Seared Lamb Steaks to Make the Quickest, Most Luxurious Dinner Tonight
Whenever people think about having a “nice meal” at home, steak is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But ever think about making lamb instead?
I think lamb is often considered off limits to home cooks. Maybe we think its hard to make into a meal, hard to find at the store, or out of our budget.
Although lamb is sometimes a little more expensive than other meat, its incredibly simple to make and perfect for those nights at home where you want to feel a little more “luxurious”. And the recipe I’m sharing with you today takes under 10 minutes to whip up. Yep, that’s right, 10 minutes! The mashed potatoes took me longer to cook!
If you haven’t had lamb in a while, whip up this super simple recipe and make a night out of it. Cook a simple side dish and open up a bottle of wine, have a friend over, and celebrate the fact that you just made LAMB--something you thought was limited to just restaurant menus prior to tonight.
Suggested Wines to Pair With Lamb
Lamb tends to be a bit gamy which opens the door for MANY pairing possibilities. I don’t know what it is with lamb, but I feel like it pairs well with almost any red wine. Woah. I know. Too far?
Pair lamb with a fruity new world red wine like Zinfandel (my fave pairing!) or Red Blend. This will provide a nice contrast to the gaminess of the lamb and balance the meal out. Or head to the Old World and pair the lamb with an equally funky Red Bordeaux Blend or Syrah from the Rhone Valley (like Crozes-Hermitages or Cotes du Rhone). Funk + Funk will decrease the perception of funk, if you’re not the biggest fan of gamy meats.
The Recipe
As I mentioned, this recipe will work with just about any cut of lamb...be it chops, steaks, etc. Just adjust the cooking time until the internal temperature of the meat is 145 F (for medium rare...which is what I definitely recommend for lamb).
Quick Pan Seared Lamb
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**Dani G Morris | Feb 2020**
* prep time: 5 minutes
* cook time: 5-7 minutes
* total time: 15 minutes
**Servings: 2**
Ingredients:
-2 lamb steaks or 4 lamb chops
-1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
-2 cloves minced garlic
-½ tsp salt
-⅛ tsp pepper
-2 Tbsp butter
Instructions:
1. Remove lamb from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking (recommended but not necessary!) and pat each dry with a paper towel
2. On a plate or wide bowl, combine fresh chopped rosemary, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Dredge each side of the lamb chops/steaks with the rosemary mixture. Rub in with your fingers if needed.
4. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once pan is hot and butter is melted, add the lamb and sear on each side until well browned, about 2-3 minutes each. Try to flip only once, but flip more if needed, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 F (use a meat thermometer to determine. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, cook about 6-7 minutes total, then make a small incision into the center of the meat to view the color of the lamb--for medium rare, it should be very dark pink).
While cooking, scoop the butter from the pan over the lamb a few times to moisten.
5. Once the lamb is done to your liking, remove pan from heat, place each lamb chop on a plate with sides, and scoop remaining butter sauce from the pan over each steak.
