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Broiled Mutton Chops
Loin chops are the best. Trim off the outer skin and superfluous fat. Broil on a wire broiler over clear, hot coals, turning quickly that both sides may be seared and confine the juice. As soon as both sides have been kept for two minutes to the fire, let them broil more slowly until done; five minutes is sufficient if they are liked rare. As soon as done lay the chops on a hot platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve plain or with parsley butter, tomato or soubise sauce. Garnish with parsley and slices of lemon.
A straightforward hot-and-fast broil, written for an open coal fire. The technique translates directly to a charcoal grill or a cast-iron pan; an overhead broiler works but sears less well.
- The hinge: sear then move backThe chops are held to the fire for about two minutes (the original is ambiguous as to whether that is per side or in total) to set the surface, then finished over lower heat. On a modern grill this means building a two-zone fire and sliding the chops off the coals for the finish rather than turning the heat down.
- "Clear, hot coals"Charcoal that has burned past all flame and smoke, greyed over, radiating steady heat with no visible fire. Dripping mutton fat over live flame will flare and coat the meat in soot.
- Total timeFive minutes for rare suits a loin chop of roughly an inch, though the original gives no thickness; that lands somewhere near 125-130F internal. Thicker chops, or the double-cut loin, will want longer -- eight to ten minutes -- and a thermometer.
- Mutton versus lambMutton is older sheep, usually reckoned over two years (one to two years being sold as hogget); it is strongly flavoured and firmer than lamb. Most butchers now sell lamb loin chops, which cook faster and need no adjustment beyond watching the clock.
- Salt after, not beforeThe original salts on the platter. If you would rather season ahead, do it at least forty minutes before so the surface dries again, or the chop will steam instead of searing.
- Soubise sauceAn onion sauce: onions cooked soft in butter without colouring, then pureed into bechamel. It is thicker and sweeter than the name suggests to anyone meeting it for the first time.
- Parsley butterSoftened butter beaten with chopped parsley, lemon juice and salt, then chilled and sliced. A coin of it on the hot chop is the whole sauce.
- YieldTwo loin chops per person is a normal serving; count on three if they are thin.