Attention lamb lovers! Here’s an easy, restaurant-quality weeknight or date night dinner that’s done in about 30 minutes! Seared Lamb Chops with Anchovy Butter rock with flavor from simple ingredients!
Serve with Mediterranean Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes and hot, cooked orzo pasta for a lovely umami-packed meal!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper:
Restaurant-quality recipes don’t need to have difficult culinary techniques, have multiple steps or require a pantry full of ingredients. Only a few simple ingredients combine to create this elegant, umami-packed dinner for two.
In this Italian-inspired gourmet recipe, lamb loin chops are seasoned with salt and pepper then seared. An assertive butter made with anchovy paste, garlic, lemon juice and Italian parsley adds a lovely, silky finish to rich and savory lamb loin chops. The butter can be made one to two days ahead of time.
Seared Lamb Chops with Anchovy Butter are:
- Easy
- Done in about 30 minutes
- Flavorful
- Partially make-ahead
How to Make Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Anchovy Butter:
Recipe Ingredients:
Ingredient Notes:
- Lamb Loin Chops: Lamb loin chops look like mini T-bone steaks. The meat is tender which makes them well-suited to high-heat cooking methods like searing, broiling, or grilling. Purchase lamb loin chops that are at least 1-inch thick so they don’t get overcooked.
- Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter is important here because you want to season the lamb chops with salt but the anchovy paste will add plenty of saltiness to the Anchovy Butter. If it is still not salty enough for you, you can always add more salt. Be sure to let the butter sit at room temperature to soften it or it will be very difficult to work with.
- Anchovy Paste: If you love a good Caesar salad, you’re already enjoying the briny, umami-packed flavor of anchovies. The easiest way to use anchovies in your recipes is to purchase anchovy paste which is not as overwhelming as anchovy fillets. Use what you need then refrigerate the rest.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh is always best!
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Let the lamb chops sit out at room temperature while preparing the anchovy butter.
- Make the anchovy butter. Combine the softened butter, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and black pepper in a small bowl. Set that aside while searing the lamb chops.
- Season the lamb chops with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet such as cast iron over medium-high heat.
- Place the lamb chops in the skillet and sear for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip and sear 2-3 minutes on the second side or until an instant-read thermometer reads 125 degrees which will be medium-rare and the perfect way to enjoy lamb chops.
- Let the chops rest for 2-3 minutes. A small amount of carryover cooking may occur which will take the internal temperature up a degree or two but carryover cooking is more prevalent with larger cuts of meat.
- Top with the butter while the chops are still nice and hot!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- I’m in the let-proteins-sit-at-room-temperature-for-30-minutes-or-so-before-searing camp. Serious Eats may disagree, however, it certainly does not hurt anything. Just don’t let the lamb chops sit at room temperature for an hour and 30 minutes or you’re flirting with food safety danger.
- This may or may not happen, but you’ll want to release any excess liquid from the anchovy paste tube or stir it back together before attempting to combine with the butter. Just like oil and water don’t mix, that liquid will not incorporate into the anchovy butter.
- Leftover anchovy butter? Because the anchovy butter pairs so well with rich and savory proteins, use the rest on salmon for another quick, flavorful meal.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Loin chops are cut from the saddle (or the back) directly behind the ribs running toward the hindquarters. They have a nice portion of tenderloin and loin meat so overall the cut is nice and tender when cooked properly which would be medium-rare.
Yes, absolutely. Lamb rib chops are cut from the rack, the top part of the back attached to the ribs and are very tender. You might want to have your butcher cut them into double chops unless you have a good meat cleaver that can cut through the bones.
I don’t recommend making the lamb chops ahead of time, but the anchovy butter can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Refrigerate until needed. If time allows, let the butter sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.
More great lamb and date night recipes!
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Seared Lamb Chops with Anchovy Butter
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste- 5 (4-ounce) lamb loin chops bone-in
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine butter, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic and parsley in a small bowl. Add black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Season lamb chops with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick or cast iron skillet.
- Place the lamb chops in the skillet and sear 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip and sear 2-3 minutes on the second side or until an instant-read thermometer registers 125 degrees for medium-rare. Let rest 2-3 minutes.
- Top with a dollop of anchovy butter while still nice and hot. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Purchase lamb loin chops that are at least 1-inch thick so they don’t get overcooked.
- Release any excess liquid from the anchovy paste tube before attempting to combine with the butter. Just like oil and water don’t mix, that liquid will not incorporate into the anchovy butter.
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
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