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Lamb chops & pan fries

I has some lamb chops I was going to cook up to thank my moving team, but then … well we decided to cancel that dinner. So I wrapped them up into individual servings of two chops each and put them in the freezer.

Thaw in the refrigerator over night.
Remove the wrap.
Bring to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels.
People say that frozen meats are lesser quality, actually it is not the freezing, it is how they are dealt with after freezing. Meats must be dry to get a good sear. It isn’t the freezing, it is the moisture and failing to remove it before cooking.
  • Wet.
  • Dry.
Notice the difference between just removed from the wrap, and after being dried.
Season well with salt and pepper, and what ever other seasoning you like. I used some garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Italian seasoning is not all that “Italian” really, it is oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary and sage. Just a great all around seasoning blend.
Lamb can be a bit fatty, but that is what makes it so yummy. If you don’t render the fat it is unpleasant. I have found that the best way to get crispy rendered fat is to start this type of chop on the back side in a cold pan. Then bring the heat up to medium.
Meanwhile chop a small potato into cubes.
Heat some oil in another pan over medium heat until shimmering. The oil will the swirlies in it, and when you put a potato in it should immediately begin to sizzle.
Check the chops, the back side should be brown and crispy and the fat rendered nicely.
Now you can lay the chops on a flat side.
The heat from the bones has started warming the interior.
Put the potatoes into the hot oil in a single layer.
Don’t mess with them! Just let them do their thing in the pan.
Leave them alone until they start to brown around the edges and release on their own.
Chop some lettuce for a side salad.
Check your chops and flip.
Who says you can’t get a nice crust from a frozen chop!
Potatoes are browning nicely. They should start releasing from the pan at this point.
Had a tomato that was getting a bit sad, so I just cut that end off and the rest was fine.
Remove chops from the pan to rest.
Crispy brown potatoes!
Drain on a paper towel, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Dress the salad with ranch from – Ranch – powder & dressing
Drizzle some ranch over the potatoes too!

Angel

I have always cooked, I was that person who could make a meal from an empty fridge. I have lived alone and with large and small families, I have cooked for camps on wood stoves, and in professional kitchens. I have lived and worked all over the west from Montana, to Seattle to Arizona to San Diego. I have traveled, maybe not 'all over the world', yet, and have collected tastes recipes and techniques everywhere, and every one I meet.

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