Okay, so I’ve been meaning to share this. I got these grill mats a while back, and honestly, they’ve been a bit of a game-changer for certain things. The other day, I was really craving some lamb chops, but wanted to keep it on the lighter, healthier side. And, let’s be real, I wasn’t in the mood for a massive grill cleaning session afterwards.
Getting Things Ready
First off, I grabbed my lamb chops. I went for some nice loin chops, not too thick, not too thin. Tried to pick ones that weren’t overly fatty, you know? That’s part one of “healthy” for me with lamb.
Then, the marinade. I kept it super simple. Here’s what I threw together:
- Olive oil, just a drizzle.
- Garlic, a couple of cloves, crushed. Love that stuff.
- Fresh rosemary, chopped up. Had some growing in a pot.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Basic, but essential.
Mixed all that up and just rubbed it onto the chops. Let them hang out in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Didn’t want to overpower the lamb flavor, just give it a little something extra.
Time to Hit the Grill (Mat!)
Alright, so I fired up my gas grill. Got it to a nice medium-high heat. While it was preheating, I laid one of my grill mats right on the grates. These mats are pretty neat – they’re non-stick and stop food from falling through. Plus, less direct flame flare-ups, which I figure is a bit healthier too, less char and all that.
Once the grill was hot, I carefully placed the marinated lamb chops onto the mat. Oh, that sizzle! That’s the sound I was waiting for. It’s funny, you still get decent grill marks through the mat, which I was surprised about at first.
I let them cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. The beauty of the mat is that none of the marinade or the lamb fat drips down and causes a huge smoky mess. It all just stays there, keeping the chops moist.
Flipped them over. Another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. I was aiming for a nice medium-rare. I actually used a meat thermometer, stuck it into the thickest part, away from the bone. Pulled them off when they hit around 130-135°F. For me, that’s perfect for lamb. Anything more and it starts to get tough.
The Payoff
Took the chops off the grill mat and onto a clean plate. Tented them loosely with some foil. This is super important, folks. Let them rest for at least 5, even 10 minutes. It makes all the difference in how juicy they are.
And then? We ate them. They were fantastic. Tender, juicy, full of flavor, and I felt pretty good knowing it wasn’t a grease-fest. The rosemary and garlic really came through but didn’t bully the lamb taste.
And the Clean-Up?
This is where the grill mat really shines for me. Once it cooled down, I just took it to the sink. A bit of hot soapy water, a quick wipe, and it was clean. So much easier than scrubbing those grill grates, especially after something like lamb which can get a bit fatty.
So yeah, that’s my go-to for healthy-ish lamb chops on the grill these days. The mats make it simple, clean, and the results are pretty darn good. Definitely something I’ll be doing again soon.
