Grilled Lamb Loin Chops & Grecian Herbal Spinach Salad with Oranges

Finding you have done your fair share of steaks, burgers, chicken, ribs, hot dogs, and brats on the grill? Time to mix things up a little? One of the most wonderful cuts of meat to grill is that petite T-bone steak, the Lamb Loin Chop. Don’t let their adorable, cute size fool you, they have robust flavor that is not “lamby”. This perfect little chop has enough feather fat to create a “melt in your mouth” sensation with rich flavor that is not overwhelming.

For those of you who are a little reserved on trying this mini beauty, it may be because you have tried a different (tougher, stronger flavor) cut of lamb or maybe it just wasn’t cooked to perfection. You may want to reconsider and give these little guys a second chance. For those of you who love lamb, maybe it’s time to revisit it on the grill.

Lamb Loin Chops have an amazing flavor all on their own, seasoned with salt and pepper. They are also a magnet to flavors like parsley, garlic, oregano, mint, briny olives, citrus, feta cheese. Sound a little bit like an island in Greece on a plate?

I decided to grab those flavor magnets and incorporate them into a spinach salad and left the lamb loin chop to speak on its on merits. Take a bite of the lamb together with a bite of the salad and your overnight flight to Mykonos just landed!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Lamb, oranges, spinach

Servings people

Ingredients

Grecian Herbal Salad with Oranges

¼ cup Fresh Blood Orange or Orange Juice
1 tablespoon Fresh Oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
½ pound Fresh Spinach stems trimmed
4-5 sprigs Fresh Oregano stems removed
4-5 sprigs Fresh Mint stems removed
4-5 springs Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley stems removed
½ Red Onion halved and thinly sliced
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
3.5 ounces Garlic in Oil with Herbs optional
½ cup Feta Cheese crumbled
½ cup Kalamata Olives pitted
2 Orange peeled and sliced

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops

4 Lamb Loin Chops 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Pepper

Instructions

Grecian Herbal Salad with Oranges

In a small bowl, add the oregano to the fresh orange juice. Drizzle the olive oil into the orange juice, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Set to the side.
On a larger platter, add the spinach (chop the spinach if it is larger leaves). Top with the fresh herbs. Add the onion, tomato, garlic, feta cheese, kalamata olives and oranges to the top of the salad. Chill till ready to serve.

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops

30 minutes before heating the grill, generously season the chops with salt and pepper. Set to the side and let chops come to room temperature. Heat the grill to 400 degrees. Clean the grill grates and rub canola oil on the grill gates. (I like using an old clean rag soaked in oil or paper towel but be careful not touch the grates).
Stand the chops up on the bone edge of the lamb. They’ll look like little soldiers on your grill. This will heat the bone that will help cook the center of this thick chop. Do this for 5 minutes. Lay them back down on the grill and cook each side for 3-4 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees (medium rare). Let rest for 5 minutes and serve with the Grecian Spinach Salad.
To Serve: Place cooked lamb loin chops on salad. Drizzle with dressing or serve dressing on the side.
*More medium, 4-5 minutes per side and an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Notes

Lamb Loin Chops weigh about 8 ounces with the bone. You may want to cook 2 chops per person for those who would like to enjoy it a little more.