It used to be that the only lamb I would eat at Easter was courtesy of the administrative assistant at the school where I worked. Diane would make lamb-shaped butter cakes each year at Easter. Three or four of the loaf-cake sized lambs would show up in the teachers’ lunchroom every year in the week leading up to Easter. Diane always claimed that the cakes she brought into school were the ones she messed up on, but the school staff never found any flaws in her elaborately decorated and adorable lamb cakes. The staff were always more than happy to linger in the lunchroom with a delicious piece of Diane’s “mistakes!” I don’t have Diane’s Easter Lamb Cake recipe to share, but we will be having lamb for Easter.
This year, we are preparing lamb chops with a sticky and tasty glaze of honey and balsamic vinegar. The chops are coated with an aromatic rub, then quickly seared in a hot skillet. A honey and balsamic mixture is added to the pan to create a sweet and tangy sauce for the meat. Add a couple of sides to complete this wonderful Easter main dish!
(Here are the sides we love to serve at Easter: Pineapple Souffle, Potato & Mushroom Au Gratin, and Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms.)
Lamb Chops with Honey Balsamic Glaze
Lamb Chops with Honey Balsamic Glaze (adapted from Cooking with Claudia) Total Time Required: 1 hour 15 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Marinate Time: 1 hour, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 lamb chops
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the paprika, garlic powder, dried mustard, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to create an aromatic rub.
Create a rub with the seasonings and herbs.
Sprinkle and gently rub this mixture over both sides of the lamb chops. Cover the seasoned lamb chops with plastic wrap and let them sit for at least an hour to infuse the flavors.
Sprinkle and gently rub this mixture over both sides of the lamb chops, then let the chops sit for at least an hour.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chops, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, to achieve a perfect sear. Sear for 3 minutes on each side for a nice golden-brown sear. Three minutes a side is medium doneness.
Sear both sides of the chops.
Drain any excess oil from the pan. Combine the honey and balsamic vinegar in a measuring cup. Drizzle half the vinegar & honey mixture over the lamb chops.
Drizzle the honey & balsamic vinegar mixture over the lamb chops.
Turn the lamb chops over and coat the second side with the honey balsamic sauce. Over low heat, continue to move the meat around the pan until the sauce thickens, darkens, and develops a sticky consistency, being careful not to burn the sauce. The lamb chops are ready when the sauce is sticky and delicious.
The chops are done when the sauce is sticky.
Drizzle any remaining sauce over the chops before serving.
Serve with any remaining sauce.
Lamb is always a treat at Easter! ~Linda
Lamb Chops with Honey Balsamic Glaze (adapted from Cooking with Claudia) Total Time Required: 1 hour 15 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Marinate Time: 1 hour, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 lamb chops
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Slice a rack of lamb alongside each bone to get individual chops.
In a small bowl, mix the paprika, garlic powder, dried mustard, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to create an aromatic rub. Sprinkle and gently rub this mixture over both sides of the lamb chops.
Cover the seasoned lamb chops with plastic wrap and let them sit for at least an hour to infuse the flavors.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chops, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, to achieve a perfect sear. Sear for 3 minutes on each side for a nice golden-brown sear. Three minutes a side is medium doneness.
Drain any excess oil from the pan. Combine the honey and balsamic vinegar in a measuring cup. Drizzle half the vinegar & honey mixture over the lamb chops.
Turn the lamb chops over and coat the second side with the honey balsamic sauce. Over low heat, continue to move the meat around the pan until the sauce thickens, darkens, and develops a sticky consistency, being careful not to burn the sauce. The lamb chops are ready when the sauce is sticky and delicious. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the chops before serving.