Jeff Mauro Skips Mint Jelly And Serves This Herby Condiment With Lamb

Lamb does not get quite as much love in America as in other parts of the world, where it is considered a staple meal component, a luxury, or both. A perceived "gamey" taste is one reason, but it could also be that some chefs are not sufficiently well-versed in the art of properly cooking lamb. How it's served can also be problematic, particularly when it comes with the common side of curiously wiggly mint jelly. To get to the bottom of the lamb/mint jelly pairing conundrum, we reached out to an expert, celebrity chef Jeff Mauro, who partnered with Bayer Aspirin to promote heart health. Addressing the issue of whether he personally pairs mint jelly with lamb, the answer is a definitive, unhesitating "no." 

Instead, Mauro recommends a nice little chimichurri. It has a pleasing acidity, mostly due to red wine vinegar and a bright, zesty persona from finely chopped herbs like parsley, cilantro, and oregano. According to Mauro, many types of fresh greens work for a tasty chimichurri. "You can even throw some mint in there, I ain't mad at that," he says. Fresh mint with lamb isn't the issue. It's the jelly part. "I don't think lamb needs sweetness like [from the mint jam]," he explains.
"I grew up going to Greektown in Chicago; there was no mint jelly in sight.
All we did was eat lamb." He surmises it is an Americana thing, similar to eating gelatin "with things inside it" for dessert, which was not at all part of his upbringing. "That's probably why I'm wearing this chef coat now," he says, "because I was raised with some unbelievable matriarchs teaching me how to cook very well."

Just as mint jelly accompanies lamb as a dipping condiment for the meat, so does chimichurri. However, the light, tangy chimichurri sauce is much more versatile. It can enhance meals in several different ways, including as a marinade to flavor and tenderize the lamb. When cooking is complete and serving takes center stage, the green mixture is an excellent sauce for ladling on top of the lamb. But it is equally popular when arriving in small bowls on or beside plates, where it is used as a dipping sauce for lamb loin chops, kebobs, rack of lamb, shoulder roasts, or leg of lamb. Because of the vinegar and olive oil in most versions, including our fresh chimichurri sauce recipe, it also makes a tasty and versatile salad dressing.  

Though folks love the marriage of chimichurri with lamb, it is certainly not the only compatible meat with this native Argentinian sauce. It pairs divinely with grilled steaks, especially skirt steak and flat iron, which are popular cuts in South American countries. Non-meat eaters love chimichurri tossed with or drizzled over grilled and roasted veggies such as broccoli and zucchini, or stirred into creamy baked potatoes. Seafood lovers can try our simple baked chimichurri salmon recipe for a light, flavor-packed, heart-healthy meal.