Grilled Lamb Chops

French-cut lamb chops marinated overnight in a sweet-sharp sauce of currant jelly and Dijon mustard, then grilled fast over hickory coals and served with a buttery shallot-rosemary wine sauce. The currant-mustard combination is a classic pairing with lamb that’s been around for generations, and for good reason.

The marinade does double duty as a basting sauce on the grill. Currant jelly caramelizes over the coals, creating a glossy, sticky-sweet crust while the mustard adds a sharp, peppery bite underneath. That sweet-savory contrast on charred lamb is hard to beat.

Leave the fat cap on the eye of the chop when frenching. It renders during grilling and bastes the meat from above while protecting the surface from the intense heat of the coals. Trim it off after cooking if you prefer, but it earns its keep during the cook.

Chef Tips

• Cool the marinade completely before submerging the chops. Hot jelly partially cooks the surface of the meat and affects the final texture.
• Four to five minutes total over hickory coals gives you medium to medium-rare. Lamb chops are thin and cook fast; overcooking them past medium makes them tough and livery.
• Turn once, halfway through. Constant flipping prevents the marinade glaze from building up into that caramelized crust.
• The shallot-rosemary butter sauce is quick: brown the shallots in butter, add white wine and crushed rosemary, and spoon over the finished chops.

Variations

• Mint jelly version: Replace the currant jelly with mint jelly for a more traditional British-style lamb preparation.
• Oven-broiled: If you don’t have a grill, broil 4 inches from the heat for the same time, basting with the marinade.