Some nights only a steakhouse plate will do, but the bill and the drive can kill the mood fast. These Ruth’s Chris lamb chops bring that sizzling, butter-basted style home with a hard sear, a garlic and herb baste, and a bright hit of fresh mint and lemon at the end.
Plan on 35 minutes of prep (only 5 of them active, the rest is the chops sitting on the counter) and 25 minutes of cooking, resting included. The recipe makes 4 servings of 2 thick rib chops each.
You need one 12-inch skillet and a thermometer. That’s it.
Good to know: Restaurant-style lamb chops are judged by two things, a deep brown crust and a rosy, juicy center. Rib chops cut about 1 inch thick make both easier to hit than thin chops.
Why You’ll Love This Ruth’s Chris Lamb Chops Recipe
- Steakhouse crust, home kitchen.
- The garlic, rosemary, and thyme butter turns into a spoonable pan sauce, so you don’t need a separate gravy.
- One skillet does everything.
- It’s fast enough for a weeknight. Most of the time is hands-off while the chops warm up on the counter.
- Fresh mint and lemon cut the richness.
- You save a lot by making this lamb chops recipe yourself. Buying a 2-pound pack of rib chops costs far less than ordering two plates out.
How to Make Ruth’s Chris Lamb Chops
This version uses rib chops, olive oil for the sear, and butter for the baste, with fresh mint and lemon juice at the end.
Ingredients
- 8 lamb rib chops, about 1 inch thick (2 lb [907 g] total), or loin chops of the same thickness
- 2 tsp kosher salt [6 g]
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper [2 g]
- 2 tbsp olive oil [30 ml], divided
- 4 garlic cloves [20 g], smashed and peeled
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary [3 g]
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme [2 g]
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter [57 g], cut into 4 pieces
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint [4 g]
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice [15 ml], from about half a lemon
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron or oven-safe stainless steel skillet. Nonstick won’t brown as well and some can’t take 400°F.
- Instant-read thermometer. Lamb chops go from pink to gray in about 2 minutes, so guessing is risky.
- Tongs
- Large metal spoon, for basting
- Paper towels
- Large plate or cutting board, for resting
Step-by-Step Instructions for Ruth’s Chris lamb chops
Step 1: Pat the Chops Dry and Season
Set the chops on a plate and leave them on the counter for 30 minutes so the centers cook evenly. Pat both sides dry with paper towels until the surface feels tacky, because wet meat steams and won’t brown.
Season all over with the 2 tsp [6 g] kosher salt and 1 tsp [2 g] black pepper, including the fat edge. Heat the oven to 400°F [200°C] while you wait.
Step 2: Sear in a Hot Skillet
Heat the 12-inch skillet over medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, then add 1 tbsp [15 ml] olive oil. When the oil shimmers and gives off the first thin wisp of smoke, lay in 4 chops with space between them.
You should hear a loud, steady sizzle. Sear 3 minutes per side without moving them, until the crust is deep golden brown, then move them to a plate and repeat with the remaining 1 tbsp [15 ml] oil and 4 chops.
Step 3: Add Garlic, Herbs, and Butter
Return all 8 chops to the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and butter. The butter should foam right away and smell nutty within about 30 seconds.
Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the chops for 1 to 2 minutes so the herb flavor coats the crust.
Step 4: Finish in the Oven to 145°F [63°C]
Slide the skillet into the 400°F [200°C] oven for 4 to 6 minutes. Start checking at 4 minutes by pushing the thermometer into the side of the thickest chop, away from the bone. Pull the pan once it reads 145°F [63°C]. The butter will look darker and the garlic should be golden, not black.
Step 5: Rest for at Least 3 Minutes and Finish with Mint
Move the chops to a plate or board and rest them 3 to 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. Stir the lemon juice into the warm butter left in the skillet; it will hiss briefly.
Spoon that sauce over the chops and scatter the chopped mint on top just before serving, so it stays green and fresh.
Tips and Tricks
These fixes cover the three spots where pan-seared lamb usually goes wrong: crust, burnt aromatics, and doneness.
How Do You Get a Golden Crust Without Overcooking?
- Crowding the pan is the most common failure. Eight chops jammed into one skillet drop the heat, release water, and turn gray. Sear in two batches of 4, even if it takes 6 extra minutes.
- Leave them alone. Lift one corner at the 3-minute mark; if it sticks, give it 30 more seconds and it will release on its own once browned.
- Trim the fat cap to about 1/4 inch. Thick fat won’t render in this short cook and stays chewy.
Why this works: Browning happens when the meat’s surface gets hotter than about 300°F, which can’t happen until the surface water is gone. Drying the chops and using a hot pan lets the crust form fast, before the inside overcooks.
Closest to the original: Restaurant plates arrive sizzling, so warm your serving plates in the turned-off oven for 5 minutes and pour the hot pan butter over the chops right at the table.
How Do You Keep Garlic and Butter from Burning?
Garlic and butter go in after the sear for a reason. Butter’s milk solids burn around 350°F, and the pan is far hotter than that during searing.
- If the butter turns black and smells bitter within seconds, the pan was too hot. Pull it off the heat, wipe it out, and start the baste again with fresh butter over medium heat.
- Smashed cloves hold up better than minced garlic, which scorches in under a minute.
Why Do Chop Thickness and Thermometer Placement Matter?
Chops thinner than 3/4 inch can’t build a crust before they overcook, so skip the oven and sear them 2 to 3 minutes per side. Chops 1 1/2 inches thick need 7 to 9 minutes in the oven.
Placing the probe against the bone gives a false high reading. Go in from the side, into the center of the meatiest part.
Ingredient Substitutions
Most swaps here are simple, but a couple change the final flavor in ways worth knowing before you shop.
Fresh-to-Dried Herb Ratios
- Use 1 tsp dried rosemary in place of 3 fresh sprigs, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme for 4 fresh sprigs. Rub the dried herbs onto the chops with the salt in Step 1 instead of adding them to the butter, because dried herbs burn fast in hot fat.
- Dried mint doesn’t work as a finish. It tastes dusty. Use fresh parsley (2 tbsp) plus a little lemon zest if you can’t find mint.
Dairy-Free and Citrus Alternatives
- Dairy-free: swap the butter for 3 tbsp [45 ml] extra olive oil added in Step 3. You lose the nutty, browned taste and the sauce will be thinner, but the herbs and garlic still flavor it.
- No lemon? Use 2 tsp [10 ml] red wine vinegar. It’s sharper, so taste before adding more.
Optional Honey Marinade and Pork Chop Adjustments
- Honey marinade: whisk 2 tbsp [42 g] honey, 2 tbsp [30 ml] olive oil, 1 tbsp [15 ml] lemon juice, and 2 minced garlic cloves, then marinate the chops 1 to 4 hours in the fridge. Wipe off the excess and drop the searing heat to medium, since sugar burns quickly; expect a darker, stickier crust.
- Pork chop swap: use four 1-inch bone-in pork chops. Sear 4 minutes per side and roast 6 to 8 minutes to the same 145°F [63°C]. For a pork version built around that steakhouse style, these Ruth’s Chris pork chops use similar timing.
What to Serve with Ruth’s Chris Lamb Chops
Rich, creamy steakhouse sides work best next to these chops, along with something green or sharp to cut the butter.
Steakhouse Potatoes and Creamed Spinach
- Garlic mashed potatoes, which soak up the pan butter. The buttery garlic lamb chops with smooth mashed potatoes pairing shows how well the two go together.
- Julienne fries for crunch.
- Creamed spinach.
- Sweet potato casserole, if you like a sweet and savory plate. Keep the topping light so it doesn’t fight the mint.
For a bigger spread, rich lobster mac and cheese turns dinner into a full steakhouse night.
Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Salads
Roasted Brussels sprouts at 425°F [220°C] for 20 to 25 minutes get crisp edges, and they can roast while the chops temper on the counter. Grilled asparagus with a squeeze of lemon echoes the lemon in the pan sauce.
A Greek salad with cucumber, tomato, feta, and red onion brings acid and crunch to balance the fat.
Optional Red Wine Reduction
After the chops come out, pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat. Add 1/2 cup [120 ml] dry red wine to the skillet over medium-high heat and scrape up the brown bits. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes until it’s syrupy and reduced by about half, then whisk in 1 tbsp [14 g] cold butter off the heat. Skip the lemon if you use this sauce.
Serving tip: Have every side hot and ready before the chops go in the oven, since they cook in 6 minutes and only need a short rest.
How to Store Ruth’s Chris Lamb Chops
Cooked lamb chops keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and about 3 months in the freezer.
Room-Temperature Limits and Refrigerator Storage
- Room temperature: no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if your kitchen is above 90°F.
- Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a shallow airtight container at 40°F or below.
Store the pan butter separately in a small jar. It firms up and reheats cleanly.
Freezing Cooked Chops
- Freezer: up to 3 months for best texture.
Cool the chops completely, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and put them in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Without Drying Out the Meat
Low heat keeps cooked lamb from going gray and tough. Set the chops on a rack in a sheet pan and warm them at 275°F [135°C] for 10 to 15 minutes, until they reach 130°F inside, then sear 30 seconds per side in a hot skillet to wake up the crust.
The microwave is a last resort. If you use it, cover the chops and heat at 50% power in 30-second bursts.
Nutritional Value
Approximate values per serving (based on 4 servings).
- Calories: 660
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Fat: 59 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 660 mg
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
Most of the fat comes from the lamb chops themselves, with the unsalted butter adding much of the saturated fat. Trimming the fat cap and leaving some of the butter in the pan lowers both. The olive oil adds mostly unsaturated fat.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brands and portion size.
Ruth’s Chris Lamb Chops Recipe (Homemade)
Equipment
- 1 12-inch cast-iron or oven-safe stainless steel skillet |
- 1 Instant-read thermometer
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Large metal spoon | for basting
- 1 Paper towels
- 1 Large plate or cutting board | for resting
Ingredients
- 8 lamb rib chops about 1 inch thick, or loin chops of the same thickness (2 lb / 907 g total)
- 2 tsp kosher salt (6 g)
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (2 g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided (30 ml)
- 4 cloves garlic smashed and peeled (20 g)
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (3 g)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (2 g)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces (57 g)
- 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped (4 g)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice from about half a lemon (15 ml)
Instructions
Pat the Chops Dry and Season:
- Set the chops on a plate and leave them on the counter for 30 minutes so the centers cook evenly. Pat both sides dry with paper towels until the surface feels tacky, because wet meat steams and won’t brown. Season all over with the 2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt and 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, including the fat edge. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) while you wait.
Sear in a Hot Skillet:
- Heat the 12-inch skillet over medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, then add 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. When the oil shimmers and gives off the first thin wisp of smoke, lay in 4 chops with space between them. You should hear a loud, steady sizzle. Sear 3 minutes per side without moving them, until the crust is deep golden brown, then move them to a plate and repeat with the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and 4 chops.
Add Garlic, Herbs, and Butter:
- Return all 8 chops to the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and butter. The butter should foam right away and smell nutty within about 30 seconds. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the chops for 1 to 2 minutes so the herb flavor coats the crust.
Finish in the Oven to 145°F (63°C):
- Slide the skillet into the 400°F (200°C) oven for 4 to 6 minutes. Start checking at 4 minutes by pushing the thermometer into the side of the thickest chop, away from the bone. Pull the pan once it reads 145°F (63°C). The butter will look darker and the garlic should be golden, not black.
Rest for at Least 3 Minutes and Finish with Mint:
- Move the chops to a plate or board and rest them 3 to 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. Stir the lemon juice into the warm butter left in the skillet; it will hiss briefly. Spoon that sauce over the chops and scatter the chopped mint on top just before serving, so it stays green and fresh.
FAQ
Which Cut of Lamb Should You Buy for This Homemade Version?
Buy lamb rib chops about 1 inch thick. They’re tender and cook fast, and the bone makes them easy to eat. Loin chops of the same thickness work just as well; skip shoulder chops, which need slow cooking.
Do Thick Lamb Chops Need an Oven Finish After Searing?
Yes, chops 1 inch or thicker need 4 to 6 minutes at 400°F [200°C] after searing. Staying on the stovetop that long burns the crust before the center is done.
What Internal Temperature Should Lamb Chops Reach?
Cook lamb chops to 145°F [63°C], then rest them at least 3 minutes, which is the USDA safe temperature for whole cuts of lamb. At that point the center is rosy pink and juicy.
Can You Season the Chops a Day Ahead?
Yes, salt them up to 24 hours ahead and store them uncovered on a rack in the fridge. The salt seasons deeper and the surface dries out, which gives you a better crust. Add the pepper just before cooking.
Can You Freeze Lamb Chops in Their Marinade?
Yes, raw chops freeze well in an oil, herb, and garlic marinade for up to 3 months. Leave lemon juice out until thawing, since long acid contact makes the surface mushy. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then pat dry before searing and finish with fresh mint after cooking.
This is an independent homemade version and is not affiliated with Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
WP RECIPE MAKER DETAILS
Name: Ruth’s Chris Lamb Chops Recipe (Homemade)
Summary: Thick lamb rib chops seared in a hot skillet, basted with garlic, rosemary, thyme, and butter, then finished in the oven to 145°F. A squeeze of lemon and fresh mint brighten the rich pan sauce.
Servings: 4
Equipment: 12-inch cast-iron or oven-safe stainless steel skillet, instant-read thermometer, tongs, large metal spoon, paper towels, large plate or cutting board
Ingredients:
8 lamb rib chops, about 1 inch thick (2 lb [907 g] total), or loin chops of the same thickness
2 tsp kosher salt [6 g]
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper [2 g]
2 tbsp olive oil [30 ml], divided
4 garlic cloves [20 g], smashed and peeled
3 sprigs fresh rosemary [3 g]
4 sprigs fresh thyme [2 g]
4 tbsp unsalted butter [57 g], cut into 4 pieces
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint [4 g]
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice [15 ml]
Instruction:\
- Let the chops sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 400°F [200°C].\
- Heat the skillet over medium-high, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and sear 4 chops for 3 minutes per side until deep golden brown; repeat with the remaining oil and chops.\
- Return all chops to the pan over medium heat, add garlic, rosemary, thyme, and butter, and baste with the foaming butter for 1 to 2 minutes.\
- Roast in the 400°F [200°C] oven for 4 to 6 minutes, until the thickest chop reads 145°F [63°C].\
- Rest the chops 3 to 5 minutes, stir lemon juice into the pan butter, spoon it over the chops, and top with fresh mint.
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keywords: Ruth’s Chris lamb chops, Ruth Chris lamb chops, Ruth’s Chris lamb chops recipe, restaurant-style lamb chops, pan-seared lamb chops
Nutrition Facts: Serving size 2 chops, Calories 660, Carbohydrates 2 g, Protein 30 g, Fat 59 g, Saturated Fat 25 g, Fiber 0 g, Sugar 0 g, Sodium 660 mg, Cholesterol 145 mg
Meta description: Ruth’s Chris lamb chops at home: thick chops seared hard, basted in garlic herb butter, and finished with fresh mint and lemon. Cooks in 25 minutes.
