Fire up the grill—and dinner: Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa

A simple salsa of chopped habanero pepper, mango and shallots gives grilled lamb chops a spicy, flavorful kick. Recipe and substitutions below.

WE’LL START WITH A PRO TIP: don’t touch your eye after chopping a habanero pepper. Even hours after. I chop jalapeño peppers with impunity—a thorough, soapy hand wash after and I’m good to go. But not with this spicy pepper. For reference, jalapeños rate 3,500 – 8,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. Habaneros clock in at 100,000 – 350,000 SHU. That hard-earned pro tip aside, we really enjoyed the chops and their lively salsa.

When our neighbor Rosa gave us some habanero chilis from her garden, she warned us this year’s batch was pretty hot. Our typical approach to working with spicy peppers is to remove half of the seeds and ribs, where the heat lives. Given Rosa’s warning, we ditched all the seeds and ribs. On its own, the prepared salsa was still alarmingly fiery. The juicy, fatty lamb chops cooled it down considerably; the result was a delicious, flavorful mix of meat and the fruity, onion-y, chili-y salsa with a little kick to it.

The meat in question is one of our favorite cheap cuts, lamb shoulder chops. They’re fatty and naturally flavorful. And with a little dry brining with kosher salt, they’re less chewy—maybe even downright tender. We grilled the chops, which added some nice smokiness to them, but you could also cook them in a grill pan or skillet.

This dish invites variations and substitutions. As we say in the recipe, you can substitute a jalapeño pepper for less heat, or some bell pepper for no heat. Either way, you’ll get a touch of color and that nice pepper taste. Don’t have shallots? Substitute some chopped red onion or some chives. You don’t even need lamb chops—the fruity, spicy salsa is great on grilled pork chops.

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Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa

A simple salsa of chopped habanero pepper, mango and shallots gives grilled lamb chops a spicy, flavorful kick.

Course Grilling, Main Course

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen mango, thawed, diced
• 1 habanero chili, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (see Kitchen Notes for substitutions)
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or chives)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar or to taste
• 2 bone-in lamb shoulder chops (see Kitchen Notes for substitutions)
• coarse kosher salt (if dry brining)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil for the grill

Instructions

• Prepare the salsa. Combine mango, habanero, shallot, lime juice and sugar in a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside. If using frozen mango, diced it before it completely thaws—it will be easier to handle.
• Dry brine the chops. This is optional, but recommended. About 1/2 hour before you’re ready to grill, generously sprinkle the chops on both sides with kosher salt. If you’re using a charcoal grill, do this when you start the coals. Leave the chops on the counter to come to room temperature. After about 20 minutes, rinse the chops and pat them dry with paper towels. Season with black pepper, but do not add any more salt at this time; they will have absorbed plenty from the kosher salt.
• Grill the chops. When the coals are ready, prepare the grill for direct grilling. Lightly oil the grate, then grill the chops about 4 minutes per side, with the grill lid closed. Transfer to a platter and let them rest for 5 minutes.
• Plate the chops and top with some salsa. Pass the remaining salsa around in case diners want more. Have salt on hand in case more is needed.

Kitchen Notes

Habaneros too hot? Feel free to substitute a jalapeño pepper for milder heat. You can even use some bell pepper for a spot of color and peppery flavor with no heat.

The meat of the matter. Can’t find lamb chops (or don’t care for lamb)? This salsa works great on grilled pork chops.