Cold Start Hot Finish
When considering a lamb chop, first think about what you want out of it in the end. A thick-cut chop cooked directly over high heat will char too deeply on the outside before the meat is finished cooking internally. So, to avoid that, we employ a two-zone approach to cooking, in which the grill is split into hot and cold zones by piling the coals all on one side of the charcoal grate. This way, the lamb can be seared and slowly roasted separately, giving you a combo of perfectly done meat and just the right crust.
Lamb is best when it’s cooked to between rare and medium . With intentional undercooking like this, a nice evenness throughout is also a worthy goal. To achieve this, using the reverse sear is in order. While I commonly sear first, then roast, the reverse sear flips that process.
The lamb is started on the cool side of the grill to deliver a gentler heat to the meat, raising its temperature at a slower pace. I replace the cover on the grill to help trap in and regulate the heat around the chops. When it’s 10°F shy of your desired temperaturethat’s 120°F for medium-rarethe chops are uncovered and moved to the hot side of the grill. There, they’ll quickly sear and come up to the final temperature at the same time130°F for medium-rare.
Once the chops are grilled, let them rest for 10 minutes off the heat, and they’ll be ready to go.
More Recipes For The Grill
How To Grill Lamb Chops
When youre ready to grill these babies up, heat your grill to medium-high heat. You want to get these beautifully seared. Grill the lamb chops for 7-10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F , then its time to take them off. At that point, theyll be about medium, which is how I like them. You definitely dont want to cook these well done. Theres nothing worse than a dried out, over-cooked lamb chop.
Place the cooked lamb chops on a plate, and cover with foil. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Also Check: Cod On The Grill Recipe
How To Make Garlic And Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops
Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, lemon zest and olive oil in a measuring cup. This will be the marinade for the lamb chops. Pour the marinade over the lamb chops, making sure to flip them over to cover them completely. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, and marinate the chops in the fridge for as little as 1 hour, or as long as overnight. The longer they can sit, the better!
How Long To Grill Leg Of Lamb
It takes approximately 30-45 minutes to grill a leg of lamb with the grill preheated to 275 degrees F. Following this initial cook, follow up with a 5-minute sear per side of meat to give it a nice char on the exterior. The total cook time from start to finish will be between 40-55 minutes total.
Make sure you are using this time as a guideline only, and cook the meat until it reaches the correct internal temperature. Leg of lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F .
Read Also: Vegetable In Foil On The Grill
Best Bbq Lamb Recipes
Take your cooking outdoors and light up the barbie with these sizzling lamb recipes guaranteed to please a crowd.
Crunchy kaleslaw compliments the rich, smoky flavours of this tender, barbecued lamb.
We collect information about the content you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. This is also known as Online Behavioural Advertising. You can find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-outhere. Taste may receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Learn more.
Copyright 2022 NewsLifeMedia all rights reserved
What Flavors Go Well With Lamb
The important thing about lamb is that you have to know what ingredients compliment its unique flavor. Lamb is excellent when seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, lemon, fennel, mustard and mint, just to name a few. If youre working with a one or more of these flavors, youre definitely headed in the right direction.
You May Like: What Is So Special About The Green Egg Grill
Grilled Leg Of Lamb Marinade
This leg of lamb marinade is the perfect lemony-herby marinade with plenty of garlic to balance out the mild flavor in the lamb. Heres what youll need to make this marinade:
Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add the leg of lamb to the marinade and massage to coat it evenly. Place the marinade in the fridge and marinate the lamb for around 8 hours.
So What Do You Do With Lamb/mutton
Why you grill it of course. The best cuts to go for are the loin, leg, rump, and ribs. You can grill up these cuts just as you would pork or beef, but you will get something extra, namely a tough, strong flavor meal. The secret of cooking lamb and mutton is in the tenderizing and marinating. This secret goes back to the earliest days on sheep eating.
The oldest methods of preparing lamb or mutton involve stews and shredding. Mutton stew was a popular meal among the rural sheep raising peoples. The stew would be cooked for a very long time to tenderize the meat and reduce the flavor. Other lamb greats are Moussaka and Badshahi Gosht .
Recommended Reading: How Long To Cook Bbq Ribs On The Grill
A Chop Above The Rest
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
When considering the right chops for the job, you pretty much have three different options. First, the economical shoulder chops, cut from the front of the animal. These have a fair amount of fat and connective tissue, which gives them a very robust flavor, but negatively impacts tenderness, as they can be chewy from too much un-rendered fat over a quick, hot cook. That doesn’t mean they can’t be grilled they just wouldn’t be my first choice.
Moving our way back, next come the rib chops. These are cut from the center section of the lamb and usually come with a long rib bone, with an eye of meat at the end. While not the meatiest of the chops, their presentation and smooth flavor make them a prized cut, which is something you’ll pay for as well.
While I opted for rib chops for this post , I would have been equally happy with loin chops. These are cut farther back, between the ribs and the leg, and have almost the same smooth flavor as a rib chop. Usually looking like little T-bone steaks, they tend to be meatier than rib chops, making them the best choice when you’re looking for a hearty dinner over good looks.
No matter whether you choose rib or loin chops, just like with pork chops, you want them thick-cut, preferably in the one-and-a-quarter- to one-and-a-half-inch range. This will later provide some more leeway during the cook, helping ensure the final product is as good as it can be.
Spiced Lamb Kebabs With Pea & Herb Couscous
These peppery paprika lamb skewers are barbecue friendly. Serve with a vegetable couscous flavoured with mint and coriander
Lamb and mint is a classic flavour combination, made even better with contrasting beetroot relish
A meaty main or lovely lunch that will be ready in just 25 minutes
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Off Grill
Grilled Leg Of Lamb Temperature
Grilled leg of lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F . This will result in lamb cooked to Medium doneness.
I like my lamb to a nice medium to medium-rare, so I recommend removing the leg of lamb from the grill when it reaches 125 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat. From there, sear it for 5 minutes per side to bring it up to around 130-135 degrees F. Next, allow the meat to rest for around 10 minutes to let it come to it come to its final temperature of 135-145 degrees F.
Heres a breakdown of final temperatures if youd like to adjust your lamb to your preferred doneness. The best way to gauge the temperature of your meat is with a reliable instant-read thermometer.
- Rare 125 degrees F
- Med Rare 135 degrees F
- Medium 145 degrees F
- Med Well 155 degrees F
- Well Done 165 degrees F
Grilled Boneless Leg Of Lamb
I understand how intimidating it can be to purchase and grill a whole leg of lamb. This most definitely isnt the same as snagging a chicken from the grocery store and tossing it on the grill.
Lamb takes a bit more care and love to ensure it cooks nice and tender and without a lot of gaminess.
This recipe will help you get the most bang for your buck with your grilled lamb and ensure you get perfectly cooked meat every time. Leg of lamb is perfectly cooked to medium, and itll come off the grill tender and easy to serve as a centerpiece dinner roast.
You May Like: Grown Up Grilled Cheese Walk Ons
How To Grill Leg Of Lamb
Grilling lamb isnt the same as roasting it in the oven, so lets walk through the steps of cooking this wonderful cut of meat on the grill.
How To Grill Lamb Steaks
This recipe is all about timing and temperature! You will need a grill, your grilling utensils, and a meat thermometer.
I made 2 6-ounce lamb steaks when cooking this recipe and we enjoyed 1 steak per person. You can easily buy more steaks and scale up the salt, pepper, and butter if desired!
Your grilled lamb steaks will be delicious with any sides you would serve with beef steaks! Try grilling somecorn on the cob or yellow squash. Enjoy!
For more suggestions on what to serve with lamb, check out my page of side dish ideas!
Recommended Reading: Who Makes The Best Pellet Smoker Grill
So How Do You Tell What You’re Getting
As sheep age, the meat becomes darker. Hothouse lamb has pink flesh, white fat and red streaks through the bones. Mutton has a dark, almost purple flesh, yellow fat and white bones. And, of course, another way to tell is by size. The smaller the cut the younger the lamb. The younger the lamb the milder the flavor and the more tender the meat.
Watercress Salad With Lime Dressing:
You May Like: Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich
How To Make Grilled Lamb Chops
Prep the Chops and Seasonings
Grill the Chops
Serving And Storage Instructions
Serve grilled lamb chops 10 minutes after grilling. Ask your guests how they like their chops cooked to calculate when to take them off the grill. I like to time when they go on the grill so that they all come off the grill at the same time.
You can store grilled lamb chops in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will stay good for three to five days when refrigerated.
To reheat grilled lamb chops, set your grill or oven to a medium-low heat setting and reheat the chops until they are hot or about 10 minutes.
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Weber Grill Burners
Lamb Spinach & Ricotta Burgers
Mix lamb mince and soft cheese to make juicy patties, then pan-fry and pile into buns with a tzatziki-style sauce topped with caramelised onions
This all-in-one salad makes light work of a summer meal and the most of the barbecue
With only five ingredients, these lean meatballs couldn’t be any easier to make.
What Cut Of Lamb Works Well On The Grill
Youre looking a loin, rib or sirloin chop. If you get a shoulder or leg chop youll need to use a marinade to make it tender. The chops you choose should have a light pink/red, finely textured meat with smooth, white fat, and they should be a little bit more than an inch thick. Im partial to lamb loin chops, just because they look like tiny T-bone steaks, which makes them super cute. You can use your favorite cut for this recipe. Make sure the lamb is a good quality cut, as well.
Read Also: How To Clean My Weber Grill
Grilled Lamb Steaks Ingredients
You only need 3 ingredients to make these lamb steaks! They have plenty of flavor, so a little salt and pepper is more than enough seasoning.
- Lamb Steaks – 12 ounces of lamb steaks .
- Salt & Pepper – ¼ teaspoon each.
- Butter – 1 tablespoon divided, for resting.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
All Fine And Dandy But What About The Grill
To cook up a tender piece of lamb or mutton you need to first tenderize and marinade. Depending on what cut you’re using, take the meat and pound it well with a meat tenderizer. This will help break down the meat density, allowing it to cook more evenly and allowing the fats and tendons to break down more. Then apply a marinade. You’ll want to let this sit for a good day, or at least overnight. Traditional marinades for lamb start with olive oil and end up with a seasoning of mint, lemon or garlic. We prefer the garlic. Adding mint to lamb is in our opinion just a way to cover the strong flavor of older cuts.
When grilling, make sure the surface of the meat has a good coating of oil. Lamb will stick more than some other meats. When smoking or barbecuing, give it a good marinade and stuffing. With large cuts of lamb, make incisions into the meat and add whole garlic cloves. Sprinkle with parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, bay leaves, etc. If you do it right the neighbors will throw out their grills and move into your backyard .
Remember that lamb has a strong flavor. Don’t hide it complement it. Garlic, olive oil, wine, basil, thyme, rosemary, pepper, dry mustard, curry powder add to the flavor of lamb. Don’t skimp on the flavor. Lamb is a primary meat from some of the world’s best cooking traditions .
You May Like: How To Convert Natural Gas Grill To Propane Weber
