Chile Ancho Grilled Lamb Chops
Hola! I’m Vianney from Sweet Life stopping by with a delicious lamb recipe just in time for Easter.
Whether you’re planning a small intimate family dinner or a buffet style meal for the entire family, Easter menus are all about fresh spring flavors and should always include succulent lamb. Lamb is a classic choice to serve for Easter, plus lamb is a guaranteed hit with those with hearty appetites. Instead of relying on the traditional glazed ham this year why not serve grilled lamb chop loins marinated in a smoky ancho chile glaze paired with Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon?
Grilling lamb loin chops requires very little time, plus an hour in the ancho chile marinade adds extra flavor and enhances juiciness. Lamb loin chops are excellent grilled or broiled, have a wonderful mild, almost sweet flavor, are best cooked to medium rare and resemble tiny t-bone steaks.
The star of the marinade is ancho chiles, which are dried poblanos. Ancho chiles are sweet, smoky and are mild in heat. With their deep red almost black color ancho chile are typically reconstituted in hot water until pliable then blended to create sauces, such as enchilada, mole or used for salsas. Today we are highlighting ancho chiles, with a touch of sweetness from honey, warm spices such as cumin and oregano to give our lamb loin chops a unique Latin spin.
Serve these moist lamb chops with whipped sweet potatoes and a spring orzo salad to complete your meal.
This cooking method creates beautifully seared lamb chops, which are tender, smoky and juicy with very little effort. A perfect Easter dinner or elegant enough for date night, Valentine’s Day or any casual summer dinner idea, these delicious chops are a welcome anytime!
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 chopped garlic clove
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 lamb loin chops
- Soak ancho chiles in hot water for 30-1 hour until soft and reconstituted.
- Place ancho chile, half the soaking water, garlic, honey, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor.
- Cover and puree until smooth.
- Rub the ancho marinade on both sides of the lamb chops and allow them to marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Remove from refrigerator, allow the chops to come to room temperature; about 20 minutes.
- Pre-heat grill pan over high heat until almost smoking, brush with olive oil, carefully add the loin chops and sear for about 2 minutes.
- Flip the loin chops over and grill for another 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3½ minutes for medium.
