Cooked over hot coals on the barbecue on skewers, this Pakistani spicy lamb chops recipe is absolutely delicious and not at all difficult to do.

This recipe will serve around 6 people, depending on sides and appetites and it makes for a fabulous weeknight or special weekend dinner occasion.

Pakistani Lamb Chops Marinade

• 1 kg (2 pounds) of lamb chops (10-12 chops depending on the size)
• ½ red onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp of tandoori masala
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (add more or less according to heat tolerance)
• ½ tsp of salt
• 2 tbsps of Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (mustard oil is great too)
• 1 tbsp of garam masala
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp dried methi leaves (dried fenugreek leaves)

Put all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Place the chops in the bowl with the marinade and work the marinade well into the lamb with your hands.

Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for minimum 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Pakistani Lamb Chops Grilled Over Hot Coals

Take your lamb out of the fridge about 45 minutes before cooking to come up to room temperature. Fill a chimney starter with good quality charcoal and natural firelighters.While your chimney starter is heating up prepare the lamb.

Remove the chops from the marinade and place them on metal skewers (you will need 2 skewers for each chop or they might fall off). If you want to use wooden skewers you will need to soak them in water first so they don’t burn.

When the coals are white hot put them into your barbecue and put the grill on.

Place the skewers onto the hot grills and cook directly over the high heat for around 5 minutes until you start to get a nice char on the underside. If your barbecue is big enough you may be able to close the lid to help with cooking. If not you probably should be able to close it down partially to rest on the skewers.

Turn the chops over to cook for another 5 minutes or so – you may need to move them around a little on the grill to ensure they cook evenly. It may also help to prop them up against each other.

To ensure your lamb chops don’t dry out brush them with a little butter or ghee (clarified butter) once or twice during the cook.

You want to aim for an internal temperature of 115-120F or 46-49C for rare, 125F or 52C for medium rare, 130F or 54C for medium and 145F or 63C for medium-well.

Serve your delicious Pakistani spicy lamb chops recipe with rice or naan breads or even a delicious green salad.

Pakistani Spicy Lamb Chops Recipe Oven Alternative

You can cook your Pakistani lamb chops in the oven as an alternative to grilling them over hot coals in your BBQ. Bear in mind that they won’t have the same smoky flavour and will lack the char on the meat.

You could cook them under the grill in your oven to get a more chargrilled effect. If you would like to get a smoky taste while cooking the lamb in your oven, consider adding some hickory wood chips soaked in a little water to the bottom of your oven in an oven safe tray.

You can also add a little splash or two of liquid smoke (e.g. Colgin Hickory Liquid Smoke) to the oven tray along with the lamb chops if you like.

Place your marinated lamb chops into a preheated tray and heat in a conventional oven at 200C or 392F for around 25-30 minutes.

Pakistani Spicy Lamb Chops Recipe FAQ’s

What is the Best Spice for Lamb?

Although the best spice for lamb will depend on what style of cooking you are planning on these spices work well with lamb:

• Black Pepper
• Mustard Powder
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Chilli powder

In terms of herbs lamb is similar to beef in that it pairs well with rosemary, thyme or oregano.

Do I Need to Soak Lamb Chops Before Cooking?

You don’t need to soak lamb chops before cooking however it can be beneficial to marinate them first or boil them for half an hour or so before cooking to keep them tender and moist.

How do you Keep Lamb Chops from Getting Tough?

If you are grilling lamb chops on your barbecue brush them with a little butter or ghee (clarified butter) to stop them getting tough. Make sure you don’t overcook the chops or they will get tough.

How Long can you Marinate Lamb Chops?

You can marinate lamb chops in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Any longer and you risk them being unsafe to eat.

Related Recipes

If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy our post on authentic lamb vindaloo.