The closest thing you can get to a meat lollipop, it’s hard not to like a lamb cutlet. You are also known as a rib chop; the French-trimmed bones make perfect handles to grab onto when biting into the tender chunk of meat at the end. Of the various types of lamb chop, the cutlet is regarded as the most special as the heart comes from the tenderloin, which means it isn’t the cheapest. But if you do decide to treat yourself to some lamb cutlets, there are plenty of different ways to cook them and a whole host of dishes you can use.
Usually served pink in the middle, you can prepare cutlets individually before cooking or cook an entire rack of lamb and either do it whole or carve it into cutlets before plating. Either way, you’re assured of a stunning piece of lamb that pairs with flavors from all cuisine styles. These beautiful recipes demonstrate different ways you can cook with lamb cutlets.
Lamb cutlets with herb sauce, fennel salad, and Ratte potatoes
There’s a reason why lamb, potatoes, and herbs are a classic combination: the flavors are a match made in heaven. This lamb cutlet recipe keeps things relatively simple, allowing the meat’s exquisite taste, browned in the pan and finished in the oven, to shine through. Dunk the pink lamb into the heavy sauce with parsley, tarragon, dill, and wild garlic for an added flavor. A grated garlic clove and a few spinach leaves are a great substitute if wild garlic isn’t in season.
Grilled lamb cutlets with hummus and halloumi
A dish is sure to prove popular when served as part of a Middle Eastern spread; these lamb cutlets are given added flavor by charring them on a screaming hot griddle pan while the center is kept beautifully pink and tender. Cumin and lamb work together in perfect harmony, and that’s why the lightly spiced hummus brings this plate together. Stack all the elements onto a piece of pitta, and you have a lamby mouthful to cherish.
Fried lamb chops
It may not be something we’re very used to in the UK, but deep-frying lamb cutlets isn’t uncommon in Italy, where cassolette di Agnello fritte (as it’s known there) is a popular dish, particularly around Easter. Coated in a batter made from breadcrumbs, eggs, cream, and Parmesan before being dropped into the sizzling peanut oil, the lamb cooks incredibly quickly in this recipe, but the timing is critical to ensuring a nicely pink cutlet with a crisp coating.
Tea-smoked barbecued lamb chops with spicy Korean miso
Barbecuing is another way of guaranteeing maximum flavor when cooking your cutlets, and that’s exactly what Scott Hallsworth does in this Korean-inspired dish. He first smokes the chops over wood chips and matcha tea to inject even more flavor. Served alongside a nasu miso and a Korean miso dressing, this is a cutlet dish packed full of umami, with the spicy lamb marinade providing added heat.
Sous vide rack of lamb with zhug, buttermilk, and grilled spring onions.
Sous vide cooking can split the crowd as techniques go, but it can be an excellent option for something like a lamb cutlet where getting a perfect medium-rare cuisson is critical. In this recipe, Chantelle Nicholson brines the cutlets for two hours before submerging them in the water bath and then browns them in foaming butter for a beautiful finish. This is a modern take on the classic combination of lamb, herbs, and veg, served alongside buttermilk and charred spring onions.
Pudina chops – spiced minted lamb chops with pickled pumpkin
One of the best things about lamb is its versatility when it comes to styles of cuisine it can be used in, and this spiced lamb chops recipe from Peter Joseph shows how lamb cutlets work in Indian cooking. The marinade of lime juice, garlic-ginger paste, and chili powder is at the heart of this dish and gives the tender lamb an excellent kick, while the tangy pickled pumpkin on the side cuts through the spice and adds balance. A great dish to try when you fancy cooking something a little more special than a standard curry.
Rack of lamb, Stilton cheese, and burnt leek
Blue cheese and lamb might not be the most intuitive flavor combination, but it’s not as unbelievable as it first sounds. When cooked correctly, lamb cutlets have a gentle sweetness to them, and in this recipe, Italian chef Christina Bowerman looks to offset that with the sharpness of Stilton. With some burnt leek and chicory sauce thrown in for good measure, this lamb rack recipe will challenge those taste buds in the best way possible.
Kohitsuji yaki – chargrilled teriyaki lamb chops
Lamb isn’t a meat commonly associated with Japanese food, but that doesn’t mean that, when done right, it can’t work brilliantly with those umami-rich flavors. Hideki Hiwatashi pairs these lamb chops, which he roasts in the oven, with sake, mirin, and soy sauce marinade and a sticky tare dressing to finish. Charred vegetables on the side complete this great low-carb recipe.
