll get a feel for how long to cook it to reach your desired temperature.
Temperature notes:
Rare (cool red center): 3–4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 125° F
Medium-rare (warm red center): 4–5 minutes per side, or 130–135° F
Medium (pink center): 5–6 minutes per side, or 140–145° F
Well-done: 7–8 minutes per side, or 160° F
Add a sprinkle of herbes de Provence or seasoned sea salt before serving.
Add some fresh herbes like rosemary or thyme.
Serve with gremolata (parsley, garlic, and lemon zest) on the side, or sprinkle some persillade (minced parsley and garlic) on top of the chops.
Lamb chops finished with fresh thyme and roasted red potatoes
Simply changing the fresh or dried herbs you use creates something new.
Lamb loin chops with dried thyme.
Lemon zest and wild fennel sea salt. It's fun to have seasoned sea salt on hand.
And herbes de Provence too!
