This Lamb Marinade is bright and delicious, it’s the perfect way to season your lamb and it’s only few ingredients that you probably already have on hand!
Lamb is something I didn’t grow up eating, but have come to absolutely love. This lamb marinade is perfect for any cut of lamb, not just lamb steaks like we have pictured here. It makes a great lamb chop marinade as well, or leg of lamb, or roast, or hey – any lamb.
Lamb is a gamier meat with intense flavor of it’s own, so I find really clean and bold flavors work beautifully with it. The lemon and garlic in this marinade recipe seem like a lot, but they don’t overpower the lamb – instead they compliment it!
What is a good marinade for lamb chops?
I love lemon and garlic for lamb chops, and all cuts of lamb. The lemon brightens the deep gamey flavor of the meat, and garlic compliments the lemon, making a more complex and delicious flavors.
What goes well with lamb?
We generally serve potatoes and a light salad with our lamb. If you want to double down on the garlic goodness, I suggest this Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe. Or if you’re going less formal, maybe some Oven Roasted Steak Fries! For the salad I would stick to a spring lettuce mix and a light dressing like this Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing.
How do you marinate lamb steaks?
Place lamb steaks, or other cut of lamb meat in a bowl or plastic ziploc. Cover tcompletely with marinade, then cover or seal and refrigerate. If possible, turn the meat once, halfway through marinating.
How long do you marinate lamb?
Rule of thumb for marinating lamb steaks and other cuts of lamb is to aim for at least three hours in the marinade. The absolute minimum we would suggest is one hour, and you can marinate lamb up to 24 hours.
What red wine is good with lamb?
We are of the school that you drink what you like with your meal. So if you want a light and fruity wine, go for it! If you prefer a deeper dry red, then by all means. That said, lamb is a strongly flavored meat and so traditionally, it pairs well with a robust full bodied red wine like a Cabernet.
I’m a huge fan of using the stick blender to pull this marinade together, because we usually only make small batches when we’re ready to use them. But if I were going to make a large batch for a party or to save some for another time, then I would go ahead and use my upright blender.
You’ll find that when you add the ingredients to your blender, they look yellow, but a moment or two after you turn it on, the marinade will turn white! This is because the oil is emulsifying. Meaning, the fat is being broken apart and spreading evenly throughout the liquid. It makes the marinade lighter in color, but also somewhat creamy in texture.
Check out these Amazon affiliate links for items we use or love in this lamb marinade!
- Santuko knife – My favorite knife! These usually run in the $15 – $25 range and they’re just great. Perfect size and shape for comfortable cutting. Easy to sharpen, and we love that they’re colorful.
- Garlic press – If you hate mincing garlic by hand (whyyyyyy does it take so long?!), this is the tool for you. Just pop the clove in and give it a squeeze. So easy!
- Stick blender – I basically use this every day. Often two or three times. Perfect for marinades, salad dressings, soups, puddings, smoothies, you name it. And a total space saver if you don’t have room for a full upright mixers.
- Upright blender – The stick blender is amazing, but for large batches, I adore my my upright blender. This one is a total workhorse and does a damn fine job of blending. It’s also reasonably priced. Yay!
- End grain cutting board – This cutting board is so pretty. When we’re not using it (which is barely ever), it sits on the island in my kitchen because we just love looking at it so much.
- 6 Burner gas grill – This was our gift to each other for Christmas last year and it has changed my life. I was worried six burners would be overkill, but it’s so nice to have room to do everything at once.
- Make sure to check out my entire Foodie Gift Guide for cooking gift ideas for all kitchens and budgets!
The reason I like to blend my marinades – or, emulsify, as it were – is to make sure the meat is being seasoned evenly. We don’t want all the garlic on one end, and the pepper on the other. We want to make sure the marinade flavors are hitting the lamb in the same way all over.
If you love this lamb marinade recipe, make sure to check out these other great recipe ideas!
- One skillet seared lamb and penne – This roast lamb with penne recipe is both delicious and impressive. Definitely one to impress your mother-in-law!
- Best shrimp marinade ever – If you’re not in the mood for lamb, this shrimp marinade is fast and delicious. Make it on the grill or stove top – or even a quick broil in the oven! You won’t regret trying this, it will be a new quick dinner staple.
- The best flank steak marinade – Have I mentioned how much we love a good marinade? This steak marinade is great on flank steak – and, honestly any steak at all.
Lamb Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 large head of garlic about 12 large cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. I like to use my immersion blender, but an upright would work well too.
- Use half for marinade, and reserve second half for basting, dipping, and dressing.
- Makes about 1 cup of marinade.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
You may also enjoy:
Lamb Marinade, Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 large head of garlic (about 12 large cloves), peeled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Lamb Marinade, Directions:
- Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. I like to use my immersion blender, but an upright would work well too.
- Use half for marinade, and reserve second half for basting, dipping, and dressing.
- Makes about 1 cup of marinade.
- Enjoy!
Harry Winters says
This dish looks delicious and attractive. I will try to make it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Amy says
Lamb is one of my favorite meats as well! I have never made lamb steaks before but definitely the chops and rack of lamb. I completely agree that these flavors really compliment the delicious and unique flavor of the meat and can’t wait to try this soon!
Kristen Chidsey says
Well these pictures are making me wan to pick up some lamb to try–in the meantime, I am so using this marinade on the NY strips we are having this weekend.
April says
what a great idea! sounds delicious!!!
Charlie says
Love Lamb!!
If your lamb is really gamey, you may be eating mutton instead of lamb.
How long will this marinade keep in the fridge, before being used?
April Woods says
check the dates on the individual ingredients and the earliest one will be your use by date 🙂
Mila says
Delicious! I marinated a whole leg in this marinade for 24 hours, then seared the meat in a cast iron skillet and baked it for 2 hours. I didn’t add the leftover marinade in the oven, but boiled it on the stovetop and served as a sauce. The lemon flavor works really well to balance the richness of the meat
Dr. H. Sunderwald says
Dear Ms. Woods, I just perused your recipe for a lamb marinade (from 12/6/2017). I noticed that your editor(?) misspelled something.: You are twice referring to lemon and garlic “complimenting” each other (see paragraphs 3 and 4). Amy, the 2nd commenter, likewise uses “compliment” regarding the flavors. What you both mean, of course, is that lemon and garlic and flavors “complement” (with an “e”) each other. To compliment someone (its usually done between persons) means to praise or flatter them, which can hardly be said of inanimate objects; whereas to complement something or someone means to enhance, add to, or fulfill the other. Nevertheless, I am definitely going to try out your recipe!
Archibald R Lemieux says
Your marinade sounds great, but you don’t tell us how long to cook it. On with method.
Or by which method to cook it
April Woods says
Hi Archibald – Thanks! That’s because this marinade recipe can be used in nearly any preparation of lamb. The recipe we’re providing is for the marinade rather than the final dish. We often use this when making lamb steaks (pictured) and lamb kabobs at our house 🙂