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The Secret to Our Juicy Smoked Lamb Chops
Lamb chops and other smaller and thinner cuts of meat can dry out fast during smoking. Typically the solution is to place a bowl of water in the smoking chamber or spray/brush/mop the meat with liquid.
Our method is to place the chops (or a butterflied leg of lamb for that matter) onto a wire rack fitted over a pan with a bit of water or stock. As the water evaporates it keeps the meat moist.
And because we rarely let a good smoking set up go to waste by cooking only one food we take the opportunity to fill the pan with potatoes. The so prepared smoked potatoes are outrageously delicious - further flavored by the drippings from the lamb. A dish you will want to make again.
You can use the exact same method to smoke any type of lamb chop you fancy as well as lamb steaks.
Ingredients You Will Need
Lamb chops. For this post we used lamb shoulder chops as example. We had two blade chops and two arm chops (the difference being which side of the shoulder they were carved from). We prefer them for two reasons. One is that they are sizeable enough to withstand hot smoking. Two, and more importantly, they contain a good amount of fat which slowly renders and not only flavors the meat but also helps keep it moist as it cooks. The presence of the bone also helps.
Seasoning. Besides your lamb chops you will need a simple blend of just salt, pepper, granulated garlic and dried oregano. You can even skip the last two. As alternatives we find that rosemary is a bit strong when smoking lamb, milder herbs like thyme work better.
Liquid. Water or stock or a combination of both. We start with a bit of water and add chicken stock to replenish it and flavor the potatoes. If not using potatoes, only water is fine.
Potatoes. If you decide to use them - gold or red potatoes are well suited for the purpose. You will need to parboil them first because the low temperature of the smoker will not be enough to cook them during the time needed for the chops.
Wood. We prefer hickory wood for smoking lamb chops but if you are looking for something milder consider cherry or apple.
Step-by-Step Process for Lamb Chops Smoker
TIPS: 1. Pat dry the lamb chops really well before you season them - smoke adheres best to drier surfaces. | 2. Use a dedicated pan for smoking, one you no longer use in your kitchen and that you can fit a wire rack on top.
Prep. Mix the salt, black pepper, dried oregano and granulated garlic. Season the lamb chops generously (you may brush them with olive oil for the rub to stick better). If preparing potatoes, cut them and parboil them until they just begin to turn tender (this can also be done in the microwave). Transfer them to the pan over which you will be smoking the chops. Add water, place the rack on top and arrange the seasoned lamb.
Smoke. Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions and bring the smoking chamber temperature to 225-250 F. Add the wood according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the prepared pan with the potatoes and the rack with the lamb chops in the smoking chamber.
Finish. Add charcoal and wood as necessary to maintain the smoke and the temperature in the range. Check on the liquid level in the pan and replenish as needed (add some chicken stock if cooking the potatoes). Flip the lamb chops so they can get nicely colored on both sides. When the internal temperature reaches your desired level (for us the magic number is 138 F or just over that) they are done.
How Long to Smoke Lamb Chops
The short answer is - until they are done. The cooking time depends on a variety of factors, such as:
- the cut of lamb chops
- their size and thickness - both impact doneness and therefore total time required
- how stable the smoking temperature you were able to maintain
- your desired doneness
Medium is the optimal doneness for smoked lamb chops and the corresponding internal temperature range is 135 F to 145 F. Use a digital meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature.
- We prefer them around 138-140 F which generally takes close to an hour and a half for blade chops and a few extra minutes for the arm chops. They finish juicy, beautifully infused with smoke flavor and nicely colored on the surface.
- Budget just under an hour for lamb loin chops and even less for lamb rib chops or whole lamb rack.
- The smoking time for lamb sirloin chops like these is more in line with the shoulder chops as they are cut thicker.
ESSENTIAL TIP: Do your absolute best to keep the smoking chamber temperature in the 225-250 F range. For the most tender meat you need the lamb chops to cook slowly so that the connective tissue and fat melt slowly. It should not be a race to get to 138-140 F internal temperature, it should be a stroll.
Recipe
Best Smoked Lamb Chops
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shoulder chops*
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 3 lbs gold potatoes** optional
- ½ cup chicken stock optional
- 3-4 sprigs fresh oregano optional
Instructions
- Pat dry the lamb chops with a paper towel. Mix the salt, pepper, dried oregano and garlic powder and season them generoausly. Reserve any leftover seasoning for the potatoes (if making). Set aside to come to room temperature.
- If preparing the potatoes, clean, peel and cut them in uniform pieces. Parboil them until they just begin to turn tender (you can do this this in the microwave). Transfer them to the pan over which you will be smoking the chops. Add about a cup of water, season them lightly, add fresh oregano and place the wire rack on top. Arrange the seasoned lamb chops onto the rack. If not making the potatoes simply add water to the pan and then place the rack on top with the lamb chops.
- Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions and bring the smoking chamber temperature to 225-250 F. Add the wood also according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the perpared pan with the rack and the lamb chops in the smoking chamber and close it.
- Monitor the smoker temperature and add charcoal and wood as necessary to maintain both the smoke and the heat (lower heat produces more smoke and vice versa).
- After about half an hour check on the liquid level in the pan and replenish as needed (add some chicken stock if cooking the potatoes). Flip the lamb chops so they can get nicely colored on both sides. Start monitoring the internal temperature of the chops (thickest part, away from bone). When it reaches 138-140 F they are done.***
Notes
- rib chops - about 45 minutes, but could be considerably less, watch them closely
- loin chops - about 50-60 mins
- shoulder chops - 90 minutes
- sirloin chops - about 80-90 minutes
- lamb steak - about 100-120 minutes
Sharon
Loved the results!! The lamb finished so tender. We smoked 12 lamb shoulder chops for a special family gathering and the potatoes were a bonus too. Everyone was in love.
Bella
ian
excellent
Milena Perrine
Thank you, Ian!
Kelly Labonte
These turned out amazing. My husband who normally doesn't like lamb loved them as well. Thank you!
Jess
Turned out delicious! Will make smoked lamb chops using this recipe again, thank you for the tips.
Carrie
Just made these and followed the directions exactly. Cooked until 140 but they were chewy and didn’t seem like they were cooked. I parboiled the potatoes before smoking them but had to microwave when we took them off the smoker.
The seasoning on the chops was very good. But we ended up feeding the meat to the dogs and I will fry up the potatoes for breakfast tomorrow. Not sure what we did wrong.
Milena Perrine
Carrie, sounds like your smoker temperature was too low. When the food is undercooked as you describe it would be logical to cook it longer. Please review the notes in the recipe card - temperatures for doneness are not absolutes, it really depends on your cuts (type of potatoes as well, some cook faster than others) how much liquid was in the pan, smoker temperature and how stable you were able to maintain it etc. There are multiple variables. From your description it sounds like you rushed the process a bit vis-a-vis the temperature of the smoker. You could have allowed extra time. There is no substitute for personal observation and judgement and I hope when you smoke other foods in the future you rely on your senses and intuition a bit more. Thank you for your comment.