Loin lamb chops aren’t cheap, but they are tender, delicious, and very quick to fix. If you haven’t cooked lamb before, these tiny chops are an excellent place to start. When paired with Spring Vegetable Risotto(prepared quickly in the pressure cooker) these chops make a complete gourmet meal in less than 30 minutes.

I did not grow up eating lamb. In fact, my first lamb experience was when I found a recipe for Lamb Chops Supreme in an old Better Homes & Garden cookbook (circa 1960), handed down to me by my mother. My husband and I rated those Lamb Chops Supreme “Supremely unpalatable” and we handed them off to Olivia, our toy poodle. Olivia gobbled them down and promptly threw up. 20 years later I tried cooking a leg of lamb. It had such a strong taste that the entire roast ended up in the trash; fearing a repeat of Olivia’s performance, Penny and Tiffany, our miniature dachshunds, didn’t even get a taste.

Years ago I read where a food critic, whose name I have forgotten, recommended that if there was a food I didn’t like, I should work on recipes for preparing that food until I found one that even I would enjoy. The following lamb chop recipe is one that I developed following that food critic’s recommendations; even I like it and I think you will too!

Orange Glazed Lamb Loin Chops

4 Servings

2 pounds lamb loin chops, 1" thick (about 8)

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
juice of 1 orange, including pulp

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup Grand Marnier, or other orange brandy
1 cup chicken broth
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Trim any visible fat from the lamb chops, and place them in a single layer in a glass dish; pierce the chops with a fork in several places. Mix the Italian dressing and orange juice; pour over the chops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning once.

Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold the chops in one layer. Remove the chops from the marinade and add them to the skillet; brown on each side, turning once. Remove the browned chops from the pan, turn off the heat, carefully pour in the Grand Marnier. Turn the heat to high, and bring the Grand Marnier to a boil, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan. When the mixture is reduced and thickened (about 5 minutes), add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and continue cooking on high for 3-5 minutes or until thickened. Return the chops to the pan and cook 2 minutes, then turn them and cook for 1 additional minute (135° to 140° on an instant thermometer). Transfer the chops to a serving platter, pour the sauce over the chops, and serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 569 Calories from Fat 322
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 56% Protein 36% Carb. 7%

Nutrient Amount per
Serving
Total Fat 36 g
Saturated Fat 9 g
Cholesterol 162 mg
Sodium 626 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 52 g

Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 19%