Among various meats, lamb chops have a more complex flavor and texture. Cooked well, they are tender, but poorly, they can become too chewy.

Like steak, lamb chops are best cooked slightly less well-done, but it’s also not recommended to cook them too rare, as they’ll be tough. Medium to medium-rare is ideal.

Tips for oven-roasting lamb chops

When oven-roasting lamb chops, using high heat throughout will achieve a golden and crispy exterior. However, this method isn’t suitable for large, thick chops, as the exterior might burn by the time the interior is cooked through.

Roasting lamb chops over medium heat makes them juicier and reduces the chance of them becoming tough.

The perfect way to roast lamb chops is to first bake them at around 220°C for 10-15 minutes, until the exterior reaches a deep golden brown. Continue baking at around 160°C until desired doneness.

To prevent lean lamb chops from drying out during baking, it’s recommended to grease them with cooking oil before baking.

The best way to accurately determine if lamb chops are cooked to the desired doneness is to use a cooking thermometer inserted directly into the meat, not into fat or bone. A medium-rare lamb chops will register between 55°C and 58°C, a medium-rare lamb chops will register between 60°C and 63°C, and a well-done lamb chops will register between 66°C and 69°C.

Tips for Pan-Frying Lamb Chops

Lamb chops are best prepared on the soft side; baby lamb chops are ideal for this. A thickness of no more than 2.5 cm is recommended. If you’re using frozen lamb chops, remember to thaw them before cooking. You can thaw them from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before.

Before adding the lamb chops to the pan, use a clean paper towel to remove as much excess moisture as possible. This will help the lamb chops brown more easily when they touch the pan.

When adding the lamb chops to the pan, avoid crowding them too tightly. Leave some space between each chop. If you can’t fit all the chops in the pan at once, cook them in batches.

When cooking the lamb chops, cook them on one side first. Don’t flip them frequently. Wait until one side is browned before flipping. Each side should cook for about 4-5 minutes, but it’s recommended to check the bottom after 3 minutes to see if it’s browned. If not, cook it again.

If it’s browned or the lamb chops are done to your desired doneness, remove them from the pan. You can adjust the cooking time as needed.

Tips for BBQ Lamb Chops

Don’t cut your lamb chops too thick for BBQ, as this will make it harder to cook through the inside. Even if the inside is cooked through, the outside may still burn. However, because BBQs use high heat, thin lamb chops will cook quickly. It’s recommended to monitor the doneness of the lamb chops as you grill to avoid accidentally burning them.

If you’re grilling a mix of thick and thin lamb chops, place the thicker ones farther from the heat and the thinner ones closer, as the thicker ones will take longer to cook.

If you place them too close to the heat, the outside may burn while the inside remains undercooked.

Don’t flip the lamb chops constantly when BBQing. Grill one side to your desired doneness, then use tongs to flip them over and continue grilling until you’ve achieved your desired doneness.