Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Grill

Irish lamb chops with wild garlic butter

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Whiskey-Flamed Irish Lamb Chops with Wild Garlic Butter

Charcoal-seared lamb chops, a finish of Irish whiskey and wild garlic butter melting over the top. The butter settles into the warm meat and charred edges. A quick cook in Charlie with rather more flavour than the effort suggests.

Tara QuickCo-founder, Charlie Oven
Grill
Prep15 minutes
Cook8 minutes plus resting
Serves4
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature220°C (430°F)
RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack on the lower rack, grilling directly on the bars
CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/whiskey-flamed-irish-lamb-chops-with-wild-garlic-butter

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Ingredients

8 lamb chops

For the lamb

For the wild garlic butter

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

  • Charlie Charcoal Oven£5,950.00Choose your oven
  • Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal£96.50
  • Charlie Oven Cooking Rack£280.00
  • Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm£40.00
Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal, Charlie Oven Cooking Rack and Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm £416.50 together

Method

Setting up Charlie
  1. Light about half a football of lumpwood charcoal and allow it to ash over
  2. Set up the Charlie Oven for high-heat direct grilling at 220°C (430°F)
  3. Place the Charlie Oven Cooking Rack in position for direct grilling
  4. Allow the oven to reach full temperature before cooking

Wild garlic butter

  1. Make the wild garlic butter

    In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the chopped wild garlic, or garlic and parsley, and the lemon juice. Set aside.

Light Charlie

  1. Light Charlie

    Light about half a football of good-quality lumpwood charcoal in the Charlie Oven, open the vents and close the door. Bring Charlie up to 220°C (430°F) for high-heat grilling. Put the Cooking Rack on a lower rack position, close to the charcoal, and let the oven reach full temperature before you start cooking.
    Why this mattersLower racks are hotter and more direct, which is what you want for chops. The fat renders and the outside chars quickly before the inside has a chance to overcook.

Grill

  1. Season the lamb

    Take the lamb chops out of the fridge a little while before cooking so they lose their chill. Rub them all over with the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

  2. Grill the first side

    Lay the chops directly on the bars of the Cooking Rack, close the door and grill for 3 to 4 minutes until nicely charred underneath.
    4 min timer

  3. Turn and grill the second side

    Turn the chops over with long tongs and grill for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Measure the whiskey into a small jug while they cook.
    3 min timer

  4. Flame with whiskey

    In the last minute of cooking, open the door, pour the whiskey from the jug over the lamb and carefully ignite it with a long match. Stand back and let the flames burn off on their own, leaving a rich, smoky whiskey aroma on the chops.
    1 min timer
    Why this mattersPouring from a jug rather than straight from the bottle keeps the flame away from the rest of the whiskey. Letting the flames die down by themselves burns off the harsh alcohol and leaves just the warm, smoky flavour behind.

Rest and serve

  1. Rest the lamb

    Lift the chops out of Charlie and leave them to rest for 5 minutes.
    5 min timer
    Why this mattersResting lets the juices settle back into the meat, so they stay on the chop rather than running out onto the board.

  2. Serve with the butter

    Top each chop with 10g prepared wild garlic butter and let it melt over the hot lamb. Serve with grilled flatbreads and a crisp green salad.

Tips

  • Use room temperature lamb chops for the most even cooking and best sear.
  • Wild garlic is seasonal in spring. If unavailable, a mix of regular garlic and flat-leaf parsley works well.
  • Be careful when igniting the whiskey: use a long match or lighter and stand back from the flames.
  • Do not skip the resting step, as it allows the juices to redistribute for tender, juicy chops.
  • This recipe pairs beautifully with a glass of Irish whiskey or a cold stout.

More recipes

The cook

Tara Quick

Co-founder, Charlie Oven

Tara Quick is co-founder of Charlie Oven, a lifelong foodie who loves to cook and bring people together around the table. Her approach is simple: start with great ingredients, let the oven do the hard work and cook with love. Food made with love just tastes better.

More recipes by Tara Quick

Frequently asked questions

  • What can I use if wild garlic is out of season?

    Wild garlic is a spring ingredient. Out of season, use a mix of finely chopped regular garlic and flat-leaf parsley in the butter instead.

  • Is it safe to flame whiskey in the Charlie Oven?

    Yes, with care. Measure the whiskey into a small jug first and never pour straight from the bottle near the fire. Open the door, pour it over the chops, ignite it with a long match or lighter and stand back until the flames die down.

  • How do I know when the lamb chops are done?

    For average chops, 3 to 4 minutes a side at 220°C (428°F) gives a charred outside with a little pink in the middle. For thicker chops, or if you want to be sure, check with a probe thermometer. Around 60°C (140°F) in the centre gives pink lamb.

  • Which rack should I grill the chops on?

    Grill them on a lower rack, close to the charcoal, for strong direct heat and a good sear. Upper racks are gentler and more suited to slower cooking.