A double-thickness, or double-cut, lamb chop is a lamb chop with two bones worth of meat. These chops typically run about 2 inches. The benefit of using thicker lamb chops like these is that they can be more easily cooked to rare or medium rare -- while still having a well seared exterior -- than thinner chops. Cooking methods that work well for double-thick lamb chops include grilling and pan searing followed by roasting.
Pan-seared and Roasted Lamb Chops
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the chops from the refrigerator, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the chops to rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.
Place an oven-safe frying pan on your cooktop and coat with a small amount of high heat cooking oil.
Heat the pan over high heat until the oil just begins to smoke. Carefully add the lamb chops to the hot oil and sear on one side until well browned -- about 2 minutes. Flip the chops and sear the other side until well browned -- this side will take about 1 minute to fully brown.
Transfer the entire pan, with the lamb chops inside, into the preheated oven.
Roast the lamb chops to until they reach your desired level of doneness -- 125 F for rare, 130 F for medium rare, 140 F for medium or 155 F for medium well when measured with your meat thermometer. Cooking times will vary depending on your desired level of doneness, but medium rare double-thick lamb rib chops should take about 5 to 6 minutes to finish in the oven.
Remove the chops from the oven onto plates or a platter and rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Grilled Lamb Chops
Drizzle the lamb chops with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the chops to rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.
Setup and preheat your grill for high-heat direct grilling.
Scrape the grill grate clean using a wire grill brush.
Grill the chops, flipping frequently, for 8 to 12 minutes until cooked to your desired level of doneness.
Remove the chops from the grill onto plates or platter and allow them to rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.