A couple of weeks ago my local grocery store was having an amazing sale on racks of lamb. And while I don’t cook with lamb all that often the deal was just too good to pass up. However, as soon as I got home with my rack of lamb I quickly realized that I had no idea what to do with it. Sure, I could just season the rack and stick it in the oven, but to me, this special cut of meat deserved a special recipe. And in the end, I decided to cut the rack into lamb chops and cook them in a simple yet delicious tomato sauce.
The Right Lamb Chop For The Job
Before we can get into today’s recipe we need to talk about the three different types of lamb chops.
- Rib chops
- Loin chops
- Shoulder chops
You can use any of these chops for today’s recipe, however, there are slight differences that should be noted.
For starters, you have rib chops, which are essentially the equivalent of a ribeye steak. It is a tender and flavorful cut of lamb that has a very long and noticeable rib bone that protrudes off of the bone. And while it is often considered the best cut of lamb, it doesn’t take well to long cooking times. So if you are using this cut then make sure that you don’t cook it any longer than I have specified in the recipe below.
Similarly, you have the classic loin chop, which looks like a mini T-bone steak. And just like the rib chop, it is a tender cut of meat that doesn’t need a lot of cooking time. So feel free to use loin chops, just make sure that you don’t cook them longer than I have instructed.
Lastly, you have the shoulder chop which is less tender than rib/loin chops, and has a higher amount of fat. However, this means that it has a much stronger flavor than the other two types of chops, and is noticeably cheaper. So if you are trying to be economical then this is the chop for you. That being said shoulder chops need to cook much longer than the other two chops in order for the fat and muscles to break down and become tender. So if you decide on the shoulder chop I recommend that you simmer it in the tomato sauce for 30 to 40 minutes instead of 10 to 15.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- If you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand then swap them out with a 28 oz. can of either diced or crushed tomatoes.
- Make sure that the wine you use in this recipe is dry, not sweet. The wine I recommend the most is a pinot grigio.
- Look for more ways to prepare lamb chops? Then check out our recipes for garlic herb lamb chops, and Morrocan spiced lamb chops.
- I like to keep this dish simple and serve it with a salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and a nice loaf of crusty bread to help soak up all of that delicious sauce.
Lamb Chops In Tomato Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 to 4
Ingredients
6 to 8 Lamb chops
¼ Cup of olive oil
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 Small red onion, finely diced
2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
¼ Cup of dry white wine
2 Cups of tomatoes, diced
½ Teaspoon of dried oregano
¼ Teaspoon of dried rosemary
1 Cup of water
Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish:
Parsley leaves, minced
Instructions
- Brown up the lamb chops: Season each lamb chop with salt and pepper. Then get out either a dutch oven or a walled pan and pour the ¼ cup of oil in it. Place this over high heat and pan-fry the lamb chops in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are browned up.
Take the browned up lamb chops out of the pot/pan and set them aside.
- Make the tomato sauce: Use the same pot/pan and turn the heat down to medium. Then toss in the onion and garlic, and sautee them both for 3 minutes. Stir constantly to make sure that nothing burns. Then add in the tomato paste and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.
Next pour in the wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce for a minute. Finally add in the tomatoes, herbs, and water, and stir everything together
- Let the tomato sauce come to a boil and let it cook for a couple of minutes, or until the tomatoes have started to break down.
- Finish cooking the lamb: Add the browned lamb chops along with any juices they released back to the pot/pan.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot/pan with a lid, and let it simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. After the 10 to 15 minutes are up taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if you feel it needs any.
- Pour some of the sauce down on a plate and place a few lamb chops over it. Sprinkle with some minced parsley and enjoy immediately.
Lamb Chops In Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 Lamb chops
- ¼ Cup of olive oil
- 2 Cloves of garlic minced
- 1 Small red onion finely diced
- 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
- ¼ Cup of dry white wine
- 2 Cups of tomatoes diced
- ½ Teaspoon of dried oregano
- ¼ Teaspoon of dried rosemary
- 1 Cup of water
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish:
- Parsley leaves minced
Instructions
- Brown up the lamb chops: Season each lamb chop with salt and pepper. Then get out either a dutch oven or a walled pan and pour the ¼ cup of oil in it. Place this over high heat and pan-fry the lamb chops in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are browned up. Take the browned up lamb chops out of the pot/pan and set them aside.
- Make the tomato sauce: Use the same pot/pan and turn the heat down to medium. Then toss in the onion and garlic, and sautee them both for 3 minutes. Stir constantly to make sure that nothing burns. Then add in the tomato paste and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. Next pour in the wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce for a minute. Finally add in the tomatoes, herbs, and water, and stir everything together
- Let the tomato sauce come to a boil and let it cook for a couple of minutes, or until the tomatoes have started to break down.
- Finish cooking the lamb: Add the browned lamb chops along with any juices they released back to the pot/pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot/pan with a lid, and let it simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. After the 10 to 15 minutes are up taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if you feel it needs any.
- Pour some of the sauce down on a plate and place a few lamb chops over it. Sprinkle with some minced parsley and enjoy immediately.
