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Tender lamb chops kissed by flame and perfumed with wild oregano, lemon, and garlic. This is Easter lamb the way generations of Greek families have celebrated it, honest and unapologetic.
Lamb at Easter is older than Christianity itself. The Greeks understood this connection between spring, renewal, and young lamb centuries before the tradition traveled to other shores. When you cook these chops, you're participating in something ancient. The oregano, the lemon, the olive oil: these aren't just flavors. They're a geography. A climate. A way of life where food and celebration have never been separated.
I've cooked lamb chops in fancy restaurants and in backyard gatherings where paper plates outnumbered porcelain ten to one. The technique remains the same. High heat. Dry surface. Quick cooking. Lamb chops are forgiving in a way that beef is not. Their fat carries flavor, and that fat wants to be rendered golden and crisp against a hot grill or screaming pan.
The marinade here does double duty. It tenderizes slightly while building layers of flavor that penetrate the meat over time. But don't overmarinate. Four hours is plenty. Overnight turns the texture soft in ways that feel wrong against your teeth. You want lamb that resists the bite just enough before yielding to tenderness.
For a large Easter gathering, these chops become theater. Bring them to the table on a warmed platter, family-style, with lemon wedges scattered across and the smell of oregano rising to meet your guests. Let people serve themselves. Watch them fight politely over the crispiest edges. This is what food is for.
Quantity
16 (about 4 pounds)
Quantity
3/4 cup
Quantity
1/4 cup
from about 2 lemons
Quantity
8 cloves
minced
Quantity
3 tablespoons
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
2
zested
Quantity
2 tablespoons
for finishing
Quantity
for finishing
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| lamb rib chops, frenched | 16 (about 4 pounds) |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 3/4 cup |
| fresh lemon juicefrom about 2 lemons | 1/4 cup |
| garlicminced | 8 cloves |
| dried Greek oregano | 3 tablespoons |
| kosher salt | 2 teaspoons |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1 teaspoon |
| red pepper flakes | 1 teaspoon |
| lemonszested | 2 |
| fresh oregano leavesfor finishing | 2 tablespoons |
| flaky sea salt (optional) | for finishing |
| lemon wedges | for serving |
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest in a bowl. Whisk until the salt dissolves and the mixture becomes slightly emulsified. Taste it. The marinade should taste assertively seasoned, almost too salty on its own. This is correct. The lamb will absorb and mellow these flavors.
Arrange the lamb chops in a single layer in a large baking dish or divide them between two gallon-sized zip-top bags. Pour the marinade over the chops, turning to coat every surface. If using a dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, flipping the chops halfway through. The meat will darken slightly as the acid works its way in.
Remove the lamb chops from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. Cold meat on a hot grill is a recipe for an overcooked exterior and raw interior. Let them sit on a sheet pan, shaking off excess marinade but not wiping them dry. The oil in the marinade will help the chops sizzle rather than stick.
Heat a gas grill to high, or build a two-zone charcoal fire with coals banked to one side. You want aggressive heat, 500 degrees or more. The grates should be clean and lightly oiled. If cooking indoors, heat a cast iron grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Open a window. Turn on your exhaust fan.
Place the lamb chops on the hottest part of the grill, leaving an inch between each. Do not move them. Let them sear undisturbed for 3 minutes. The fat will render and flare; this is expected. After 3 minutes, flip the chops. You should see dark grill marks and a crust forming on the seared side. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes for medium-rare, when the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. For medium, cook an additional minute per side.
Transfer the lamb chops to a cutting board or warmed platter. Let them rest for 5 minutes. The internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees as the juices redistribute. Do not skip this step. Cutting into a chop immediately sends those juices running onto your plate instead of staying in the meat where they belong.
Arrange the rested chops on a warmed serving platter, overlapping them slightly with the bones pointing outward like the spokes of a wheel. Scatter fresh oregano leaves over the top. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Tuck lemon wedges around the edges for guests to squeeze over their portions. Serve immediately while the fat still glistens.
1 serving (about 500g)
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