Double-Cut Colorado Lamb Chops
Chapter 4: Beyond the Steak
There comes a point in the steakhouse journey where even the most dedicated carnivore looks past the porterhouse, and when they do, they look to the lamb. But forget the delicate, herbaceous lollipops of the French; we're talking about the unapologetic heft of the American double-cut Colorado lamb chop. Fed like cattle to produce a sweet, heavily marbled meat, these chops stand up to infernal heat without a hint of pastoral funk. We give them the full Brooklyn treatment: an exhaustive dry brine, a blistering cast-iron sear, and a violent, butter-drenched broiler finish. It is high-cholesterol luxury designed to elicit one realization on the very first bite: Yes, this is exactly what Williamsburg tastes like.
Before you start
Dry-brine the lamb chops.
Up to 48 hours before dinner, pat the chops completely dry with paper towels and season aggressively on all sides with the Kosher salt. Place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and leave uncovered in the refrigerator to draw out moisture and guarantee a restaurant-quality crust.
Temper the meat and prepare the basting butter.
Remove the chops from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking so they come to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine the clarified butter, garlic paste, and Worcestershire sauce, and keep it warm.
Ingredients
- domestic Colorado lamb racks2 large
- Kosher salt2 tbsp
- grapeseed oil1 tbsp
- unsalted butter6 tbsp
- garlic cloves3 med
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- fresh rosemary sprigs3 small
- fresh thyme sprigs3 small
- flaky sea salt1 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
Method
- 01
Position your oven rack and preheat the broiler.
Set the oven rack to the second-highest position, about 5 to 6 inches from the heat source, and turn your oven's broiler to HIGH.
- 02
Sear the chops in a dangerously hot cast-iron skillet.
Heat a 12-inch heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water instantly vaporizes. Add the grapeseed oil, place the chops fat-cap side down to render for 2 to 3 minutes, then sear the flat sides for exactly 2 minutes per side to establish a mahogany crust while keeping the center raw.
- 03
Carve the meat off the bone and reassemble.
Transfer the seared chops to a cutting board and cleanly slice the meat off the double bone, cutting across the grain into thick, 3/4-inch slices. Place the bones back into the hot skillet and reassemble the slices tightly against them so no raw interior is exposed to the direct heat.
- 04
Execute the Luger-style broiler finish.
Pour the warm garlic-butter over the reassembled chops and toss the rosemary and thyme sprigs into the pooling fat. Place the entire skillet under the roaring broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until the butter foams violently and fries the edges of the lamb slices.
- 05
Probe the meat for exact doneness.
Pull the skillet from the oven and insert a digital thermometer into the center of the thickest slice. You are looking for a strict target of 125°F for rare or 130°F for medium-rare; never push this premium cut past 135°F.
- 06
Baste tableside and serve sizzling.
Bring the furiously sizzling skillet directly to the dining table. As the meat rests for 5 minutes, tilt the pan slightly and use a large spoon to continually scoop the foaming, herb-infused butter and rendered fat over the sliced chops, finishing with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Notes
Source the right lamb.
Authenticity demands domestic Colorado lamb, which is grain-finished and heavily marbled much like USDA Prime beef. Do not substitute with 100% grass-fed imported lamb; those cuts are too small and lean to survive this extreme heat without drying out.