Tony Zentgraf
You are going to want to try this Grilled Balsamic & Rosemary Marinated Lamb Chops with Red Wine Reduction. Marinade is great on chops, rack of lamb and other lamb cuts.
I love lamb, whether it be rack of lamb, chops or leg. For some, the flavor of lamb can be overpowering. Plus if you are like me, the tradition of pairing mint jelly with a good cut of lamb can be a turn off. But there are ways to prepare lamb, such as using a marinade that can change the tune of the person who dislikes lamb or in my case mint jelly.
Let’s start off by opening the fridge, digging to the back of the top shelf and disposing that mint jelly that has been there for years.
You won’t need it to hide the flavor of the lamb in this recipe.
Packed with flavor, this marinade plays off of some classic flavors. Shallots, Garlic, Rosemary, Balsamic Vinegar, a touch of Dijon, Honey and Olive Oil. By letting the marinade do its work, over the course of the day it will add flavors to the lamb that will have you wanting more. Pairing it with the red wine reduction will give you a nice sauce that will help to bring out the flavors in the marinade.
Balsamic Vinegar the Hidden Away Secret for Centuries
Believe it or not, Balsamic Vinegar had not been widely used outside of Italy until roughly 1980. It wasn’t until Italian chefs began experimenting with culinary uses that it found a use. The deeply flavored vinegar had been aging away in attic spaces and dark corners of Italian residences.
Origin of Balsamic Vinegar
If it wasn’t used for cooking before 1980 what was it used for? Good question. During the 11th century In Modena and Reggio regions of Italy, it was thought that the fermented vinegar had health benefits. Used as a drink, it was thought that it would wort off the black plague.
In the 18th century, the name balsamico had stuck. As it was a way to describe Modena region’smethod of wood aging their specialty vinegars.
As the ruling powers transitioned over the centuries, balsamic vinegar fell from the once sought after forefront of the wealthy back to the dark recesses of the attics and dark corners of peoples homes. It was there that people would use the vinegar at celebrations. It was tradition to start a new barrel of vinegar when a baby was born.
The Modena and Reggio regions continued the traditions of making and drinking balsamic vinegar for health benefits. Outside of Italy it was hardly known. Most of the world hadn’t even heard of balsamic vinegar.
Quality vs Quantity
Today we can find balsamic vinegar on the condiment aisle of most grocery stores, stocked next to an assortment of other vinegars. As with many wines, alcohols and craft foods, smaller batches and quality ingredients make a huge difference.
If you have sipped a champagne from France vs a brut from California you can taste a difference. Specific growing regions of grapes to different techniques can lead to better quality. There is similar quality components of making Dijon. Mustard made in France vs dijon made in a commercial manufacturer in other countries.
Search Out Quality Balsamic Vinegars
If you haven’t had the opportunity of tasting small batch crafted balsamic vinegar made in Modena or Reggio regions of Italy you are missing out. There are some specialty retailers that sell some amazing deeply flavored balsamic vinegars.
The generic bottles of balsamic in the store pale in comparison. The price point of many of the quality imports have a price tag that may shock some compared to the $2-3 bottle they may use regularly.
Exceptions to the Rules
However there are some exceptions out there in the stores that are pretty descent in quality. I have gravitated to Trader Joe’s Balsamic Vinegar of Modena as my go to. Quality of Trader Joe’s balsamic vinegar is nicely balanced plus it is at a price point won’t break the bank. If you have the opportunity, try some small batch made balsamic vinegar. It may change the way you look at how you use it.
The Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe on the website uses the Trader Joe’s Balsamic Vinegar as well. This vinaigrette is another great marinade for veggies as well as a marinade for grilled portobello mushrooms. Grilled Balsamic & Rosemary Marinated Lamb Chops with Red Wine Reduction is one you will want to make again and again!
Enjoy!
Grilled Balsamic & Rosemary Marinated Lamb Chops with Red Wine Reduction (GF)
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Marinade Ingredients
- 4 ea Lamb Chops (could use rack of lamb, sirloin chop or shoulder chop)
- 1 ea Shallot minced
- 2 tsp Fermented Garlic from Whistling Duck Farm and Store (roasted or fresh ok to substitute)
- 2 tbsp Rosemary minced
- 2 tsp Joey's Hot Sauce HOT HONEY (you can use regular honey or honey with some chili flakes as well) Joey’s hot honey blends nicely into the marinade and is not spicy in the finished marinade.
- 1 ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
- ⅔ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- ⅓ cup Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
Red Wine Reduction Ingredients
- 1 ea Shallot minced
- 2 ea Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Rosemary minced
- 1 cup Red Wine such as a cabernet
- 1 cup Beef Stock or Broth
- ¼ tsp Granulated Garlic
- ¼ tsp Granulated Onion
- ½ tsp Cracked Black Pepper
- Salt to taste
- Cornstarch as needed to thicken
Instructions
Making the Marinade & Grilling
- Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, except the olive oil and whisk to combine.
- Drizzle in the oil while whisking to emulsify the marinade.
- Marinate lamb chops for 3 to 12 hours. Pork tenderloin, pork chops, pork loin or even a steak would work great with the marinade.
- Remove from marinade, season with salt and pepper and grill over charcoal. The marinade infuses the meat and delivers a great subtle flavor. The charcoal gives a nice smokiness to the meat.
- Serve with a red wine reduction.
Making the Red Wine Reduction
- Over medium heat saute the minced shallot until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and rosemary, saute until fragrant. Reduce heat if needed to avoid burning the garlic.
- Increase the heat to high and add the red wine and reduce by half to 2/3.
- Add the beef stock or broth and reduce by half.
- Once reduced, add the granulated garlic & onion plus the cracked black pepper.
- Salt as needed, if you are using a beef broth it may have enough salt added that you do not need to add salt. Remember you can always add more, you can’t take it away.
- Thicken with cornstarch until sauce consistency. Or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Serve with some roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes or wild rice & some grilled vegetables. ENJOY!
