• Red Wine Marinated Lamb Chops with Greek Salad - Kitchen In The Garden
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Adapted from Bull BBQ with permission.

Red Wine Marinated Lamb Chops with Greek Salad

Red Wine Marinated Lamb Chops with Greek Salad

Prep 20 mins (plus 2–8 hrs marinating)
Cook 15 mins
Serves 4
Difficulty Beginner

Lamb chops and a good red wine marinade are a match made in outdoor cooking heaven. A few hours in the marinade does all the hard work — by the time these hit the hot grill, they're tender, deeply flavoured, and ready to cook in minutes. Paired with a crisp, fresh Greek salad, this is the kind of meal that feels special without requiring much effort at all.

Ingredients

Lamb chops

  • 8 lamb loin chops (about 1.2kg total), trimmed of excess fat
  • 200ml red wine (something you'd happily drink)
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) flaky sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Greek salad

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 1 cucumber, roughly chopped
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 100g pitted Kalamata olives
  • 200g feta cheese, cut into chunks
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Combine the red wine, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, dried oregano, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl or jug. Stir well.
  2. Set aside 3–4 tablespoons of the marinade in a separate container before adding the lamb — you'll use this for basting later. Place the chops in a large shallow dish or zip-lock bag and pour the remaining marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours for a deeper flavour.
  3. When you're ready to cook, remove the chops from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Take them out of the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper.
  4. Preheat your gas grill to high heat — you want it properly hot, around 220–230°C over direct heat. Clean the grates well and oil them lightly to prevent sticking.
  5. Place the lamb chops directly over the heat and grill for 3–4 minutes per side for medium, basting once with the reserved clean marinade during cooking. Adjust time to your preference, but lamb chops can be served with a pink centre if you like.
  6. Rest the chops for 5 minutes under a loose tent of aluminium foil before serving. They'll stay juicy and the carry-over cooking will finish them off perfectly.
  7. While the chops rest, assemble the Greek salad. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, and olives in a large bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano, then drizzle over the salad. Season with salt and pepper, then scatter the feta chunks on top. Don't toss — let the feta sit on top in the traditional way.
  8. Serve the lamb chops alongside the salad, with warm flatbreads or crusty bread if you like.

Originally published by Bull BBQ. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.

Cedar Tip

Lamb chops — unlike pork or chicken — are a whole cut, so the surface has been seared and the inside can safely be a little pink if that's how you like them. That said, always check the thickest part is piping hot throughout. One important note on the marinade: never brush raw-meat marinade back onto the chops during cooking. That's why we told you to set aside a clean portion before the lamb went in — that's the one for basting. Smart prep, zero risk.
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