About This Dish
Simple perfection — lamb chops marinated with olive oil, cumin, garlic, and salt, then grilled over charcoal until the outside is charred and the inside is pink and juicy. This is the dish ordered at every Moroccan barbecue, grill restaurant, and holiday gathering. The simplicity is the point: excellent lamb needs nothing more than cumin and fire. Served with a bowl of ground cumin and salt for dipping, grilled lamb chops showcase Morocco's mastery of charcoal cooking. The best ones come from small roadside grill restaurants in the Atlas Mountains where the lamb is local.
Ingredients
- 12 Lamb chops
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- to taste Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp each Cumin and salt mix for dipping
Instructions
- 1
Rub chops with olive oil, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- 2
Marinate at least 1 hour, ideally 4 hours.
- 3
Grill over very high heat: 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- 4
Rest 3 minutes before serving.
- 5
Serve with cumin-salt dip and bread.
Tips & Tricks
- Room temperature meat before grilling ensures even cooking.
- Do not move the chops once on the grill — let them develop a crust.
- The cumin-salt dip is 2 parts cumin to 1 part salt.