dontmissmyplate 5/23/26 dontmissmyplate 5/23/26

Braai-Style Spiced Lamb Chops with Pine Nut

This is Part 2 of a Southern African braai-inspired series exploring how traditional grilling culture can be interpreted in a modern home kitchen, shaped by audience input and regional food traditions.

Braai culture across Southern Africa is not uniform. While some regions lean heavily toward beef cuts like T-bone steaks, others incorporate lamb, boerewors, chicken, or fish depending on geography, availability, and personal preference. This diversity highlights how braai is not a fixed recipe system, but a flexible cultural practice that adapts across communities.

This lamb chop recipe came from a recent poll I shared with you all, and I loved seeing what you wanted to explore next in this braai-inspired series.

For this dish, the lamb is marinated overnight using a blend of BBQ spices, curry powder, paprika, rosemary, garlic, and lemon, building deep layered flavour before being grilled and served as a full plate.

It is paired with a fresh salad trio of beetroot, potato, and garden salad, offering contrast in texture and temperature. The combination reflects a classic braai balance: rich, smoky protein alongside simple, fresh, cooling sides that complete the plate without overpowering it.

Start the series here: Peri-Peri Chicken Braai Plate with Cream Soda.

Yield: 2-4

Author: Dontmissmyplate

Braai-Style Spiced Lamb Chops with Beetroot, Potato, and Garden Salads

Overnight BBQ-spiced braai-style lamb plate served with simple sides and inspired by Southern African grilling traditions and regional meat preferences.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 8 HourTotal time: 8 H & 40 M

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Ingredients

Lamb:

4 lamb rib chops
2 lamb shoulder chops

Marinade:

2 tbsp olive oil (plus more if needed)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1½ tbsp lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp barbecue seasoning (I used Robertson’s)
1 tsp curry powder

Garden Salad:

6–8 cups spring greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ large cucumber, sliced
½ large red onion, sliced or diced
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, for dressing
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Beetroot Salad:

3–4 cooked beets, diced
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt

Potato Salad:

4 butter potatoes
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ cup slaw mix (cabbage and carrot)
⅓ large red onion, finely diced
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Coat the lamb chops evenly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for deeper flavour.
Remove the lamb from the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature.
Prepare the beetroot salad by combining the diced beetroot, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Mix well and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly before chopping into chunks.In a bowl, combine the potatoes, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, slaw mix, and red onion. Season with salt and black pepper, then mix until evenly coated.
Add the spring greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion to a large bowl. When ready to serve. drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and black pepper,
Heat a grill pan, indoor grill, outdoor grill, or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the rib chops for 3–5 minutes per side. Cook the shoulder chops for 5–7 minutes per side, depending on thickness and preferred doneness.
Remove the lamb from the heat and rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Plate the lamb chops alongside the beetroot, potato, and garden salads and serve immediately.

Notes

Overnight marination helps develop deeper flavour in the lamb.
BBQ spice gives the dish its smoky braai-style profile.
Lamb shoulder chops benefit from slightly longer cooking for tenderness.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

760

Fat (grams)

48 g

Carbs (grams)

34 g

Fiber (grams)

6 g

Sugar (grams)

10 g

Protein (grams)

42 g

I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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dontmissmyplate 4/10/26 dontmissmyplate 4/10/26

Apricot and Chutney Glazed Lamb Chops

Lamb is a classic choice for Easter and spring cooking, rich, slightly bold in flavor, and especially delicious when paired with sweet, spiced glazes that balance its natural depth.

A lot of lamb consumed globally actually comes from Australia, where sheep outnumber people by a wide margin. Because of this, Australian lamb is widely exported to countries like the United States. It is typically grass-fed, which gives it a more pronounced, slightly earthy and robust flavor compared to grain-fed lamb. That stronger flavor is exactly why lamb works so well with bold marinades and glazes like apricot, chutney, and warm spices. It can stand up to sweetness and acidity without losing its identity.

For this recipe, I took inspiration from sosaties, a traditional South African braai dish where lamb meat is marinated with curry spices, vinegar, and dried or fresh apricots. Whole apricots are often used in the marinade and cooking process, creating a sweet, caramelized finish that pairs beautifully with grilled or roasted meats. Instead of skewers, I used lamb rib chops cut from a rack, marinated them in a similar sweet-spiced profile, and finished them with a glossy apricot and chutney glaze.

Because lamb chops are a premium cut, they are best treated with care. Medium rare to medium, slightly pink in the center, is ideal for keeping them juicy and tender. Overcooking can make them firm and cause them to lose their natural richness, so do not be alarmed by a blush of pink.

When working with a rack of lamb, there is usually a fat cap along the edges. You do not need to fully remove it because this fat helps with flavor, but it is important to render it properly. Searing the chops fat side down briefly helps melt excess fat, and finishing in the oven allows it to cook through evenly without becoming greasy. Any large or excessive fat sections can be lightly trimmed, but a little rendered fat is part of what makes lamb so flavorful.

The result is a sweet, savory, deeply aromatic dish that feels special enough for Easter, but simple enough for any spring gathering or weekend dinner.

Yield: 4 about 10–12 lamb chops)