Lamb Pops with Tomato Gravy: A Flavor Journey
This dish was born of wanderlust from the East coast to the West. This highlights the influence of Mid-South kitchens where gravy reigns supreme and these lamb pops with tomato gravy are an all-American fusion. Each bite tells a story, one that crisscrosses the country and lands right on your plate.
Lamb pops, if you’ve never had the pleasure, are individual ribs cut from a frenched rack. They’re elegant enough for a dinner party, yet primal in the best way possible—served with a built-in handle perfect for gnawing every last tender morsel off the bone.
Then there’s the flavor. Lamb, tomato, and jerk seasoning—oh my! That twist on Dorothy’s chant as she skipped down the yellow brick road captures my own kitchen joy every time I make this for dinner.
The Secret’s in the Sauce
Let’s talk about tomato gravy, because it’s not your average pan sauce. It starts with the sizzle of cumin seeds in olive oil—an aromatic nod to Indian and Caribbean cooking. Then come the onions, softened to sweet translucence, and fresh chopped roma tomatoes.
Layer in garlic and ginger for warmth, dry vermouth for depth, and tomato paste to double down on umami. A bay leaf or two adds that slow-cooked complexity, but the real magic happens at the end. Add yogurt and heavy cream to give it body, a pat of butter for silkiness, and a final dash of freshly cracked black pepper for heat. This gravy could be a meal all on its own spooned over rice, but paired with lamb—it rules.
This is a a dish that feels special—rich with depth, bold with heat, and grounded in ingredients that span cultures and coasts. Lamb pops with tomato gravy might just become your new favorite way to travel—without leaving the kitchen.
Let’s Make Lamb Pops with Tomato Gravy
Start your prep the day before by seasoning the rack of lamb with jerk spice and letting it rest overnight. It’s essential to let the spices bloom and seep into the meat, transforming every bite into a tender, smoky revelation.
Sear the lamb until it’s crusty on the outside and blushing pink within. Serve it over a bed of white rice with generous ladles of that tomato gravy over the top, and scatter with green onion for brightness and bite.
Searing the pops over high heat creates some smoke! Serve it over a bed of white rice with generous ladles of that tomato gravy over the top, and scatter with green onion for brightness and bite.
Lamb Pops With Tomato Gravy
Seared Lamb, Tomato and Onion Gravy on Rice
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 rack of lamb – 8 ribs
- 3 TBL jerk seasoning
- 1 cup white rice
- 4 Roma tomatores – seeded and finely chopped
- 3/4 cup dry vermouth
- 2 TBL tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger – grated
- 1 garlic clove – minced
- 1 small yellow onion – diced
- 2 bat leaves
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 TBL plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 TBL butter – room temp
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 TBL olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
Instructions
- Cut and trim the lamb into individual ribs and rub with the jerk seasoning. Place in a plastic bag, add the remaining seasoning, shake and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge an hour before use and allow it to come to room temp.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium low heat and saute the onion and cumin 4-5 minutes until soft
- Add the tomatoes, vermouth, tomato paste, ginger, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat. Discard the bay leaves, add the yogurt, butter, cream, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. Keep warm
- While the gravy is cooling, Place a half stick of butter in a carbon steel or cast iron pan and heat on medium until it is bubbling and hot.
- Sear the pops 2 minutes per side and 1 minute on the fat until the lamb is medium rare, or a minute longer for medium. Baste the pops with the butter while searing the flip side.
- Plate the pops on white rice with tomato gravy. Garnish with green onion shoots (optional)