How to cook lamb chops for easy, delicious meals
29/03/2023
5 min. reading
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Learn the secrets to perfectly cooked lamb chops with this comprehensive guide. Discover tips on selecting the right cut, marinade options, cooking methods, and serving suggestions. Impress your guests with your expert lamb chop cooking skills.
If you’re used to pork chops or beef steaks for dinner, it’s time to add lamb chops for more variety. Lamb chops are also a delicious and versatile cut of meat that can be cooked the same way as your pork chops, so it’s not a new skill you’ll need to acquire.
Whether you prefer them grilled, air fried, roasted, or pan-fried, there is a simple method to follow. We will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to cook lamb chops perfectly, including tips on marinating, seasoning, and cooking times.
How to cook lamb chops perfect for any meal
Step 1: Preparing the Lamb Chops
The good thing is you can buy your lamb chops at your local grocery store. You’ll mostly find lamb chops as loin or rib chops in most retail shops. We find loin chops to be more versatile, so will take you through various methods of how to cook lamb loin chops.
The first step in cooking lamb chops is to prepare the meat. If you refrigerated your lamb chops, take them out and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. This will help the meat cook more evenly. If your lamb chops have a thick layer of fat, trim it down to about 1/4 inch to prevent flare-ups while cooking.
Step 2: Marinating the Lamb Chops
Grab your favourite herbs from the cupboard. Marinate the lamb chops in a mixture of your choice of herbs, spices, and liquids, such as olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Leave the lamb chops to marinate for at least 30 mins, or up to 2 hrs for maximum flavour. A marinade will not only add flavour to the meat, but it will also help to tenderise it.
Step 3: Season the Lamb Chops
Once the lamb chops have finished marinating, remove them from the marinade and season them with salt and pepper. Be generous with the seasoning, as this will enhance the flavour of your meat. If you want to add a crunchy crust to your lamb chops, you can sprinkle them with breadcrumbs or other seasonings before cooking.
Step 4: Cook the Lamb Chops
There are several methods for cooking lamb chops, including grilling, roasting, pan-frying and even airfrying.
Lamb chop cooking time
Putting meat in the oven seems to be the easiest way to get your meat ready for any meal. To help you make the decision on which method to use, find out how long to cook lamb chops with each of these methods:
- Grilling - about 8 minutes (4 minutes on each side)
- Roasting - about 20 minutes
- Pan frying - about 8 minutes (4 minutes on each side)
- Air frying - about 15 minutes
Ideal temperatures to cook lamb chops
When grilling or pan-frying lamb, it's hard to tell when it's cooked to your liking since ovens operate differently. Only a digital cooking thermometer can be used to determine how thoroughly something is cooked. Here are the temperature guidelines for cooking lamb chops if you use a cooking thermometer:
50°C (122°F) – very rare
55°C (131°F) – medium rare
60°C (140°F) – medium (pink)
65°C (149°F) – medium well
72°C (162°F) – well done
Read also
Different ways to cook lamb cutlets on a whim
Oven grilled, char-grilled, pan-fried or air-fried, lamb cutlets are such an easy meat option for quick meals. They will taste delicious no matter how you cook them. Discover our methods below.
How to grill lamb chops
If you’re grilling lamb chops, heat your grill to high heat and place the lamb chops directly on the grates. Cook each side for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until the temperature of the meat reaches 145°F inside.
How to cook lamb chops in the oven
We think roasting is the best way to cook lamb chops. We bet now you are wondering how long to cook lamb chops in oven at 180℃? That seems to be the standard temperature when roasting meat right, but we recommend 200 °C.
To roast lamb chops, preheat your oven to 200℃ (400°F). Place the lamb chops in a roasting pan and roast for 18–20 minutes, or check the internal temperature of the meat; it should reach 145°F for medium-rare. Serve your delicious lamb chops with some potatoes and a good bottle of wine.
How to cook lamb loin chops pan fry
To pan-fry lamb chops, heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil. When the pan is hot, add the lamb chops and cook for 4 minutes per side. Rest the lamb chops and then serve them with a good bowl of rice.
How to cook lamb chops in air fryer
With your trusted air fryer, you can quickly prepare the most delicious lamb chops. The chops will come out soft and well-cooked if you marinate them in red wine vinegar and herbs. Let them chill for an hour, or up to 5 hours, before cooking. Preheat your air fryer and cook your lamb loin chops for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. That means in 15 minutes, your lamb chops will be ready. Make it a complete meal with a simple salad.
Step 5: Rest the Lamb chops
Once the lamb chops are cooked, remove them from the heat and let them rest for 5 - 10 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavourful cut of lamb.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Finally, serve your perfectly cooked lamb chops with a side dish of your choice, such as roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad.
Now we know some people love lamb forequarter chops. Here is a short guide on how to cook lamb forequarter chops:
Preheat a sizable, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Season your forequarter chops with salt and pepper. Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and cook each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. You can also use a thermometer; place it in the centre of each chop until it reads 60 °C. Once done, put the chops aside to rest and then serve.
Here are some of our favourite ways to serve lamb:
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Lamb salad is healthy and quick to cook. With this easy recipe, learn how to make lamb salad.
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Hands down the easiest way to cook lamb leg, this Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg is fall apart tender and incredibly succulent. 2 minutes prep, pop it in the slow cooker, brown it briefly in the oven while you make a killer gravy using the lamb juices.
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This simple recipe will teach you how to make your own meatballs, baked in an oven with delicious feta cheese inside!
Pan Seared Fried Lamb Loin Chops
This easy-to-make, elegant dish features succulent lamb loin chops perfectly seared in a pan to lock in juices and flavors. Seasoned with a simple rub of garlic, rosemary, and thyme, these lamb loin chops are the perfect main course for a gourmet dinner at home.