Smoked Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic
On February 19, 2024 (Updated September 24, 2024)
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If you want tender, smoky lamb loin chops, my Smoked Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic are the ticket. These rich and herby chops smoke in just over an hour.
Smoked Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic
Lamb might not be the first meat you think of when smoking, but when marinated with the right herbs and seasonings, it’s a truly unique eating experience. It has just the right amount of mild gamey flavor to stand out as while still having the savory, bite-through goodness you want in a smoked meat. If you’re looking to break out of the traditional beef/chicken/pork box, then lamb might be just what you’re looking for.
My Smoked Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic are not only totally delicious, they’re incredibly easy to make. With only 8 ingredients and just 2 simple steps, you can smoke tender and delicious lamb loin chops your family will love. Let’s get started.
Lamb Loin Chops vs Rib Chops
One of my favorite cuts of lamb meat to smoke is the loin chop. If you’re unfamiliar, loin chops are similar to a rib chop, but they come from, you guessed it, the loin section of the lamb. Loin chops are more lean and tender than a traditional rib chop, and have a small bone in them, meaning you get a much better meat to bone ratio. These gorgeous lamb chops are essentially the porterhouse steak of the lamb with a strip steak on one side of the bone and a tender filet on the other.
While this recipe calls for loin chops, you can totally make it with rib chops. Just keep in mind your cook time will change with rib chops depending on how thick they are cut. Whichever route you go, you’re going to end up with tender and savory lamb your guests will rave about.
Rosemary and Garlic Marinade
Lamb is a pretty lean meat to begin with, and loin chops are especially lean. That’s why marinating your lamb loin chops for 4-8 hours is such an important part of the process. Here’s what I like to use for my lamb marinade:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 8 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 cup finely minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
I recommend using fresh rosemary because the dried variety tends to get woody and can leave an undesirable texture. If you have to use dry, use half as much as you would with fresh rosemary, and try to use ground rather than crushed or whole needles. I also recommend giving your lamb a full 4 hours to tenderize, but don’t let it go longer than 8 hours. Otherwise, your lamb may break down and get mealy. After 8 hours in the fridge, it’s time to get that tender lamb on the smoker.
How Long to Smoke Lamb
When smoking lamb loin, you’ll want to plan on 45 minutes to a full hour depending on thickness. As with most meats, you want to cook lamb to temperature more than time. Because lamb is so lean, it’s super important not to overcook it. Personally, I love the texture I get when I pull my lamb at around 140 degrees F. This will allow for carryover cooking to bring your lamb up to the recommended 145 degrees F while you rest it.
Because you’re smoking to temperature, make sure you’ve got a reliable food thermometer on hand. I love my Thermapen ONE for fast and accurate temps, but any good meat thermometer will work just fine.
How to Make Lamb Chops on the Smoker
Don’t let the prep time scare you, this amazing lamb recipe is just a few simple steps. Plus, your fridge and smoker do most of the work.
- Marinate. First, you want to combine all your garlic herb marinade ingredients in a gallon size zip-top bag and then mix to combine before adding in your lamb. Once your lamb loin chops are in, seal the bag and then massage your marinade into your lamb. Then, simply let your lamb marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.
- Smoke your lamb. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F and remove your lamb chops from the marinade. Be sure to shake gently so you remove any excess marinade. Place the lamb chops directly on the grill grates and smoke for 45 minutes to an hour. You want your lamb to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (130 for medium rare). Flip once about halfway through to ensure an even cook on both sides.
- Rest and enjoy. Once your lamb reaches your desired doneness, remove it and place on your serving platter. Give your lamb 4-5 minutes to rest so you don’t burn your mouth and miss out on the goodness. After that, squeeze some fresh lemon juice and it’s time to enjoy.
More Delicious Lamb Recipes
If you love the mild and meaty taste of lamb as much as me, then I’ve got good news. Here are a few more of my personal favorite lamb recipes for you to try next:
- Grilled Rack of Lamb with Garlic Herb Marinade
- Grilled Lamb Chops with a Honey Lemon Mint Marinade
- Grilled Leg of Lamb
- Smoked Rack of Lamb with a Curry Spice Rub
- Smoked Lamb Shoulder
Smoked Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Recipe
If you thought these smoked lamb chops weren’t half baa-d, then feel free to give it a 5 star rating and tell us about it in the comments. You can find recipes just like this one for all your favorite meats, all with easy step-by-step instructions, in the Hey Grill Hey app.
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Smoked Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lamb loin chops
Marinade
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary finely minced
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate. Combine all marinade ingredients in a gallon size zip-top bag, mix, and add lamb. Seal and massage lamb loin. Place in refrigerator and marinated 4-8 hours.1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 8 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 pounds lamb loin chops
- Smoke your lamb. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F and remove lamb from marinade. Shake to remove any excess marinade. Place lamb chops directly on grill grates and smoke 45 minutes to an hour, flipping once midway. For medium rare, you want your lamb around 130-135 degrees F internal temperature.
- Rest and enjoy. Once your lamb reaches your desired doneness, remove it and place on your serving platter, rest 4-5 minutes, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We love lamb chops, and we love smoked meats. But we’d never had smoked lamb chops before this. We loved it!!
I accidentally marinated the lamb too long, but followed the recipe to the letter, otherwise. It still came out great.
This is a definite keeper.
My wife was sceptical about lamb chops, but I made this recipe exactly as printed, and we both enjoyed a great meal. Already picked up more lamb chops.
Love it! I tried this recipe along side of 3 others.This one was a strong favorite. I had never cooked lamb before and was searching for a great flavor. I will be roasting a full lamb on a spit this Saturday and wondered if you had any suggestions to adapt this recipe for that application.
Nice
VERY GOOD!
Excellent!!! But try using tarragon leaves instead of the rosemary and cook for 30 minutes instead so that the chops are pink inside. Fabulous!