Ale glazed Barnsley chop with smashed roast potato salad

The cook

1. 01

   Step 1SORT THE HEAT

   Set up a kettle BBQ for two-zone cooking, with a modest bank of lit charcoal on one side and no coals on the other. Fit the lid and settle the temperature at 120°C at grate level on the cool side. Heat your kitchen oven to 220°C fan for the potatoes; the lamb's gentle cooking temperature won't give you crisp spuds. Pat the chops dry and season generously with salt.

2. 02

   Step 2BOIL AND SMASH

   Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and salt it well. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes until a knife slides through easily. Drain and leave to steam dry for 5 minutes. Spread over a large roasting tray and press each potato with the base of a mug until split and flattened, but still holding together.

3. 03

   Step 3START THE LAMB

   Place the chops on the cool side of the BBQ, away from the coals, and close the lid. Cook at 120°C until the centre reaches 52°C, usually 35–55 minutes depending on thickness. Check both sides of each double chop with a probe, keeping the tip away from bone. Start checking after 25 minutes: temperature beats the clock.

4. 04

   Step 4ROAST THE POTATOES

   Drizzle the smashed potatoes with the rapeseed oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 35–45 minutes, turning once carefully. Give them space on the tray. Those broken edges need hot air around them to get properly crisp. If they finish before the lamb, leave them uncovered rather than trapping steam under foil.

5. 05

   Step 5REDUCE THE ALE

   While everything cooks, put the ale, honey, glaze vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for 12–18 minutes, stirring towards the end, until you have roughly 70–80 ml of lightly syrupy glaze. It should coat a spoon, not set like toffee. Divide between a basting bowl and a clean serving bowl so the finishing glaze never meets the meat brush.

6. 06

   Step 6BUILD THE SALAD

   Whisk the olive oil, remaining cider vinegar and mustard together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the radishes, spring onions and parsley. Keep the potatoes separate for now. Dress them too early and you lose that crunch you've just worked for.

7. 07

   Step 7SEAR AND LACQUER

   At 52°C, lift the chops onto a plate while you open the BBQ vents and add fully lit charcoal if needed to build a fierce direct heat. Pat any damp patches dry. Using tongs, sear the fat edges, both broad faces and any exposed outer meat surfaces over the coals, turning frequently. Once browned, brush with thin coats of glaze for the final 1–2 minutes, moving to the cool side if it catches. Allow roughly 4–7 minutes in total and remove at 58°C in the centre for a pink finish. This finish is for whole, intact lamb chops, not rolled or mechanically tenderised meat.

8. 08

   Step 8REST AND SERVE

   Rest the chops on a warm platter for 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil. The centre temperature will climb a little as they rest. Gently fold the warm potatoes through the dressed vegetables just before serving. Season the lamb with black pepper, spoon over the reserved clean glaze and serve with the potato salad and any resting juices.