Smoked Lamb Chops are a quick and easy fix on your Traeger or other electric smoker. Not only are these chops tasty, but when lightly marinated ahead of time, they are immensely flavorful and always tender! Ready to take your smoking skills up a notch? Read on and I, Chef Jenn, will show you how to make these amazing Smoked Lamb Chops!
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Lightly marinated ahead of time, these tasty smoked lamb loin chops are decadent and delicious. Certainly not an every day kind of meat, in my house, lamb chops are reserved for special occasions. Can you smoke lamb chops? Heck yes, and I almost always do them this way because they’re just that good!
What You Need To Smoke Lamb Chops
- Traeger pellet smoker/grill – or another electric smoker
- Smoker pellets – use a good blend for this recipe
- Digital meat thermometer
- Cast iron pan or Blackstone Griddle to reverse sear the lamb chops
- Lamb chops – see notes below
- Rosemary – fresh is best but dried works too
- Garlic – fresh is best!
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
What Kind of Lamb Chops Go on the Smoker?
And the other question, “What are lamb chops?” Lamb chops are small cuts of meat that usually include bone. Lamb loin chops look like tiny T-bone steaks, but you can also get them cut off the rib. Lamb chops are sweet and mild in flavor, without a lot of the harsh gaminess that you get with mutton.
Lamb chops are mild and tender and take well to the smoker. I have smoked loin chops and rib chops cut off the rack, but you can also smoke shoulder and sirloin chops, though these are often harder to find.
I buy them about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick – this makes them nice and meaty and they don’t cook too quickly.
How to Smoke Lamb Chops
You don’t need to marinate lamb chops before smoking, but I love the extra flavor. Here’s how to make marinated smoked lamb chops:
- Combine the rosemary, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a food processor chopper. Pulse until it is well chopped and combined.
- If your lamb chops have some silver skin on them, use a thin knife to cut it off.
- Marinate the lamb chops in this mixture for at least 30 minutes, or up to about 2 hours.
- Preheat your smoker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Sprinkle the marinated chops with salt and pepper before smoking.
- Smoke these Traeger smoked lamb chops at 225-F for about 40 minutes or until they reach 135-F for medium-rare chops.
- Preheat the Blackstone griddle or a cast iron pan until smoking hot and sear the chops for 1-2 minutes per side just to put some color on them. Reverse seared lamb chops are just prettier!
- Let rest for 5 minutes and dig in!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Choose nice thick and meaty chops. They take the best to the smoker. I prefer leaner chops like loin chops but you can experiment to find your own favorite.
- Fresh herbs put this quick marinade over the top, but you can swap out the rosemary for parsley, chives, thyme or a combination of your favorite herbs.
- Don’t overdo the garlic! This is not the time to go garlic crazy – the sweet flavor of the lamb shouldn’t be masked by garlic.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure proper cooking temperature.
Cooking Temperature for Lamb
There’s a lot of personal preference when it comes to lamb, but here are some guidelines:
- 130-F – Rare
- 135-F – Medium rare
- 145-150-F – Medium
- 160-F – Well done (I don’t recommend cooking lamb chops to this temperature as they’ll dry out)
What To Serve With Traeger Smoked Lamb Chops
There are so many different things to serve with these tasty lamb chops! I always go with a green veggie and a carby side dish for the hubs and kids. Smoked Asparagus is always a good pick, or combine your greens with carbs in this Creamy Orzo with Spinach & Tomatoes side dish. This Lemony Pasta is another great pick to pair with lamb, and Greek Lemon Potatoes are a must-try with these chops. And, while you’re out smoking, sip on a refreshing drink made with this Butterbeer recipe!
How To Store Cooked Lamb Chops
Can you freeze lamb chops? Certainly you could, but I always find that they overcook when reheating so this is a dish I recommend eating fresh.
However, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Gently reheat the chops in a very low oven (250-F) until warmed through but not hot, or enjoy the leftover lamb cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
These lamb chops are such a quick cook that you can use your favorite pellets. I love using a blend for cooks like this, but hardwood will also work.
That depends on a variety of factors including the thickness of the meat, the temperature the meat is when it goes into the smoker, and the heat of the smoker. At 225-F, 1-inch thick lamb chops took about 40 minutes. My best advice is to use a digital meat thermometer and keep an eye on the internal temperature so the chops don’t overcook.
I usually count on 2-3 loin chops per person, if they’re nice and thick. I always make a few extras, because someone always wants seconds!
Like This? Also Try:
Smoked Lamb Chops
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds lamb loin chops about 8-10 chops
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the rosemary, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a food processor chopper. Pulse until it is well chopped and combined.
- If your lamb chops have some silver skin on them, use a thin knife to cut it off.
- Marinate the lamb chops in this mixture for at least 30 minutes, or up to about 2 hours.
- Preheat your smoker according to the manufacturer's directions.
- Sprinkle the marinated chops with salt and pepper before smoking.
- Smoke these Traeger smoked lamb chops at 225-F for about 40 minutes or until they reach 135-F for medium-rare chops.
- Preheat the Blackstone griddle or a cast iron pan until smoking hot and sear the chops for 1-2 minutes per side just to put some color on them. Reverse seared lamb chops are just prettier!
- Let rest for 5 minutes and dig in!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
