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 delicious, quick alternative to cooking a whole leg of lamb.
I typically slow cook a leg of lamb in the slow cooker. But sometimes I buy a boneless leg of lamb, slice it into thick steaks, and quickly fry them in a cast iron skillet.
Just like beef steaks, 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 lamb steak should be pan fried no longer than 2 minutes per side, plus a few seconds on the edges. Just like any steak, rest the lamb steak before eating, to allow juices to redistribute and settle.
MY LATEST VIDEOSUnlike beef steak, which only needs kosher salt and black pepper, lamb steak benefits from a light sprinkling of cumin.
If I have any leftovers, I like to slice them and use them cold as a salad topping.
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
