This crispy American lamb benedict upgrades the classic brunch dish into something extraordinary. Tender lamb cutlets, pounded thin and fried to a perfect golden crunch, replace the traditional Canadian bacon for a more luxurious foundation. Topped with a perfectly poached egg and silky blender Hollandaise sauce, it delivers an unbeatable combination of textures and flavors – crispy, creamy, rich, and bright all at once.
The ingredients can be prep’d in advance and the dish comes together quickly, making it ideal for a special weekend brunch without the lengthy cooking time. With foolproof methods for poaching eggs and making hollandaise, even the traditionally intimidating elements become approachable. Whether served on a lightly toasted English muffin or with the lamb cutlet as the star base, this Benedict variation may become your new standard.
Watch the Recipe Video
This recipe was created in partnership with the American Lamb Board. All thoughts and opinions are always my own.
Lamb Benedict Elements
The American Lamb is the Star
I headed to my favorite local butcher, Sepulveda Meats, where I picked up a beautiful rack of rib chops from Colorado for this recipe. There’s something special about sourcing American lamb from a friendly neighborhood butcher rather than a faceless grocery store. It simply feels right and tastes better.
The tender and sweet lamb is perfect for this benedict application, and you don’t need much per serving. The good news is you’ll likely have extra lamb for another meal the next day.
English Muffin
The base should be very lightly toasted. If the English muffin is too crisp, it becomes tough and doesn’t complement the other delicate elements of the dish. You can also skip the English muffin entirely and let the crispy lamb cutlet serve as the foundation of your benedict.
Lamb Cutlets
These crispy, thin lamb cutlets are truly the star. Pounded thin, seasoned well, and breaded before a quick fry, they develop a golden crust while remaining tender and juicy inside. The cutlets are so delicious they could easily be served on their own, but they reach new heights as part of this benedict.
If you can’t find rack of lamb, boneless lamb sirloin steaks or lamb leg steaks can also work. Just be sure to trim off excess fat and connective tissue before pounding thin.
Poached Eggs
Perfect poached eggs add that luxurious, creamy texture when the yolk breaks over the dish. For best results, use the freshest eggs possible and strain them through a fine mesh sieve before poaching. They can be made ahead of time and stored in cold water, then reheated for just 1-minute in barely simmering water just before serving. Making these ahead a key technique when making this for a crowd.
Hollandaise Sauce
A blender or immersion blender hollandaise is foolproof and comes together in seconds. This method eliminates the anxiety of breaking the sauce and delivers perfect results every time. Make the hollandaise first and keep it warm in a pre-warmed double-walled thermos for best results.
It is possible to reheat the hollandaise either in a double boiler or in a microwave on low power if you want to make the sauce ahead, or have leftovers.
Fresh Herbs
Since we first eat with our eyes, bright fresh herbs on top make the dish visually appealing. Chives work perfectly, but parsley or other tender herbs would also complement the dish beautifully. A squeeze of lemon adds brightness and balances the richness of the eggs and sauce.
Tips for Success
- Read the full recipe before starting: This dish has multiple components that need to come together at the right time.
- Prep ahead: Since the dish comes together quickly and has multiple elements, prepping all the ingredients ahead of time will ensure success. Bread the lamb cutlets up to a day in advance and refrigerate them covered until ready to cook. The eggs can be poached up to a day ahead, store in cold water in the refrigerator, and reheat for 1 minute in hot (not boiling) water before serving.
- Keep the hollandaise warm: Make it first and store in a pre-warmed thermos. If it thickens too much, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to restore the consistency.
- Use the freshest eggs possible: Fresh eggs hold their shape better when poached.
- Don’t skip the straining step: Removing loose egg whites through a fine mesh strainer creates neater poached eggs.
- Work in batches if needed: Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying lamb cutlets.
- Keep lamb cutlets warm and crisp: Place them on a wire rack (not directly on a plate) after frying to maintain crispiness.
- Season every layer: Add a light sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper to the lamb, the flour, and breadcrumbs for the best flavor.
- Watch the temperature: Keep poaching water at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil, for perfect eggs.
- Don’t over-toast the English muffins: They should be just lightly golden to remain tender.
- Finish with acid: A squeeze of lemon brightens the entire dish and balances the richness.
Special Equipment
While this recipe doesn’t require any specialized professional equipment, a few kitchen tools will make preparation much easier:
- Meat mallet or rolling pin – Essential for pounding the lamb cutlets to the ideal ⅛ to 3/16-inch thickness. If you don’t have one, you can also use the back of a heavy flat-bottom pot or pan.
- Immersion blender or standard blender – Immulsifies the foolproof hollandaise in seconds, and is perfect for making smaller quantities in a small container when cooking for just a few people.
- Slotted spoon – For handling poached eggs.
- Fine mesh strainer – Creates cleaner, neater poached eggs by removing loose egg whites.
- Fish spatula or thin flexible spatula – Helps flip delicate breaded lamb cutlets without damaging the coating.
- Small ramekins – Useful for holding eggs before poaching.
- Double-walled thermos (optional) – Keeps hollandaise warm while you prepare the other elements.
- Wire cooling rack – Keeps the fried lamb cutlets crispy while you finish other components.
Lamb Benedict
Ingredients
For the Blender Hollandaise Sauce
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 4 oz ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and hot
- Pinch of cayenne optional
- 1-2 Tbsp warm water to adjust consistency
For the Lamb Cutlets
- 8 oz American Lamb rib chops 1 rib chop per portion, at least 1″ thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper
- ⅔ cup fine breadcrumbs
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying
- 1 Tbsp butter for frying
- Lemon wedges for serving
For Assembly
- 4 eggs for poaching
- 1 Tbsp distilled vinegar for poaching water
- 2 English muffins split and lightly toasted
- Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Hollandaise Sauce
- Melt butter in a small saucepan until hot.
- Place egg yolks, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and cayenne (if using) in a blender or container suitable for an immersion blender.
- With the blender running, slowly stream in hot melted butter until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
- If sauce is too thick, blend in 1 to 2 Tbsp of warm water until desired consistency is reached.
- Season to taste with salt.
- Cover and keep warm until serving.
Prepare the Lamb Cutlets
- Remove lamb meat from the bone. First cut into individual chop, then slice along the bone by cutting along its length.Slice each piece into ½” thick cutlets.
- Place cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about ⅛ to 3/16″ thickness.
- Season both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
- Set up three shallow bowls: one with seasoned flour, one with beaten egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water, and one with breadcrumbs.
- Dredge each cutlet first in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs. Place on a plate or sheet pan.
- Heat a 12″ heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, then butter.
- Fry the cutlets for about 1 minute per side until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and immediately sprinkle with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Keep warm.
Poach the Eggs
- While preparing the lamb, bring a pot with 4 to 5 inches of water and 1 Tbsp vinegar to a gentle simmer.
- Crack each egg individually into a fine mesh strainer to drain off excess white, then transfer to a small ramekin.
- Reduce heat so the water is just barely simmering.
- Gently slide each egg into the water and poach for 3 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain off any water.
Assemble
- Place toasted English muffin halves on warmed plates.
- Top each half with a lamb cutlet.
- Place a poached egg on each cutlet.
- Spoon hollandaise sauce over each egg.
- Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Video
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe before starting. The dish has multiple components but comes together quickly once organized.
- Fresh eggs produce better poached eggs.
- Lamb cutlets can be prepared and breaded up to 4 hours ahead of cooking (cover and refrigerate).
- If you can’t find rack of lamb, boneless lamb sirloin steaks or lamb leg steaks can also work. Just be sure to trim off excess fat and connective tissue before pounding thin.
- Eggs can be poached ahead of time, stored in cold water, and reheated in just simmering water for 1 minute before serving.
- *The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F, with a 3 minute rest.
- **To ensure food safety, eggs should be cooked until both the yolk and the white are firm. Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially for those with certain medical conditions. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served, use either pasteurized shell eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella, or use pasteurized egg products.
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