Pan Seared Rosemary Lamb Loin Chops

5 from 1 vote

Rosemary crusted lamb chops and roasted root vegetables makes for an easy, delicious dinner. Assume 2 chops per person for a modest entree.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lamb loin chop recipe, Loin Chops, recipe with lamb loin chops, Root Vegetables

Servings: People

Calories: 701kcal

Cost: 20

5-8 cloves of fresh garlic
3 lbs assorted winter vegetables rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, sunchokes, squash, potatoes, etc (this will make enough for 4 people, or leftovers if serving two)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons rendered lamb fat
Lemon wedges optional

Pat the lamb chops dry, then make a few, shallow slices in the fat cap to help it render and crisp. Season the lamb chops with salt, pepper and the chopped rosemary on all sides. Refrigerate the lamb for an hour or two, and up to 24 hours, uncovered, turning once or twice to help dry them out and help them brown.

Peel all the vegetables except carrots, sweet potatoes and parsnips. Melt the lamb fat, then toss the vegetables in it, and season with salt and pepper. Whack the garlic cloves with the back of a knife, and pick the rosemary sprigs into 3 inch segments.
Toss the garlic and rosemary with the vegetables, spread on a baking sheet and bake at 475 for 20 minutes, or until browned on the top and just cooked through. The vegetables can be roasted ahead of time and reheated from here.
If you don't have a hood vent in your kitchen, open a window and turn on a fan to get some air circulating to prevent the fire alarm going off, as home ovens can often be a little smoky from residual cooking debris left from previous meals.

Heat a cast iron skillet (or grill in a pinch) to medium-high, and put the lamb chops, fat-side down in the pan.
Cook until the fat is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook the remaining sides until browned, about another 8 minutes (turning on a fat or opening a window as searing meat inside can get a little smoky. If the lamb chops threaten to fall down when searing the fat side, rest them against each other to keep them vertical.
The chops can also be grilled if it's warm outside, or if you prefer. When the lamb chops are done to your liking, remove them to a warm place to rest for a minute, then heat the vegetables, put a serving on each plate, and garnish with two hot cooked lamb chops and lemon wedges.

Loin chops are small and will cook quickly. If you want medium rare lamb chops, make sure to take them off when the internal temperature reaches 135 F.
This recipe can be made with rack of lamb cut into lamb rib chops too.
Rosemary loves lemon, so don't skip the drizzle of lemon juice before you eat.