Korean Fire-Glazed Lamb Chops
Tender pressure-cooked lamb chops coated in a spicy Korean-inspired pear and gochujang sauce, then air-fried until sticky, caramelized and lightly charred.
Equipment
- Air-fryer lid or Duo Crisp
- Blender or box grater
- Instant Pot
- Kitchen tongs
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Sharp knife
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- For the Lamb
- 900 g rack of lamb
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 480 ml water
- 130 g carrot diced
- 200 g onion diced
- 120 g celery diced
- 3 bay leaves
- For the Korean-Inspired Sauce
- 120 ml reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 45 ml rice wine
- 35 g brown sugar
- 30 g minced garlic
- 15 g minced fresh ginger
- 30 g gochujang
- 30 g ketchup
- 60 ml light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1½ teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 50 g Asian pear finely grated
- 50 g onion finely grated
- 1½ teaspoons Korean green plum extract
- For Serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce
- Combine the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, gochujang, ketchup, corn syrup, gochugaru, curry powder, sesame oil, sesame seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, grated Asian pear, grated onion and green plum extract.
- Stir until the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Pressure-Cook the Lamb
- Place the carrot, diced onion, celery and bay leaves in the Instant Pot.
- Set the whole rack of lamb on top without separating the chops.
- Pour the prepared sauce, red wine and water around the lamb.
- Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- Pressure-cook on High for 20 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Carefully release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the Sauce
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- For a smoother sauce, strain out the cooked vegetables.
- Select the High Sauté setting.
- Simmer the sauce for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until glossy and slightly thickened.
- Cancel the Sauté function and transfer the sauce to a heatproof bowl.
- Clean and dry the inner pot if required by your air-fryer attachment.
- Separate and Glaze the Chops
- Cut between the bones to separate the rack into individual lamb chops.
- Arrange the chops in a single layer on the air-fryer rack or trivet.
- Brush both sides generously with the reduced sauce.
- Air-Fry the Lamb Chops
- Set the air-fryer attachment to 200°C or 400°F.
- Air-fry the chops for approximately 5 minutes.
- Turn them halfway through and brush with additional sauce.
- Cook until the glaze caramelizes and the edges develop a light char.
- Work in batches when necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Serve
- Check that the lamb has reached an internal temperature of at least 63°C or 145°F.
- Rest the glazed chops for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro, green onions and additional sesame seeds if desired.
- Serve immediately with a small amount of the remaining sauce.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve the lamb chops with steamed jasmine rice, sautéed Asian greens or a crisp cucumber salad. The fresh vegetables help balance the rich lamb and concentrated sweet-spicy sauce.Recipe Notes
The source contained several obvious transcription errors. “Asian pear groll” has been corrected to grated Asian pear, “onion powder” to grated onion and “green plum additionalct” to Korean green plum extract. These ingredients commonly appear in Korean-style marinades and also match the stated volumes. Gochugaru is Korean red pepper powder. Its strength varies, so reduce it to 1 tablespoon for a milder result. Gochujang already contributes heat, sweetness and salt.Dietary Information
The recipe contains soy and sesame. Sesame is a seed rather than a tree nut, but anyone with a sesame allergy must avoid this dish. Standard soy sauce and some gochujang brands contain wheat, so the recipe is not classified as gluten-free or wheat-free. It contains rice wine and red wine and is therefore not suitable for an alcohol-free or halal diet.Nutrition Information
The nutrition estimate assumes four servings and includes a reasonable amount of the reduced sauce. It does not assume that every diner consumes all the remaining braising liquid. Sodium and sugar remain relatively high because the sauce contains soy sauce, gochujang, ketchup, brown sugar and corn syrup.Variations
Replace half the corn syrup with extra grated Asian pear for a fruitier glaze with less added sugar. For a less salty sauce, use reduced-sodium soy sauce and serve only a small quantity of the reduced glaze. Beef short ribs can replace the lamb, although their pressure-cooking time may need adjustment.Storage
Refrigerate leftover lamb and sauce separately within 2 hours. Store them in covered containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the lamb until it reaches 74°C or 165°F. The sauce can also be frozen for up to 2 months.Wine Advice
A fruit-forward Syrah works well with the lamb, gochujang and charred glaze. Its dark-fruit character and peppery notes complement the spicy sauce. For a lighter pairing, choose a softly fruity Pinot Noir. A slightly off-dry Riesling offers the best contrast when the chops contain the full quantity of chilli.Nutrition values
Serving: 2 lamb chops with sauce | Calories: 680 kcal | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Protein: 39 g | Fat: 35 g | Saturated Fat: 14 g | Sodium: 1720 mg | Sugar: 31 g