Lamb steak is tender and delicious, as long as it’s cooked to rare or medium rare, just 2 minutes per side and a few more seconds on the edges.
Lamb steak is a nutritious, delicious, and quick alternative to cooking a whole leg of lamb. I typically roast a whole leg of lamb in the oven. It comes out wonderfully juicy and flavorful.
But sometimes I buy a boneless leg of lamb, slice it into thick steaks, and quickly fry them in a cast iron skillet.
How to cook lamb steak
Just like beef steaks, and even more so, you don’t want to overcook lamb steak or you’ll end up with tough meat. So it’s best to aim for medium-rare.
How to ensure medium-rare doneness and still cook the steaks enough to create a nice crust? Cook them right out of the fridge. Don’t let them get to room temperature before cooking.
To ensure tender steak, a 1-inch-thick steak should be pan-fried no longer than 2 minutes per side, plus a few seconds on the edges. Rest the steak before eating, to allow juices to redistribute and settle.
I should probably note here that consuming undercooked meat may increase your risk of foodborne illness. I always cook lamb and beef steaks, chops and roasts to medium-rare. But you should make your own decision.
How to season lamb steak?
Unlike beef steak, which only needs kosher salt and black pepper, lamb steak benefits from a light sprinkling of cumin. Sometimes I also add a little bit of garlic powder.
What sides go with lamb steak?
Anything goes! This is a truly versatile main course that goes with almost any side dish. I often serve it with roasted butternut squash or with roasted carrots. And then I add a simple green side such as steamed broccoli.
What about leftovers?
If you have leftover lamb steak, you can keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave on 50% power.
But since reheating steak often causes it to become overcooked, I actually like to slice the leftovers and use them cold as a salad topping or in a lettuce wrap.
More lamb recipes you might enjoy
My absolute favorite lamb recipe to make is lamb chops. They are so wonderfully juicy and flavorful! And lamb burger is even better, in my opinion, than a beef burger. I love its unique flavor, and the mint yogurt sauce really enhances it.
Lamb Steak
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lamb steaks, 1-inch-thick, 8 oz each, cut from a boneless leg of lamb
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a well-seasoned large cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking, about 5 minutes.
- Season the steaks with the salt, pepper and cumin.
- Add the steaks to the hot skillet. Cook until a brown crust forms on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the steaks and cook 1-2 more minutes on the second side.
- Finish by cooking the strips of fat on the edges of the steaks, about 1 more minute for each edge.
- Transfer to plates, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest 2-3 minutes before serving.
NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
