Veal chops can be expensive, so when you make them, you want the flavor of the veal to shine. With the garlic herb crust and a hint of cherry wood smoke, they do. A stunner of a dish! Make the rub earlier in the day and let the meat marinate for several hours (even overnight).
Combine garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, mint, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to evenly distribute ingredients. Add the olive oil and stir to combine.
PREPARE THE CHOPS
Place veal chops on a baking pan. Sprinkle chops with half of the herb mixture. Press the herbs into the meat with your fingers, making sure they coat the chops. Turn chops over and repeat with remaining oil and herb mixture. Cover with cellophane and refrigerate for six hours or overnight.
TO COOK THE VEAL:
Half an hour before cooking, remove the veal from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
Fill a smoker box with wood chips, or create your own using the instructions below*.
Place wood chips directly on gas burner (beneath the grates) on one side of the grill. Preheat the grill to high heat (about 450 degrees).
When chips begin to smoke, add the veal to the opposite side of the grill from the wood chips, but still over direct heat.
Grill for 5-6 minutes per side for medium doneness, turning with tongs halfway through. (For nice crosshatch marks, rotate the chops 90 degrees after 3 minutes of cooking on each side).
Transfer chops to a platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
*Create a pouch with tin foil. Lay the foil flat on a counter top. Mound one cup of chips in the center. Fold the the top and bottom of the foil together to seal. Fold over each of the sides to seal them. Poke several holes in the top and bottom of the foil with a sharp knife. **You can skip the smoke and simply grill these chops if you're reticent about the technique, but it's easy to do and delicious!