Lamb chops are an uncommon but absolutely delicious cut of meat. You can cook them in a variety of ways, including in the oven, on the barbecue and in a slow cooker (the so-called "slow cooker"). What allows you to get a perfect result is to use the right seasonings. Once you understand which are the aromas that go well with lamb, the cooking possibilities and combinations are almost endless.
Ingrediants
Baked Lamb Ribs
- 2-3 rack of lamb ribs
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 120 ml of balsamic vinegar
- 90 g of honey
Marinade
- 180 ml of balsamic vinegar
- 180 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped
For 6-8 people
Grilled Lamb Ribs
- 4 rack of lamb ribs, trimmed from the fat and cut in half
- Extra virgin olive oil, to brush the meat
- Sea salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Marinade
- 470 ml of sherry vinegar
- 120 ml of lemon juice
- 15 g chopped fresh rosemary
- 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
For 8 people
Lamb ribs cooked in a slow cooker
- 2 rack of lamb ribs
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary
- 300 ml of red wine
- 80 g of plum jam
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon of garlic, finely chopped
For 8 people
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Roasted Lamb Ribs
Step 1. Combine the balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and rosemary
Pour 180 ml of balsamic vinegar into a bowl; add 180 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of crushed garlic and 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary. Stir with a whisk until the oil and vinegar are mixed evenly.
- To crush the garlic cloves, peel them and press them against the cutting board with the flat side of the knife. Crush enough wedges to fill 3 tablespoons.
- If you wish, you can customize the marinade to taste or use a ready-made one.
Step 2. Season the lamb ribs with salt
Sprinkle them with about half a teaspoon of salt and massage them to distribute it evenly.
Step 3. Leave the ribs to marinate in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours
Pour the marinade into a container, add the ribs and make sure they are completely submerged in the marinade. Cover the container with cling film and place it in the refrigerator. Let the meat marinate for at least 6 hours or, better yet, overnight.
If you prefer, you can use a zip-lock food bag. Make sure it is tightly sealed before storing it in the refrigerator
Step 4. Combine the honey and vinegar to make the glaze
Pour 120ml balsamic vinegar into a clean bowl. Add 90 g of honey and mix the ingredients with the whisk to mix them. Set the glaze aside, you will use it to sprinkle the meat.
- You can use a different glaze if you prefer, but don't reuse the marinade.
- You can store the icing at room temperature, there is no need to refrigerate it.
Step 5. Preheat the oven to 165 ° C and cook the lamb ribs for an hour
Turn on the oven and wait for it to reach the correct temperature. At that point, drain the lamb ribs from the marinade and arrange them on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven and cook for 60 minutes.
- Discard the marinade after use - it should not be saved for another recipe.
- After an hour, the ribs are not yet fully cooked.
Step 6. Flip the ribs, brush them with the glaze and cook for another 30 minutes
Twist the yokes using a pair of metal kitchen tongs. Take a pastry brush and coat the meat with the honey and balsamic vinegar glaze. Return the pan to the oven and cook the ribs for another 30 minutes, making sure to brush them again with the glaze every 5-10 minutes.
When cooked, discard any leftover icing
Step 7. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then divide the loins into 6-8 portions
Remove the ribs from the pan using the kitchen tongs and place them on the cutting board. Divide the rack into portions using a sharp knife. At this point the lamb ribs are ready to be served.
- Serve 2-3 ribs per person.
- Allowing the meat to rest serves to let the heat penetrate to the center, to obtain a perfect and uniform cooking.
- If you have any spare ribs, wrap them in aluminum foil, refrigerate them and eat them within 3 days.
Method 2 of 3: Grilled Lamb Ribs
Step 1. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, rosemary and garlic in a bowl
Pour 470 ml of sherry vinegar into a large mixing bowl. Add 120ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, 15g chopped fresh rosemary and 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves. Stir with the whisk to mix the ingredients.
This will be the meat marinade. If you prefer, you can make it with different ingredients
Step 2. Let the meat marinate at room temperature for one hour
Divide the marinade into two zip-lock food bags, add the spare ribs (two loins per bag), then seal them and let the lamb marinate at room temperature for an hour.
- Make sure the ribs are completely covered in the marinade. If necessary, turn the bag upside down a couple of times.
- After 30 minutes, turn the bag over. This way both sides of the ribs will soak in the marinade for the same amount of time.
Step 3. Turn on the barbecue
Lamb chops need to cook on a medium-high temperature. Refer to the barbecue's instruction manual and make sure it is ready and hot by the time you put the meat to cook.
- Gas barbecue: set the burners to "high" mode and wait 15 minutes. Turn off the center burner and set the rest to a medium-high heat setting.
- Charcoal barbecue: burns approximately 50 pieces of charcoal. When they are covered with a thin layer of ash, separate them on both sides of the barbecue and place a pan under the central part of the grill to collect the fat released by the meat during cooking.
Step 4. Remove the garlic and rosemary from the ribs and pat them dry with kitchen paper
Drain them from the marinade and place them on the cutting board, then scrape them gently with the knife to remove the bits of garlic and rosemary. Finally, pat them with kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture.
Since it has been in contact with raw meat, the marinade cannot be reused, so throw it away
Step 5. Brush the ribs with oil, then season with salt and pepper
Pour some oil into a small bowl. Dip the bristles of a kitchen brush in the oil and grease the meat evenly. Also add salt and pepper on both sides.
- Throw away any leftover oil in the bowl because it has been contaminated by the brush, which has come into contact with the raw meat.
- Dose salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6. Cook the lamb ribs on the barbecue for 10-12 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking
Arrange the loins on the grill and cook the meat for 5-6 minutes. Halfway through cooking, flip the ribs using a metal barbecue tongs. Let them cook for another 5-6 minutes.
The ribs are ready when they have darkened on the outside, but will still be slightly pink on the inside
Step 7. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving
Take a sharp knife and divide the loins into 8 portions. You can accompany the ribs with chimichurri (a condiment made with parsley, chilli and onion) or with a sauce of your choice, depending on the marinade you used.
- For example, if you used typically Mediterranean ingredients, you can accompany the ribs with tzatziki sauce.
- If you have some spare ribs, wrap them in aluminum foil, refrigerate them and eat them within 3 days.
Method 3 of 3: Slow Cooker Lamb Ribs
Step 1. Brown the ribs in a pan for a couple of minutes on each side
Heat about a tablespoon (15 ml) of extra virgin olive oil over high heat in a large pan. Add the lamb ribs and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned. At that point, transfer them to a plate using kitchen tongs, so as not to risk burning yourself.
- Frying the ribs in a pan before placing them in the slow cooker allows you to seal the juices inside the meat to keep it soft and succulent.
- If the pan isn't large enough to hold all of the ribs, brown them a little at a time.
Step 2. Put the rest of the oil and fresh herbs into the slow cooker
You need 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary and a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme.
If you prefer, you can use different herbs and add other flavors
Step 3. Add the wine, plum jam, lemon zest, garlic and ginger
Pour 300 ml of red wine into the pot. Add 80 g of plum jam, a teaspoon of lemon zest, 3 coarsely chopped cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of finely chopped ginger.
To flavor the meat you can still follow a different recipe and use the ingredients you prefer
Step 4. Put the meat in the pot
Stir and push the ribs to the bottom so that they are submerged in the wine and other ingredients. If the loins are too long, cut them in half or in several parts, depending on the size of the pot.
Make sure the surface the pan is standing on is heat resistant. If your kitchen counter is granite, you can use it as a countertop. On the other hand, if it is made of linoleum, it could deform
Step 5. Set the cooking mode to "Low" and let the ribs cook for 6-8 hours
Turn on the pot and set the cooking mode "Low". If the slow cooker is automatic, it will turn off automatically after about 6-8 hours, otherwise you will have to set the timer manually.
- The meat may absorb some of the wine as it cooks. If necessary, add more to bring it back to its original level.
- Slow and even cooking is the key to obtaining a perfect result. Do not use the "High" cooking mode to save time.
Step 6. Serve the lamb ribs
Open the pot carefully to protect yourself from escaping hot steam. Transfer the ribs to a serving dish using kitchen tongs and divide the rack into individual portions. If you wish, you can spread the wine-based sauce over the meat.
- In this case the meat does not need to rest, unlike when you cook it in the oven or on the barbecue.
- If the ribs are left over, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. Eat them within 3 days.
Advice
- Red wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir go well with lamb ribs.
- Spices, flavors and herbs that go well with lamb include: basil, cumin, garlic, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme.
- You can accompany the ribs with roasted vegetables, such as carrots, radishes and potatoes, or with couscous.
- You can store leftover lamb ribs in the freezer for 2 months. Put them in a resealable food bag.
