"When Love Calls" Coffee Rubbed Broiled Lamb Chops

Make these juicy coffee-rubbed and broiled lamb chops, easy gourmet in less than 15 minutes!

The rub, made with coffee and ground ancho chile powder, works well with the broiled lamb as it provides a strong contrast to the rich strong flavor of the lamb. Cooked via reverse searing technique nets tender, juicy and succulent lamb chops.

From time to time I have these lamb cravings, and when love calls, you gotta answer. When I do eat meat I just try to be cognizant of where it was sourced. I'm a proponent of local farms vs. mass produced meats primarily because of how the animals are treated and raised/fed but there are also noticeable quality/taste difference.

This is a no utensils, strictly eat with your hands dish. Grab the rib and go hand to mouth!

Okay, feel free to eat these broiled lamb chops as you wish, but be warned the flavor in these broiled lamb chops may make you do some strange things. On it's on, lamb has a very noticeable and substantial flavor.

It's pleasant, grassy and sweeter relative to beef, but can also be a bit gamey depending on age, diet and where sourced from. If you're not a fan of "gamey" meat there are a few adjustments to minimize.

Coffee Rubbed Lamb Chops Ingredients

• Lamb Rib Chops
• Ground Expresso
• Paprika
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Dry Mustard
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Coriander
• Ground Ginger
• Garlic Powder
• Olive oil
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Lemon Juice
• Fresh basil
• Fresh mint

The coffee rub actually tames the gamey flavor profile. The rub has strong spices like ginger, coriander, and coffee that pair well with the distinctive lamb flavor and in some ways masks both the gamey taste and that aroma.

How to broil lamb chops (step by step)

Step 1: Make the rub

Mix the dry spices together in a mixing bowl. Reserve a tablespoon for the sauce.

Step 2: Rub the lamb chops thoroughly with the spice rub

Step 3: Reverse-sear the lamb chops

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the lamb on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. While the lamb is broiling, heat a cast-iron skillet as hot as possible. Add oil and once it starts smoking remove the lamb from the oven and transfer to the skillet searing each chop 1 minute per side. 

• Remove lamb chops from the skillet and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve with the coffee sauce

Step 4: Remove & let lamb rest

Remove lamb from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes. While resting mix the olive oil, reserved rub, lemon juice, mint, and basil. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve the lamb chops with the coffee sauce. Feel free to dunk the chops in the sauce or douse the chops with the sauce. These pair well with mashed potatoes as well as a briny salad to cut through the fatty lamb.

Expert Cooking Tips

• If you're still concerned about any gaminess, trim some of the fat off the lamb. Fat is what holds both that gamey flavor and odor. Trim, but don't shave as you want to leave some essential fat for moistness.
• The recipe calls for a reverse sear, but you can actually switch the order if you like. I've seared first and finished in the oven to great results.
• Don't crowd the pan. Chops should have room to breathe which will aid in getting nice caramelization resulting in more flavor and a nice crust.
• Let the chops rest when done cooking. Resting proteins allows for the juices to redistribute evenly throughout resulting in a nice juicy cut.

Lamb Chops Frequently Asked Questions

Do coffee-rubbed lamb chops taste like coffee?

I've used coffee in both meat and seafood dishes including both this scallop recipe and with hanger steak, but if the idea of coffee in your food scares you, don't worry as the ground coffee beans do not dominate nor actually taste coffee-like in the dish, but rather adds a level of earthiness to a complex mix of flavors delivered from the combination of spices. You get the pungent, peppery of the ginger, balanced with the sweetness of the brown sugar and sweetly, smokey paprika.

The coffee rub is sufficient in delivering tasty, succulent lamb chops. However, as a finishing touch I prefer to include a "lamb sauce". It's herbal in an Argentinian chimichurri sense but combined with some of the coffee rub. Fresh mint and basil add both a cooling and sweet node to the dish, while the lemon and vinegar cuts through the richness.

Net net you get a cool, tangy, and earthy lamb chops that will inspire you to literally eat hands to mouth if you're lacking restraint like yours truly. In all fairness to myself, I was already predisposed to going full medieval, nonetheless, these coffee-rubbed lamb chops are a game-changer.

MORE LAMB BASED RECIPES

Sous Vide Lamb Chops

Smoked Rack of Lamb

Smoked Lamb Ribs

Lamb Stuffed Eggplant

Lamb Meatballs

MAKING THIS RECIPE

If you make this delicious broiled lamb chops recipe, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them. 

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Coffee Rubbed Lamb Chops

Bold coffee flavored lamb chops

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Modern Soul Food

Servings: 2 people

Calories:

Author: Marwin Brown

Ingredients

Coffee Rub

• ▢ 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder.
• ▢ 2 tablespoons finely ground espresso.
• ▢ 1 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika.
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar.
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dry mustard.
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground black pepper.
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander.
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Coffee Sauce

• ▢ 1 tablespoon coffee rub
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ juice from ½ small lemon
• ▢ Fresh basil finely chopped
• ▢ Fresh Mint finely chopped

Lamb Chops

• ▢ 4 lamb rib chops
• ▢ Coffee Rub
• ▢ Coffee Sauce

Instructions

Make the rub

• Mix all ingredient well in a mixing bowl. Reserve a tablespoon for use in the sauce.

Make the sauce

• Take 1 tablespoon of the coffee rub and mix with all the other ingredients

Make the Lamb Chops

• Pat lamb chops dry then let sit until it reaches room temperature. Rub each chop generously with coffee rub. This can be done up to an hour before actually cooking.
• Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit. Place lamb chop on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
• Just before removing the lamb out of the oven, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil or other high-temp-friendly oil to a large heavy cast-iron skillet, then set it to preheat over your strongest burner.
• As soon as that oil starts smoking, add the lamb and sear each 1 minute per side.
• Remove lamb chops from the skillet and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve with the coffee sauce

Video

Notes

• If you're still concerned about any gaminess, trim some of the fat off the lamb. Fat is what holds both that gamey flavor and odor. Trim, but don't shave as you want to leave some essential fat for moistness.
• The recipe calls for a reverse sear, but you can actually switch the order if you like. I've seared first and finished in the oven to great results.
• Don't crowd the pan. Chops should have room to breathe which will aid in getting nice caramelization resulting in more flavor and a nice crust.
• Let the chops rest when done cooking. Resting proteins allows for the juices to redistribute evenly throughout resulting in a nice juicy cut.

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