The technique of the Portuguese barbequera has been covered in detail in a previous piece. It is essential that this cooking method for barbequed lamb chops is applied to Throovest's design for outside cooking.
Get fresh lamb chops with plenty of fat on them. You will almost certainly need a butcher to supply these since supermarkets feel that a millimetre of fat is better for you. The fat, however, is the main ingredient for the success of this dish. First, though, marinade overnight.
A great and simple marinade needs to cover the whole of the meat. This recipe would be for about a dozen chops, so work pro rata. Use a stainless steel bucket or a white, food quality, plastic one. Your butcher will have loads of the plastic ones to dispose of, so just ask him nicely. Tip the chops into the bucket. Add a bottle of Sicilian red wine, Chianti or a very dry vin de table. 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Generous sprinkle of Greek, dried herbs. A handful of rosemary. 2 teaspoons of salt. 2 onions, finely chopped. A clove of garlic, finely chopped or pressed and 100 gms of tomato purée. Top up with fresh water. Add a cupful of olive oil.
This should be thoroughly stirred and mixed and left overnight. You'll have to start early to fire up the barbequera, so when you do, take the chops from the marinade and keep them cool and well covered. As always, bring the BBQ up to heat by burning loads of wood for 4 or 5 hours. This produces the oven effect that is central to this style of cuisine. The whole barbequera acts more like an oven than a direct, radiated heat. As soon as there's heat from the BBQ, start cooking the marinade and reduce it to the consistency of tomato ketchup.
When the fire is glowing embers, skewer the chops together in neat ranks.
Use stainless steel if possible; wood tends to char in the heat and not be manageable. Importantly, put the chops on the hot cooking surface with the long bone side towards the heat. You can get on and prepare your accompaniments and forget about the lamb. The bone will char, but that's fine. The meat will only gently cook because bone is a good insulator and transmits heat slowly.
Then turn the whole, skewered rack so that the small bone is towards the heat. Similarly, this can be left virtually unattended. If the whole rack tends to flop, put a clean house brick on the rig and lean the leading chop against it. After about 40 minutes, the fat will have done its work and the meat should be looking fine. The third side, which has no bone, is the last one to get direct heat. This needs watching so it doesn't burn.
You can now remove the rack or racks, still on the skewers, and rest until just before serving. Then take the skewers out and cook individually like they were burgers. You can either leave them as they are, more or less, for guests who like their lamb pink - just flash them up to heat - or have them well done. Because you're only finishing them, it's dead easy to do them to individual order. Your friends should be very impressed indeed!
The reduced marinade can either be poured over the meat then and there or jugged up to let your guests help themselves. These will be the perfect barbequed lamb chops and will also be one of the easiest meals imaginable on this delightful Portuguese, cooking invention.
About this Author
You can visit [http://www.recipe-4success.com] to explore more fascinating and interesting recipes.
Arthur C Throovest ran an outside catering company, Big Triangle, which serviced Birmingham City Council for their premier, prestigious events. The Birmingham International Film Festival was the most demanding event for this co-operative, catering for 500 people for lunch and serving them all within 45 minutes; all with different tastes,too. Special cultural diets all had to be catered for and the whole operation took place out of doors in Birmingham City Centre.
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