GRILLING LAMB CHOPS IS EASY, FAST AND FUN.

I never really ate much lamb as a kid. It always smelled and tasted too "gamey" for me... and it was served with that unnaturally green, fake tasting mint jelly. Yuck. Well, that's not what we are going to make today. No, this recipe is light, delicious and incredibly easy to make.

For this recipe, I have chosen not to use "Frenched" chops. You certainly may use them, but I like how the meat and fat around the bone get crispy and add so much flavor. You could even use lamb cutlets if you want, which are lamb chops where the butcher just cuts through the bone rather than between them. Typically they are a cheaper cut of meat, but have the same delicious outcome.

The way I see it is this: for the grill it doesn't really matter much which cut you use so long as it comes from the rack. Cuts coming from areas other than the rack need a different preparation and typically take longer to cook.

SEASONING LAMB CHOPS

I follow a pretty straightforward thought process when it comes to lamb: simple is better. Lamb, like almost all proteins, loves salt and pepper. From there, it is your choice what to do. Here are some really delicious lamb seasoning combinations:

• Shallots + Rosemary + Salt + Pepper
• Lemon + Fresh Mint + Salt + Pepper
• Cayenne + Cumin + Salt + Pepper
• Ground Mustard + Oregano + Salt + Pepper
• Onion Powder + Garlic Powder + Salt + Pepper

Those are just a few alternates to this recipe you might want to try. For me, I love herbs de provence. This spice mixture has thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano and savory. Some variations have lavender included, but I do not use that blend. For me, the lavender takes over and I'm not a huge fan of eating flowers.

WINE PAIRING WITH LAMB CHOPS

My suggestion for the perfect pairing is simple: find some whole grain Dijon and a big red wine bursting with fruit and tannins.

Dijon Mustard: You'll find that dijon mustard is the perfect sauce to dip these grilled lamb chops into time and again. The spice and vinegar enhance the flavors of the lamb so nicely. It's absolutely fantastic. If you are making lamb with mint and lemon, I would probably not use the dijon mustard side. Maybe a lemon yogurt sauce might go well with that pairing.

Red Wine: I'm a fan of big, bold reds with lamb. Some people in my family would say that an well balanced Italian red might work better. Here's the thing... grilled lamb chops have lots of flavor. Let's meet it head on with big fruit and nice tannins. You're going to need those tannins to cut through the fat to keep coming back for more.

QUICK COOKING TIPS FOR LAMB CHOPS

When you are grilling lamb chops, make sure you keep an eye on them. Here's why:

1. Lamb chops invite grill flare ups! I like the taste of the grill, but the smoke from a grease flare-up really doesn't taste great on the lamb. I keep a bottle of water with a squirt top next to the grill to tame the flame.
2. Depending on the thickness, different chops are going to finish cooking faster than others. Move the cooked chops to a cool area on the grill or to the warming rack so they don't overcook.
3. Speaking of overcooking, lamb tends to go from perfect to overcooked in no-time-flat. When the lamb is medium rare, take it off the grill. It will continue to cook while it rests...resulting in perfectly pink lamb chops.

Ok. So we have covered a lot of ground... now let's get to the grill and get cooking.