Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Olives and Roasted Peppers — 2022 Estate Red

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 1 to 4 hours marinating) | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes active | Serves: 4

Lamb Chop Ingredients

The lamb chops and marinade

• 8 bone-in lamb rib chops (lollipops), about 1 inch thick (approximately 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. total)

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and roughly chopped

• Zest of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The olive and roasted pepper relish

• 3 large red or mixed bell peppers (or 1 jar piquillo peppers, drained)

• 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly torn

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped

• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Substitutions and sourcing notes:

On lamb chop selection: Look for rib chops with a bright pink-to-red color and a clean strip of white fat along the outer edge. The fat is what renders and chars on the grill, producing the flavor that makes this dish. Avoid chops that look grey or have yellowed fat; these are signs of age. Frenched rib chops (the bone scraped clean) are available at most butcher counters and are more dramatic for presentation.

How to Make Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Olives and Roasted Peppers

The relish is the dish's secret weapon and its greatest host advantage: it is made entirely ahead of time and served at room temperature. The lamb takes 15 minutes total. Everything else is done before guests arrive.

Step 1: Marinate the lamb chops (1 to 4 hours ahead)

Combine the olive oil, smashed garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a large zip-top bag or shallow baking dish. Add the lamb chops and turn to coat thoroughly. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Do not marinate longer than 4 hours. The lemon zest's oils begin to break down the surface of the meat beyond that point, softening the texture in a way that is noticeable on the grill.

Remove the chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling and let them come toward room temperature. Cold meat straight from the refrigerator cools the grill grates and prevents proper searing.

Step 2: Roast and prepare the peppers (up to 1 day ahead)

If using fresh bell peppers: place them directly over a gas flame or under a broiler set to high, turning occasionally, until the skin is completely charred and black on all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the charred skin.

Peel the peppers with your fingers; the charred skin will slide off easily. Do not rinse them under water, which washes away the smoky flavor. Remove the seeds and stem, and slice the flesh into 1/2-inch strips.

If using jarred piquillo peppers: drain, slice, and proceed directly to the relish step.

Step 3: Build the relish (up to 1 day ahead)

Combine the roasted pepper strips, torn Castelvetrano olives, capers, and parsley in a bowl. Dress with the olive oil and sherry vinegar. Season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Taste: it should be bright, briny, and faintly sweet from the peppers.

The relish improves with time. Made the day before and refrigerated, the flavors meld and deepen. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving; cold relish will chill the warm lamb and flatten the pairing.

Step 4: Grill the lamb chops (10 minutes)

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat, around 450°F. Clean and oil the grates well: lamb chops are prone to sticking, especially at the fat cap.

Remove the chops from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic is golden. This makes the marinade safe to use as a basting liquid and concentrates its flavor.

Lay the chops on the grill and cook without moving for 2 to 3 minutes. A well-caramelized crust releases naturally from the grates; if a chop resists when you try to turn it, give it another 30 seconds. Flip and cook 2 minutes more for medium-rare (internal temperature 130 to 135°F). Baste with the cooked marinade in the final minute.

Transfer to a board or warmed platter and rest for 5 minutes. Resting is not optional: the juices redistribute during this time, and a chop cut immediately will bleed onto the plate.

Step 5: Plate and serve

Arrange the chops on the platter. Spoon the relish generously over and around them. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and lemon wedges alongside.

Timing note for hosts: Marinate the lamb the morning of the dinner. Make the relish the day before. On the night, the only active work is 10 minutes at the grill. Everything else is already done. This is one of the most host-friendly recipes in the program.

Wine Pairing Notes: Ojai Mountain 2022 Estate Red

The 2022 Estate Red is the most concentrated of the three Estate Red vintages: broader mid-palate amplitude, denser dark fruit, and the kind of weight that needs a dish with real presence on the plate. Grilled lamb chops deliver that presence, but it is the relish that makes the pairing precise.

As Decanter notes, sauce and condiment drive the pairing more than protein color. The olive and roasted pepper relish here is doing significant structural work. Castelvetrano olives bring fat and mild brine; roasted peppers bring sweetness and a faint smokiness from the char; capers bring sharp acidity. Together they create a Mediterranean flavor register that the 2022 Estate Red is built to meet: the wine's concentrated Grenache fruit finds its counterpart in the peppers' sweetness, its savory mineral depth answers the olives' brine, and its structure holds its own through the fat of the lamb without flattening.

What this pairing is not: a simple red-wine-with-red-meat match. The 2022 Estate Red has enough concentration that a plain grilled chop with no condiment would make the wine feel heavy. The relish is what brings the pairing into balance.

Serving temperature: 63 to 66°F. This is the warmest serving temperature in the program, appropriate for the vintage's density. If the bottle has been sitting in a warm room, 10 minutes in the refrigerator brings it to the right point.

At the table: Open the wine while the chops rest. Pour as the relish goes onto the platter. The first sip alongside a piece of lamb and a forkful of olive-pepper relish is the moment the pairing makes its case.