By Lizy Thorton ( Grandmother, Home Cook, avid Gardener)
There are few joys in life greater than having your entire family under one roof again—especially when it’s your roof, nestled just outside Denver with a view of the Front Range that turns purple at sunset. Last Friday, my house went from quiet and still to bursting with laughter, running feet, and the clatter of too many suitcases.
The kids, grandkids, cousins, and even little Daisy (our overfed Labrador) had all come for their summer holiday. And you know what that means—Grandma’s cooking.
I knew exactly what I wanted to make for their first big dinner: Colorado grass-fed lamb chops—the crown jewel of Rocky Mountain ranching. It’s what I served my husband on our anniversary decades ago, and what I cook for special occasions to this day. There’s something clean, earthy, and almost wild about Colorado lamb. It’s leaner, raised on open pastures, and you can taste the alpine air in every bite.
Why Colorado Lamb?
Unlike most lamb you find at the grocery store, Colorado lamb is grass-fed and grain-finished, raised in high-altitude pastures across the Rockies. It’s more tender and less gamey than imported lamb. It has a flavor that’s rich without being heavy—like a memory you can taste.
And for a family of 10 with different tastes (some picky, some ravenous), lamb chops are the perfect canvas. You can keep them simple for the kids, and dress them up with herbs and garlic for us grownups.
My Go-To Recipe: Grilled Colorado Lamb Chops with Rosemary & Garlic
This recipe has been passed around our family table for years. It’s not fussy—it’s just honest, simple food. When you start with good meat, you don’t need to do much.
🥩 Ingredients (Serves 6–8):
- 12–16 Colorado lamb rib chops (about 1-inch thick)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme (optional)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional, but lovely)
- A splash of white wine or lemon juice (for brightness)
Step-by-Step: How Grandma Makes It
1. Marinate the lamb
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of white wine if you’re feeling fancy. Rub the marinade over the lamb chops and let them rest at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge. (Tip: Let them come to room temp before cooking—about 30 minutes out of the fridge.)
2. Preheat the grill (or pan)
I use my cast-iron grill pan indoors if the weather’s bad, but a charcoal grill really brings out that smoky Colorado flavor. Heat to medium-high.
3. Grill the chops
Place the lamb chops on the grill and cook 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare. The meat should feel springy when pressed—not mushy, not tough.
Internal temp guide:
- Rare: 125°F (52°C)
- Medium-rare: 130–135°F (54–57°C)
- Medium: 140°F (60°C)
4. Rest before serving
Tent the lamb chops with foil and let them rest 5–10 minutes so the juices stay inside. This is critical—don’t skip it!
How I Served It That Night
I laid out a big table under our backyard tree, the kind that’s half picnic, half chaos. The lamb chops sat center stage on a wooden cutting board, alongside bowls of roasted baby potatoes with rosemary, a mint and cucumber yogurt sauce, and a salad of heirloom tomatoes with balsamic glaze. A jug of lemonade for the kids, and a chilled Colorado Riesling for the adults.
Even my pickiest grandchild, Ethan, who swore up and down he didn’t like lamb, polished off two chops before dessert. “These don’t even taste like lamb,” he said. “They taste like steak but better.”
That’s the magic of Colorado lamb—it’s familiar, yet unforgettable.
Final Thoughts: Cooking is Memory-Making
Feeding family is more than just putting food on plates—it’s weaving a thread through generations. And when the food is this good, this tied to the land you live on, it becomes something sacred.
As the sun set behind the Rockies that evening, I watched my children laugh, my grandchildren chase fireflies, and thought to myself: This is what food is for.
So if you ever find yourself in Colorado—pick up some local lamb. Fire up the grill. Invite people you love. And eat outside if you can.