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Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon and Oregano

Name: Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon and Oregano
Prep time: 21 min
Total time: 56 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: lamb loin chops — 1134 g; olive oil — 82 g; lemon juice — 44 g; garlic — 12 g; fresh oregano — 7 g; salt — 6 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; nonfat plain yogurt — 118 g; lemon — 65 g

Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon and Oregano reads umami 7.6, citrus 7.0 and richness 6.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 56 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.1 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.0 / 10
Sour & Bright — 8.9 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
Rich & Fat — 7.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Citrus 7.0 · Richness 6.8 · Sourness 6.5 · Fruity 4.7 · Salinity 3.9 · Herbaceous 3.9 · Allium 3.6 · Earthy 2.1 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Bitterness 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Nutty 1.4 · Floral 1.2 · Sweetness 1.1 · Smoke 0.6 · Heat 0.5

What's in it (9)

lamb loin chops — 1134 g
olive oil — 82 g
lemon juice — 44 g
garlic — 12 g
fresh oregano — 7 g
salt — 6 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
nonfat plain yogurt — 118 g
lemon — 65 g

Time & effort: about 56 min (21 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 264.8 kcal, 17.1 g protein, 20.9 g fat, 2.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Pat the lamb chops dry and season all over with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper; let sit at room temperature while you make the marinade.
In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice, lemon zest, 3 cloves of the minced garlic, and 4 teaspoons of the oregano. Add the chops, turn to coat, and marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, the remaining 1 clove garlic, the remaining oregano, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; set the sauce aside.
Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat until very hot, about 10 minutes; scrape and oil the grates.
Lift the chops from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and discard the marinade. Grill the chops undisturbed until deeply charred and grill-marked on the first side, 3-4 minutes.
Flip the chops and grill the second side until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 130°F for medium-rare, 3-4 minutes more.
Transfer the chops to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes; the temperature will climb to about 135-140°F as they rest.
Season the chops with a pinch more salt to taste.
Plate the chops with a generous spoonful of the garlic-oregano yogurt sauce and the lemon wedges alongside.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary Garlic — American
Skillet Lamb Chops with Garlic and Rosemary — American
Crispy Greek Chicken Cutlets with Lemon — Greek
Beef Shawarma Rice Skillet — Middle Eastern
Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet — Greek

Keep reading: what umami, citrus, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.