What an awesome weeknight backyard barbecue. Two dozen freshly-harvested Australian grassfed lamb loin chops prepared for a small gathering of family, friends and close neighbors! I love this recipe, both for it’s simplicity in preparation, incredible flavor and beautiful presentation.

These double-thick lamb loin chops were brought to room temperature, rubbed in a sweet and spicy homemade wild game dry rub, then grilled to medium-rare perfection over a smoldering inferno of charcoal and smoky oak wood embers. In the final moments of cooking, the lamb was finished in a basting of butter, an aromatic garden of fresh herbs and dusting of birchwood-smoked fluer de sel.

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Just Aussome!! Nearly two dozen double-thick freshly-harvested Australian grassfed lamb loin chops!! Click #VIDEO Rubbed in a sweet and spicy homemade wild game seasoning and grilled to sweet, tender perfection over a smoldering bed of charcoal and smoky oak wood. Then, finished in a basting of browned butter, a garden of fresh herbs and dusting of birchwood-smoked fleur de sel. Perfect weeknight cookout!! -Cheers, David . #LiveFireRepublic #LiveFire #Spring #MyFoodEastsYourFood #OutdoorCooking #FireCooking #LiveFireCooking #Grill #Grilled #Grilling #BBQ #Barbecue #Barbeque #AustralianLamb #BeAussome #SimplySpring #Feast #Lamb #Holiday #Easter #EasterSunday #LambLoin #LambChops #FeedMe #GetInMyBelly #FireMakesEverythingBetter . 🔥🔥🔥 #livefirerepublic @livefirerepublic 🔥🔥🔥

A post shared by Chef David W Olson (@livefirerepublic) on Apr 17, 2019 at 8:31am PDT

This dish was plated atop a bed of charred wild asparagus dressed with crumbled creamy goat cheese, bright local blueberries, toasted walnuts and freshly ground peppercorn, then best paired alongside a crisp northern Michigan ale, family and best of friends. -Cheers, David

Print Recipe

Dry-Rubbed Australian Grassfed Lamb Loin Chops

Ingredients

• 2 dozen Australian grassfed lamb loin chops
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Wild game dry rub, pre-made or store-bought
• Fleur de sel, birchwood-smoked or your favorite flavor
• Pink peppercorn, crushed, to garnish
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish

Instructions

• Remove lamb from refrigeration up to two hours prior to grilling and rest on the counter, elevating to near room temperature. 30 minutes before laying lamb to flame, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, and brush entirety of the lamb with butter, then generously season with the dry rub.
• Position lamb over direct heat and with the grill lid open cook 3-4 minutes per side until nicely charred. Reposition the lamb away from the direct heat source (charcoal, gas and/or wood), basting intermittently with butter, until internal temperature reads 125-130F. Remove lamb from the grill, transfer to a cutting board, finish with a dusting of your favorite fleur de sel (I used birchwood-smoked fleur de sel) and crushed pink peppercorn. Rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  
• Dress with fresh herbs and plate over a bed of charred greens. Pair alongside an ice cold ale or IPA.
  

Easter holiday-inspired encrusted lamb chops and Israeli cous cous with cinnamon, sultana and roasted pistachio. Simply spring. Simply beautiful.

These racks of Australian grassfed lamb were seared over directly over live fire, then basted in browned butter, breaded and returned to the barbecue to slowly encrust in a fragrant mixture of parsley, pistachio and parmesan. This dish was plated simply over the grain salad, garnished with an aromatic garden of freshly chopped herbs, and paired with a bottle of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. -Blessings on this Easter Sunday to you and yours. -David

Print Recipe

Pistachio and Parmesan-Encrusted Rack of Australian Grassfed Lamb

Ingredients

• 2 racks Australian grassfed lamb, frenched and trimmed
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
• 2 cups pistachios, dry roasted and shelled
• 3/4 cup Progresso Bread Crumbs, Garlic and Herb
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped, plus additional to garnish
• Kosher salt and fresh ground peppercorn, to taste

Instructions

• Remove lamb from refrigeration up to two hours prior to grilling and rest on the counter, elevating to near room temperature. 30 minutes before laying lamb to flame, preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
• Meanwhile, prepare both the pistachio-parmesan crust mixture and lamb racks.
• In a food processor add pistachios, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Pulse together until finely mixed, then fold in 2 tablespoons butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Score the lamb fat cap in crosshatch-fashion, brush each rack with 1 tablespoon of butter, then generously season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Position lamb on the grill over direct heat. Sear with the grill lid open until nicely charred, approx 2-3 minutes per side. Remove lamb from heat and rest for 10-15 minutes. 
• Brush seared lamb with remaining butter then apply the pistachio-parmesan mixture over entirety of the lamb rack. Place lamb in a cast iron dish and set atop indirectly heated grill grates. Close the grill lid and cook until lamb has encrusted and internal temperature elevates to 125-130F. Remove lamb from heat and set aside to rest on a cutting board for 15-20 minutes.
  
• Delicately carve the racks into chops. Plate over a bed of cous cous salad. Garnish in fresh herbs. Pair with a gorgeous cabernet. And, enjoy amongst family and friends. 

Go BIG. Then go home! That was my mission this past March as I traveled for the first time to the HPBExpo in Dallas, Texas. And, what an entirely incredible experience – a destination event for those fueled by the flames of live fire cooking and outdoor lifestyle!

The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA) is an international non-profit trade association representing the interests of the hearth products industry in North America, and has done so for nearly 40 years. The association includes distributors, manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, retailers, service and installation firms, and other associating companies. Members of the HPBA manufacture, import, distribute, sell, service, and represent products that include:

• Factory-built fireplaces, gas logs, inserts, and hearth accessories
• Wood, pellet, coal, gas and electric stoves
• Barbecues, grills, ovens, smokers and outdoor cooking accessories
• Patio furniture and outdoor lifestyle accessories

HPBExpo was on my culinary bucket list for several reasons, but this year I made it a point to attend, as we are beginning construction on our brand new outdoor kitchen and entertainment space. At the event I was able to get hands on with the industry’s finest barbecue, grilling and smoking equipment, while connecting with new and old friends, brands on the forefront of the industry, and shake hands and learn from titans of the association, like Dante Cantel and Brian Eskew of Twin Eagles Grills – I’m so dang proud to be working with these gentlemen and the Twin Eagles family as I build out my backyard kitchen and outdoor entertainment space.

From this event I directly connected with the most knowledgeable of folks in the design, engineering, and manufacturing business, while also getting a feel for the products and gathering introductions to trusted dealers in my marketplace, who seamlessly align product to design and installation. So critical to leverage local experts and specialists when constructing an outdoor entertainment space.

Via the HPBExpo and folks at Twin Eagles Grills I was introduced to local dealer and design specialist, Mike Smalligan, of Fireplace Gallery in Nunica, Michigan. After meeting, consulting with and reviewing Mike’s resume of work – I have complete confidence in him to be a key partner on this job. They will tag team with my builder, Brian Martin of Prime Homes, to help design our brand new outdoor kitchen space – Complete with wood fire pizza oven, breathtaking Twin Eagles Grills products, and all anchored with a stone bonfire pit nestled near the wooded area of our backyard. I may never go inside again!!

Very excited to get started on this project in the weeks ahead and greatly appreciate the collaboration of industry expertise to creatively guide the project and see through construction of the space that will be home to our family birthdays, bonfires with the best of friends and long holiday weekend over the barbecue. -Cheers, David

After a long, hard winter, the first spring weekend in Michigan has arrived and it’s all the reason I need to get outside and fire up the barbecue! Sunshine, blue skies and the essence of smoky hardwoods in the air – outdoor cooking season has formally arrived. And, what better way to open up our backyard kitchen, then by throwing down a grate full of gorgeous Australian grassfed racks of lamb.

These beautiful hunks of lamb were frenched across the bones and scored in cross-hatch fashion through the trimmed fat cap. The lamb was then rested at room temperature for 2 hours, then seasoned in a homemade activated charcoal-coffee-garlic rub – yielding an incredible, rustic presentation, layers of brilliant texture and a unique flavor profile complimenting the mildness of the grassfed lamb.

With the grill lid open, the racks were positioned, fat cap-side down, directly over a thick bed of glowing charcoal and smoky hardwoods, searing and encrusting the exterior of the lamb for 4-6 minutes. Once encrusted, the racks were flipped bone-side down and positioned to the cooler, indirectly heated portion of the grill with the bones situated away from the heat source. Over the next 10-15 minutes, the lamb was basted in olive oil and slowly prepared to sweet, tender perfection.

Carved into chops, garnished with an aromatic parsley chimichurri and a birchwood-smoked fleur de sel, then plated for a crowd and served with two handfuls of ice cold Pure Michigan lagers! -Cheers and long live the adventure, David

For more great Simply Spring Recipes visit, True Aussie Beef and Lamb

Print Recipe

Charcoal-Rubbed Australian Grassfed Rack of Lamb with Parsley Chimichurri

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 racks Australian grassfed lamb, frenched and trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional to baste
• 4 tablespoons activated charcoal powder
• 2 teaspoons black sea salt and freshly ground black peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon finely ground coffee beans, unflavored
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Fleur de sel, to garnish
• Homemade or store-bought parsley chimichurri, to garnish

Instructions

• Remove lamb from refrigeration up to two hours prior to grilling and rest on the counter, elevating to near room temperature. 30 minutes before laying lamb to flame, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, score the fat cap in crosshatch-fashion, brush entirety of the rack with olive oil, then generously season with charcoal, salt and pepper, coffee and garlic powder. 
  
• Position lamb fat-side down over direct heat and with the grill lid open sear until nicely charred. Flip rack to bone-side down and move lamb over to indirectly heated portion of the grill. Close the grill lid and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, basting intermittently with olive oil, until internal temperature reads 125-130F. Remove lamb from heat, transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5-10 minutes before carving.
  
• Slice the racks into individual chops and dress with parsley chimichurri. Plate for a crowd alongside and serve with an ice cold lager.