These Grilled Greek Lamb Chop Lollipops With Tzatziki Sauce are a classy appetizer perfect for entertaining! Serve them with an easy homemade tzatziki sauce and your guests will be raving for weeks!
This appetizer looks super fancy. My parents serve them VERY often at family parties because of how fool proof they are. (Yes, they are very easy!)
And yes, they are a wee bit more expensive than grilling chicken, but they are totally worth it. Plus, they are filling so you wont need to make a ton of other food.
These would also be great to serve on Easter which is when my big Greek family roasts a whole lamb (or goat). Both of which taste very similar!
How to cut or "french" your lamb chops
Lollipop lamb chops are frenched. This means, the meat is shaved off the bone creating a handle to hold when eating them, similar to a lollipop stick!
To do this, you want to purchase a rack of lamb ribs from your local market or butcher. Trim off the fat cap from the top using a sharp knife. This is the thick white layer you see. Then, using a boning knife, lay the knife flat against the bone, about ⅓ of the way up and shave off the meat and fat until the expose the bone.
Then you want to lay the rack with bones facing upwards and slice down in between each rib. Once they are slices, it's time for the marinade!
Best Greek Marinade
A marinade is great for infusing more flavor into the lamb while slowly tenderizing it. The marinade I used is simple but flavorful.
Most marinades have:
- Oil
- Acid (vinegar, wine or lemon)
- Spices (salt, pepper, etc.)
- Fresh herbs (dried will work too)
I used a Greek marinade for this recipe which is simple. I did not want to take away from the flavor of the lamb. I just wanted to enhance it more. So I used classic Greek ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, freshly minced garlic, freshly chopped parsley and salt & pepper! That's all the lamb needs. And I promise, it is delicious!
How long to marinate?
You could marinate your lamb chops overnight if you want but at least one hour is best for all the flavors to infuse. I will add all my chops to a large bowl and rub the marinade all over. You could add your lamb to a large Ziploc bag too.
When your ready to grill your lamb, make sure to get your grill nice and hot.
Best Temperature for Lamb?
Don't be afraid of cooking lamb. It is actually very forgiving because of how fatty and tender it naturally is. It is hard to OVER cook it. With that said, you definitely do not want to do that because you'll ruin a good piece of meat.
Use an instant read thermometer to help you reach the temperature you want. Here is a guide!
Lamb chop internal temperature:
- Rare (Very raw inside) is about 130° F
- Medium rare (Very pink inside) is about 130-140° F
- Medium (Pink inside) is about 140-155° F
- Medium-well (Slightly pink inside) is about 155- 165° F
- Well done (No pink) is about 170+° F
PRO TIP: Do not cut into your meat to test if it's done! This will cause the juices to drip out, drying out those pricey lamb chops!
The Best Dipping Sauce
Since these are Greek inspired lamb chops, the dipping sauce I chose is a tzatziki sauce. If you have never tried it, you are seriously missing out. Check out my easy tzatziki recipe you can make at home. (That recipe is super thick!) The tang from the yogurt goes incredibly well with the lamb. Plus, you can add mint to your sauce if you love mint with your lamb.
I like to add a dollop on top of each chop. You could also serve your sauce on the side in a small bowl with a spoon for your guests to help themselves.
Here are some other fancy appetizers you may like!
Mini Peppers Stuffed w/ Herb Cream Cheese
Mini Canapé Toasts With Sweet Cheese
Filet Oscar Crostini Appetizer
Greek Shrimp Saganaki Appetizer
Baked Polenta Fries With Thyme Honey
Grilled Greek Lamb Chop Lollipops With Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 12 ½-3/4" Lamb Chops ((about 2.25 lbs))
Lamb Chop Marinade
- ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
- ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tsp. Minced Garlic
- ¾ Tsp. Salt
- ½ Tsp. Cracked Black Pepper
Tzatziki
- ¾ Cup Greek Yogurt ((thick))
- 1 Tsp. Minced Garlic
- 1 Tsp. Sherry or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp. Freshly Chopped Dill (parsley or mint works too!)
- ¼ Tsp. Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Cut rack of lamb into individual chops if not already cut. French the bones by taking a sharp knife and running it down the bone to remove any excess meat or fat.
- Mix marinade ingredients in a large bowl and pour over chops massaging it into the meat. (You can put the meat in a large plastic bag or in a shallow dish while marinating.) Place in fridge for at least an hour.
- In the meantime, make your tzatziki sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in fridge until ready to use.
- After at least an hour, take lamb out and let come to room temperature. (This should take about 15-20 minutes.) Don't throw cold meat on the grill. It will cook unevenly.
- Preheat your grill on high for about 10 minutes. Add your chops and cook until internal temperature is desired. See temp. chart below!The exact time will depend on the thickness of your chop and grill heat. They should not take more than 10 minutes!
- Top with tzatziki and fresh dill and serve hot!
Recipe Notes
- Prep everything and let sit in fridge overnight if needed! Then toss on the grill 10 minutes before guests arrive!
- Only use fresh herbs for this recipe!
- Greek yogurt is the thickest and best choice for the tzatziki.
Lamb chop internal temperature guide:
- Rare (Very raw inside) is about 130° F
- Medium rare (Very pink inside) is about 130-140° F
- Medium (Pink inside) is about 140-155° F
- Medium-well (Slightly pink inside) is about 155- 165° F
- Well done (No pink) is about 170+° F
Nutrition
What a great idea serving lamb chops for starter. They are way too small to serve as main. I love your sauce. I usually use mint but I will try with parsley.
Thanks Laura! You def. could do mint instead as it naturally goes well with lamb!
What a great idea serving lamb chops for starter. They are way too small to serve as main. I love your sauce. I usually use mint but I will try with parsley.
Thanks Laura! You def. could do mint instead as it naturally goes well with lamb!