Christmas Braai Lamb Chops with Herb Butter
This Christmas Braai Lamb Chops with Herb Butter recipe keeps the festive main course outdoors, where it belongs on a hot South African Christmas. The chops get a good sear over the coals, then a little lemon, garlic and herb butter melts into their warm surfaces.
Choose loin chops of a similar thickness so they cook at roughly the same pace. Fresh parsley keeps the butter light and bright, while a small amount of rosemary gives it that familiar flavour that suits lamb so well.
Make the butter ahead and keep it in the fridge until needed. Serve the chops with a tomato salad, baby potatoes and something cold to drink, leaving the oven free for the rest of lunch.
Ingredients
For the lamb
For the herb butter
Instructions
- 1Mix the softened butter with the parsley, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1.25 ml salt. Mash thoroughly with a fork; the lemon juice may take a little working in.
- 2Spoon the butter onto baking paper, shape into a short log and roll up. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, until firm enough to slice. This can be done the day before.
- 3Prepare a braai with a medium-hot cooking area and a cooler area with fewer coals. Wait until the coals are glowing with a light ash coating and there are no active flames. Clean the grid.
- 4Keep the chops refrigerated until the fire is nearly ready. Pat them dry with kitchen paper, rub lightly with olive oil and season both sides with the 5 ml salt and black pepper.
- 5Using long braai tongs, hold the chops on their fatty edges over the medium-hot coals for 1–2 minutes to start rendering the fat. Work in batches if necessary, moving them away from any flare-ups.
- 6Lay the chops flat and braai for about 3–4 minutes per side. Move them to the cooler area if they brown too quickly. Start checking early: thickness and coal heat will affect the cooking time.
- 7Check the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer, avoiding the bone. Cook to at least 63°C, allowing another 1–2 minutes over the cooler coals if needed; cook longer if you prefer less pink meat.
- 8Transfer to a clean, warm platter. Slice the herb butter into 8 portions and place one on each chop. Rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered with foil, then serve with lemon wedges and spoon over any buttery resting juices.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Fat
- 50 g
- Saturated fat
- 23 g
- Sugar
- 0.5 g
- Fibre
- 0.5 g
- Sodium
- 810 mg
- Cholesterol
- 175 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Make the herb butter up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed container. Slice it while cold, shortly before the chops come off the braai.
- For a hot Christmas lunch, keep raw lamb and the prepared butter in the fridge or a well-iced cooler box until needed. Use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked meat.
- Light the fire well before lunch; the listed cooking time covers the chops, not the time needed for the coals to settle.
- Serve with crisp green salad, tomato salad or baby potatoes. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the outdoor temperature exceeds 32°C.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use lamb rib chops instead?
Yes. Choose chops of a similar thickness and allow about 250 g of bone-in lamb per person. Smaller rib chops can cook faster, so check their temperature rather than relying only on the timing.
Can I cook these without a braai?
Yes. Use a heavy frying pan or griddle pan over medium-high heat, cooking in batches without crowding. Sear the fatty edges, cook both sides and check for an internal temperature of at least 63°C. Add the butter off the heat and rest for 5 minutes.
Should I brush the herb butter onto the chops while cooking?
Save it for after cooking. Butter dripping onto the coals can cause flare-ups, and the garlic and herbs can burn. Added during resting, it melts gently over the meat.
