Lamb chops are one of the quickest, most rewarding things you can cook on a weeknight, and one of the easiest to get wrong. Too long on the heat and they turn grey and tough. Too short and the fat stays soft and flabby instead of crisp. A ridged griddle pan gets you much closer to that ideal, because it does two jobs at once: it sears the meat hard and it lets the fat run away from it.
Why a ridged griddle suits lamb
Lamb carries a good layer of fat, and how that fat behaves decides whether a chop tastes great or greasy. On a flat pan, rendered fat pools around the meat, so the chop ends up frying in its own grease. On a ridged surface like the Pep Round Griddle, the fat runs down into the channels between the ridges and away from the chop. The meat sits above it, sears on the raised lines, and the fat cap crisps rather than stewing.
You also get the char marks and the slightly smoky flavour that make a chop taste like it came off a barbecue, without lighting one in a British autumn.
Which cut to buy
Different chops behave differently, so it helps to know what you are buying.
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Loin chops: a small round of meat with a T-shaped bone, a bit like a mini T-bone steak. Tender, and good for quick cooking.
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Chump chops: larger and meatier, a little less tender but with plenty of flavour. They suit the griddle well.
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Cutlets (best end of neck): the classic small chop with a long bone and a neat eye of meat. They cook very fast, so keep an eye on them.
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Barnsley chop: a thick double chop cut across the saddle. It needs longer and is better finished in the oven after searing.
Look for meat that is pink and moist rather than dull, with creamy white fat. Aim for chops about 2.5cm to 3cm thick. Thinner ones overcook before they colour, and much thicker ones need finishing in the oven.
Getting them ready
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Take the chops out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. Meat straight from the cold takes longer to cook through, and the outside can overcook while the middle is still chilly.
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Pat them dry with kitchen paper. Surface moisture steams rather than sears, which is the main reason chops end up grey instead of browned.
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Season with salt and pepper just before they go on the pan. If you want more flavour, rub them with a little oil, chopped rosemary or thyme, and a crushed garlic clove. A squeeze of lemon afterwards works well too.
If you would like a marinade, keep it simple and oil-based, such as olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and rosemary, and wipe off any excess before cooking. Marinades with a lot of sugar or honey will burn on a hot griddle before the lamb is done.
How to cook them
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Heat the griddle over a medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes before the chops go on. A drop of water should sizzle and vanish quickly.
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Lightly oil the chops, not the pan. This keeps the smoke down and still stops sticking.
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Start with the fat edge. Hold each chop with tongs and press the fat cap against the ridges for 2 to 3 minutes. This renders the fat and crisps it, and it is the step that most people skip.
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Lay the chops flat on the ridges and cook without moving them. Leaving them alone is what builds a proper crust.
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Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side for a chop around 2.5cm thick, until it releases easily and has dark ridge marks.
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Turn once and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.
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Rest for 5 minutes on a warm plate, loosely covered. This is not optional. The juices settle back through the meat, and a chop cut straight off the heat leaks them onto the plate.
How long, and how pink?
Timings depend on thickness, so treat these as a starting point.
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Pink in the middle: about 3 to 4 minutes per side for a 2.5cm chop.
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Medium: about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
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Well done: about 6 minutes per side, though lamb is at its best before this stage.
A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out. Take the chops off the heat at about 55°C for pink, 60°C for medium, and about 70°C for well done. The temperature rises by a few degrees while resting. If you are cooking for children, pregnant women or anyone in a vulnerable group, cook to at least medium and check the middle is no longer raw.
If you do not have a thermometer, press the centre of the chop with your finger. Soft with a gentle spring means pink, and firmer with little give means well done.
What to serve with them
Lamb chops go with almost anything, but a few combinations are hard to beat.
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Crushed new potatoes with butter and mint, or roast potatoes from the oven.
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Griddled vegetables: courgette, red pepper and aubergine cook on the same ridges, so you can do them while the chops rest.
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Minted peas or buttered green beans.
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Mint sauce or redcurrant jelly, for a traditional touch.
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Tzatziki and flatbread, for a lighter, Greek-style plate.
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Simple salad of tomatoes, red onion and a squeeze of lemon.
If you want to cook the vegetables on the same pan, put them on after the chops come off. They will pick up a little of the rendered lamb fat and flavour.
Common problems
Chops are tough. They were probably overcooked, or cooked straight from the fridge. Bring them to room temperature first, use a thermometer, and rest them properly.
No crust. The pan was not hot enough, or the meat was wet. Preheat longer and pat the chops dry.
Smoking pan. A little smoke is normal when searing lamb. A lot usually means too much oil on the pan, or a sugary marinade. Oil the meat rather than the griddle, and keep the heat at medium-high rather than maximum.
Fat is still soft. You skipped rendering the fat cap. Press it against the ridges for a couple of minutes before laying the chop flat.
Sticking. The chop was not ready to turn. A well-seared chop releases itself from the ridges. If it resists, give it another 30 seconds.
Cleaning up
Lamb fat can set quickly, so it helps to deal with the pan while it is still warm. Pour any rendered fat from the channels into a heatproof container (never down the sink), wipe the ridges with kitchen paper, and then wash with warm soapy water and a soft sponge, working along the grooves. Avoid scourers, which can wear down a non-stick surface over time.
A simple lamb chop recipe
Serves 2
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4 lamb chops (loin or chump), about 2.5cm thick
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 garlic clove, crushed
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1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
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Zest of half a lemon
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Salt and black pepper
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Mix the oil, garlic, rosemary and lemon zest, and rub it over the chops. Leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Heat the griddle over a medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Season the chops with salt and pepper. Press the fat edges against the ridges for 2 minutes, then lay the chops flat.
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Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for pink, longer for medium.
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Rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes, then serve with a squeeze of lemon.
Once you have the rhythm of it, lamb chops take about ten minutes from pan to plate, which makes them one of the best quick dinners you can put on a griddle.
The Pep Round Griddle Pan is available HERE!