Grilled Lamb Chops with Herbs
Simple herb-marinated lamb chops grilled over charcoal - Easter Sunday food, any day of the week.
In Greece, lamb is celebration food. Easter, weddings, namedays—we cook lamb. But honestly, these chops are simple enough for Tuesday night.
My father would grill lamb over grapevine cuttings. The smoke gave it something special. You can use charcoal, it’s good. The marinade is just olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano. Nothing fancy. The lamb does the work.
Don’t overcook. Greeks like their lamb with a little pink inside. If you cook it gray, you’ve killed it twice, my yiayia used to say.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put lamb chops in a dish and pour marinade over. Turn to coat. Let marinate at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours in the fridge.
- Bring chops to room temperature 20 minutes before cooking. This is important for even cooking.
- Heat your grill to high. We want it very hot.
- Remove chops from marinade, shake off excess. Season with more salt.
- Grill 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare. The fat should char a little—that’s flavor.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving. The meat relaxes, stays juicy.
- Serve with lemon wedges, more olive oil drizzled on top, and maybe a simple Greek salad.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (approximate)
Tips from My Kitchen
The cut matters. Ask for rib chops, not loin chops—they have more fat, more flavor. If you can find lamb from a Greek or Middle Eastern butcher, even better. American supermarket lamb is often too mild.
Serve with tzatziki on the side, or just more lemon. In my village, we’d eat these with our hands, tearing the meat off the bone. Good bread to wipe the plate. Wine, of course. This is how you eat.
Kalí órexi!
