🐑Pepper-Crusted Lamb Chops with Garlic Rosemary Jus

Serves: 2–3   
Prep time: 10 mins   
Cook time: 15–20 mins
Skill level: Fancy-dinner energy with weeknight effort.

🧂 Ingredients

For the lamb chops:
6 lamb cutlets or chops
1 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil

For the garlic rosemary jus:
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
100ml red wine
100ml good-quality lamb or beef stock
1 tsp redcurrant jelly or a splash of balsamic (optional, for a glossy finish)
Salt & pepper to taste

To serve:
Creamy mash, green beans, or roasted roots– whatever you’d serve to impress your in-laws

🔥 Method

1. Prep the pepper crust.
Crush the black peppercorns (a mortar and pestle works best, or a heavy frying pan and some aggression). Mix with sea salt. Pat the lamb chops dry, rub with olive oil, then coat generously with the pepper-salt mix.

2. Sear the lamb.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chops for 2–3 mins per side for pink, longer if you prefer them well-done (we don’t). Rest them under foil while you make the jus.

3. Make the jus.
In the same pan, lower the heat. Add oil or butter, then garlic and rosemary. Stir for 1 min until fragrant. Add wine and let it reduce by half, scraping up all the tasty bits. Add stock, simmer for 5 mins, then stir in redcurrant jelly or balsamic if using. Season to taste.

4. Serve and drizzle.
Arrange the chops on warm plates, spoon over the jus, and pretend you learned it in Provence.

💡 Little Tip
Crushing whole peppercorns gives a better crust and bolder flavour than using ground pepper. It’s worth the elbow grease.