Lamb Chop Lollipops Recipe
Lamb Chops on the GrillĀ
The kettle grill is ubiquitous...Lamb chops in the kettle grill, not so much. Perhaps it's because folks don't know how to grill lamb chops? In this recipe, weĀ show you how to grill lamb chops perfectly & while I know this sounds very clichĆ©Ā to say...if you try this once, you'll be hooked on lamb chops forever. They are that good!Ā
This recipe is brought to you by MichaelĀ from Everyday BBQĀ using ourĀ Slow 'N SearĀ®Ā Kettle Grill,Ā Drip 'N Griddle Pan - DeluxeĀ andĀ SnS-100 Instant Read Thermometer.Ā
Rack of Lamb SelectionĀ
Most lamb racks in the market are in vacuum sealed packages. As best you can tell, given the limited visibility, look for the following:
- Straight bones
- A nice round section of meat at the end of the bone
- Good marbling throughout the meat
Seasoning for Lamb ChopsĀ
- Rack of Lamb (mine in the video was 2.5 lbs.)
- 4 cloves of garlic (or equal amount of minced)
- 2 teaspoons of fresh dried Rosemary
- Ā½Ā teaspoon ground black pepper
- Ā½ teaspoon salt
- Ā¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lamb Wet Rub RecipeĀ
Combine Garlic, rosemary, black pepper, salt into olive oil and mix well.How to Cut a Lamb LegĀ
We have to remove as much of the fat as possible without sacrificing too much meat in the process. Lamb chops are covered with quite a bit of fat and silver skin so it will take you a few minutes to remove that. This process will expose more of the meat for rub, searing and char flavor! So take your time and do your best without stressing too much! Use a sharp, thin knife to make the process easier. NOW CUT INTO LAMB LOLLIPOPS (TWO BONES EACH). Apply the wet rub to these and place them into a sealable container and into the fridge for 1-6 hours before cooking.
Grill Setup
With the Slow āN SearĀ®Ā in place (withĀ the water reservoir installed in the Slow 'N SearĀ® Deluxe). We wonāt be using water, but this will help protect the lamb bones during searing. Place the Drip āN Griddle Pan below the indirect cooking side to help for easy clean up. Use 20 charcoal briquettes with a couple small chunks (or one larger) of Hickory for flavor, and a fire starter of your choice.How to Grill Lamb ChopsĀ
Grilling Temperature for Lamb ChopsĀ
Start the 20 coals with a starter, allow them a few minutes to catch, then place the lid on. Open the top vent and smoke hole all the way to allow the temps to begin to build. Target temperatures for the first part of the cook are 225Āŗ-250ĀŗF. To achieve this, monitor the temps with a remote thermometer, and once they hit 150ĀŗFĀ Fahrenheit, begin to choke back the vents until you settle into the desired cooking temperature.
Lamb Internal TemperatureĀ
Place the lamb on the indirect side of the cooker and use a remote thermometer to continue to monitor meat temp. Once it hits 90ĀŗF, check the lamb to assure even cooking and lightĀ ā Ā full chimney of charcoal separately, allow it to get hot while we wait for the lamb to reach 115ĀŗFĀ internal temperature. Once the Lamb hits 115ĀŗFĀ internal temperature, remove it from the cooker while you prep the grill for searing.
How to Sear Lamb ChopsĀ
Prepare for searing by removing the cooking grate, dumping the hot chimney of coals into the Slow āN SearĀ®Ā and spreading the coals out evenly. Place the cooking grate back onto the cooker, place the lamb on the indirect side, then spin the grate half a turn so that the lamb is over the direct heat for the sear. Sear each side of the lamb (all 4 sides) for approximately 1 minute each side while spinning the grate Ā¼ turn each time as shown in the video. After all 4 sides have been seared, place the lamb on the indirect side and check the temperatures. You are shooting for 125Āŗ-135ĀŗFĀ final temp (your preference). If the lamb is at your desired temperature, remove from cooker and rest for a few minutes. If the lamb has not reached your desired temperature yet, leave on the indirect side and use the ācracked lid methodā to finish it off. This technique means to cover the grill with the lid but leave a gap on the direct side so a majority of the heat can escape and you will lower the risk of overcooking the lamb under extreme heat.
Once it reaches your desired temperature, remove from the cooker, rest for a few minutes, cut and enjoy!