Pan-Fried Lamb Chops (煎羊扒)

Name: Pan-Fried Lamb Chops (煎羊扒)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon salt; 20 oz lamb; 1 oz garlic; 1 oz white onion; 1 oz red onion; 2 oz red bell pepper; 0.5 tablespoons corn oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon cooking wine; 0.5 teaspoons garlic salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon white pepper; 2 teaspoons garlic salt; 1 tablespoon olive oil

Learn to make succulent, flavorful lamb chops Cantonese-style!

Prep Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

Yields

4 servings

YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

If you're looking for a meal that's impressive, yet surprisingly easy to pull off, look no further than lamb chops. Succulent and flavorful, they require just a little bit of prep work and a few aromatic ingredients to make restaurant quality.

My dad's pan-fried lamb chops are a gourmet main course that's just as good for a dinner party as they are for a quick weeknight meal. Here, he'll share all of his tips and tricks for buying the best lamb and getting the perfect golden-brown sear.

Putting a Cantonese twist on lamb chops

While lamb is a common ingredient in Northern and Western China, it's not as typically found in Cantonese cuisine. For this pan-seared lamb chop recipe, my dad puts a unique spin on lamb using his pantry staples like white pepper, garlic salt and oyster sauce.

The lamb chops are served on a bed of onions and bell peppers, but if you're looking for more side dishes to go with it, try our Smashed Cucumber Salad or Broccoli Stir Fry.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US

Volume: US

cup

Servings

Main Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt
20 oz lamb
1 oz garlic (
about half a bulb
)
1 oz white onion
1 oz red onion
2 oz red bell pepper
0.50 tablespoon corn oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
0.50 teaspoon garlic salt

Seasoning Ingredients

1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

On lamb

When shopping for lamb, there are a few things to look out for. First, aim for meat that's pink to red and avoid anything that's gray or wet-looking. When it comes to color, yellow fat suggests that the lamb were grain-fed, while white indicates grass-fed.

Keep in mind that grass-fed lamb can taste gamier so opt for grain-fed if you prefer a milder flavor. For the best quality, you can head to your local butcher.

Add the salt (1 teaspoon) to a large bowl of water. Place the rack of lamb (20 oz) into the bowl and soak for 1 to 2 minutes.

Peel and cut the garlic (1 oz) into thin slices.

(Chef's Tip: For removing the peel quickly, my dad squeezes both ends of the clove with his fingers to split the peel, which helps it come off easily.)

Cut both the white onion (1 oz) and red onion (1 oz) into 1/4-inch slices, going along the grain.

Slice the red bell pepper (2 oz) into 1/4-inch strips.

Remove the rack of lamb from the water and pat it dry with paper towels. Separate the rack into individual chops by slicing in between the bones. Use the back of your knife to tenderize both sides of the lamb.

Season one side of the lamb with the black pepper (0.50 teaspoon), white pepper (0.50 teaspoon) and garlic salt (1 teaspoon). Use your fingers to press the spices into the meat.

Flip the lamb chops and repeat on the other side, again patting the black pepper (0.50 teaspoon), white pepper (0.50 teaspoon) and garlic salt (1 teaspoon) into the meat.

Place all of the lamb chops on a plate and drizzle the olive oil (1 tablespoon) on top. Flip them over and use your hands to make sure the olive oil covers most of the lamb.

If you have time, you can let the chops marinade for 1 to 2 hours. If not, you can cook them right away.

Heat a pan on high for 2 minutes, then add the oil (0.50 tablespoon).

Place the lamb chops on the pan starting with the fat cap. and fry for 1 minute. To make this easier, stack them side by side to hold them up.

Flip the chops to one side and fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat on the other side for 1 minute.

Add the butter (1 tablespoon) to the pan. Turn the heat to low and fry the lamb for a final 30 seconds, then remove the chops.

With the heat still on low, fry the garlic for 30 seconds using the fat that was rendered out from the lamb.

Add the sliced white onion and half of the red bell pepper and fry for 1 minute. Next, add the red onions.

Add the oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), followed by the cooking wine (1 tablespoon). Saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the garlic salt (0.50 teaspoon).

Place the lamb chops, including any juices that have collected on the plate, back into the pan. Fry for 30 seconds.

To plate, layer in the cooked onions and pepper onto the platter, followed by the fresh bell peppers and finally the lamb chops.

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FAQ

How do you make sure the lamb isn't too gamey-tasting?

Using aromatics like white and black pepper, onions, and garlic helps counter the gamey flavor of lamb. The gamey flavor is also more prominent in fattier cuts of lamb so you can also choose a leaner rack when shopping.

How long does it take to pan-fry lamb chops?

Just a few minutes! Lamb chops are not very thick and don't require a long cooking time. My dad sears them for just a minute or two on each side to cook and get a nice sear on the lamb chops.

Is it better to use oil or butter for cooking lamb?

Both oil and butter can be used to cook lamb. If using oil, make sure it's one with a high smoke point since you'll be pan-frying them on high heat. My dad uses corn oil and also adds a pat of butter at the end for a richer, more decadent flavor.

Summary

Print Recipe

Made With Lau

madewithlau.com/recipes/lamb-chops

Pan-Fried Lamb Chops (煎羊扒)

Learn to make succulent, flavorful lamb chops Cantonese-style!

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt
20 oz lamb
1 oz garlic (
about half a bulb
)
1 oz white onion
1 oz red onion
2 oz red bell pepper
0.50 tablespoon corn oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
0.50 teaspoon garlic salt

Seasoning Ingredients

1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Step 1 - Soak lamb

↑ Jump to details

Add the salt (1 teaspoon) to a large bowl of water. Place the rack of lamb (20 oz) into the bowl and soak for 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 2 - Prep aromatics

↑ Jump to details

Peel and cut the garlic (1 oz) into thin slices.

Cut both the white onion (1 oz) and red onion (1 oz) into 1/4-inch slices, going along the grain.

Slice the red bell pepper (2 oz) into 1/4-inch strips.

Step 3 - Prep lamb

↑ Jump to details

Remove the rack of lamb from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Separate the rack into individual chops by slicing in between the bones. Use the back of your knife to tenderize both sides of the lamb.

Season one side of the lamb with the black pepper (0.50 teaspoon), white pepper (0.50 teaspoon) and garlic salt (1 teaspoon) and press them in with your fingers.

Flip the lamb chops and repeat, again patting the black pepper (0.50 teaspoon), white pepper (0.50 teaspoon) and garlic salt (1 teaspoon) into the meat.

Place all of the lamb chops on a plate and drizzle the olive oil (1 tablespoon) on top. Flip them over and use your hands to make sure the olive oil covers most of the lamb.

If you have time, you can let the chops marinade for 1 to 2 hours. If not, you can cook them right away.

Step 4 - Cook lamb