Grilled Lemon & Rosemary Lamb Ribs (Hot & Fast)

Both pork and beef ribs are long-time barbecue favorites. Lamb ribs, for whatever reason, don’t attract nearly as much attention.

I’ve been playing around with lamb ribs, attempting to master the hot and quick version. With a cook time of less than an hour, you’ll be biting into these delectable savory lamb ribs in no time.

I cooked the lamb ribs on the Weber Kettle with the Vortex attachment to get extremely high temperatures for this dish, but you can use any grill with a hood.

Why cook lamb ribs hot and fast

Because time is limited and I am hungry, I occasionally want a fast snack that is also delicious.

Because lamb ribs were not always available in my area, I requested my butcher to save some aside for me.

He said that he normally merely bones them and uses the flesh to make sausages. As a result, I now have a decent local supply of lamb ribs since he sells a lot of them and thanked me for the recommendation. So it’s always a good idea to speak to your butcher since this is yet another instance of my telling them precisely what I needed and they were more than pleased to accommodate me.

I like low and slow cooking any style of ribs, but time may be a problem. So I set out to master hot and quick ribs, not to mimic low and slow, but to get the most out of a new kind of cook. I believe these are about ideal for what I was looking for.

The heat is clearly the main difference between low and slow and hot and rapid, and I’ll be chopping the ribs into individual ribs. Because the smaller pieces cook faster, we can press them a bit harder than a complete rack that is still whole.

Items that will help you cook these are:

• A hooded grill capable of producing high indirect heat (I’m using a 22 Weber Kettle)
• Lump charcoal
• Various spices
• Vortex (Im using a Kettle Kone)
• Rub shaker
• Boning or trimming knife

To view a complete step-by-step instruction to this dish, watch the video below.

Prepping the lamb ribs

As with any other kind of rib, you must first remove the membrane from the rear of the ribs along the bones.

It’s not really required since we’re chopping them into separate rib pieces, but the membrane is chewy and prevents flavor from entering into the flesh. Plus, I attack ribs like a crazy dog on its last meal, and the last thing I want is anything chewy, so it goes.

Any more than an eighth of an inch will not render down in a hot and quick cook.Following that, you must remove any surplus fat. I mean massive, thick chunks when I say excess. I’m content with a thin coating of a 1

Simply flip the ribs over again, exposing the bones, and cut between each bone with a sharp knife to separate the ribs. I cut for the bone side so I can see the bones; similarly, when I cook a complete rack and want to chop it up, I always rotate the rack to reveal the bones.

The ribs are ready for some seasoning.

What rub to use on lamb?

As previously indicated, lamb is quite gamey and hence lends itself well to savory herbs and spices.

Our own lemon pepper lamb rub works a treat.

Lemon, rosemary, and earthy herbs are ideal. So I season my lamb with kosher salt, lemon pepper, dried rosemary, dried oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Because these ingredients vary in size and shape, I prefer to fully mix it before using it, as the smaller particles from the garlic powder and onion powder tend to settle to the bottom of whatever container we put the rub in.

As a result, I use a rub shaker and give it a fast shake before each usage to guarantee that each shake of the rub on my meat is seasoned the same from the first to the final piece.

Seasoning correctly

All too frequently, I observe individuals applying spices from a very close distance, resulting in clumps of seasoning and inconsistent taste at the conclusion of the cook. By increasing the distance between where you apply the seasoning to roughly 12 inches, the rub from a shaker has time to split and distribute properly before it strikes the meat. This ensures that every mouthful tastes the same from start to end.

So we start by lightly coating the ribs with olive oil; I normally simply sprinkle some over them while they’re on a baking sheet, and then using a basting brush, I make sure they all receive a good even light coating to help the seasoning cling.

Then I shake my rub shaker to combine the ingredients and apply a light coating on the ribs from roughly 12 inches high, then flip them over and repeat to ensure each rib gets an equal light coating of the rub.

Then, set the ribs aside for at least 30 minutes to enable the salts to activate with the ribs’ outer layer.

Setting up the BBQ for hot and fast indirect cooking

For this cook, I’m utilizing a 22-inch Weber kettle and a Kettle Kone (Vortex) to assist achieve the high indirect heat I’m looking for today. You may, however, utilize any hooded BBQ that enables you to cook at high indirect heat.

I’ll start by igniting a chimney starter full of lump charcoal, and after it’s completely lit, I’ll throw the hot coals into the Kettle Kone and replace the grill and cover, ensuring sure all of the vents are fully open.

The Kettle Kone (Vortex) is designed to increase the heat by driving it to the top of the lid, where it subsequently rolls down the edges of the lid and bowl, making the outermost area of the cooking grate very hot. However, since we do not get any direct radiant heat from the flames, the possibility of burned meat is eliminated, and we always end up with properly cooked meat.

Im aiming for temps between 450F and 480F.

I’ll heat up the grill for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the ribs. This is because a hot grill will sear our food, keeping it from adhering to the grill. It will also begin the caramelization of our meat’s underbelly.

Now that the grill has warmed up, lay the ribs on the outermost section of the grilling grate and replace the cover. I’ll set a timer for every 15 minutes and turn the cover a third of the way every 15 minutes since they will take 45 minutes to cook. The reason for this is because the lid vent generates a hotspot, and by moving the lid, we ensure that all of the food is cooked evenly.

Try not to raise the lid while spinning; we want the intense heat to stay within.

When the 45 minutes are over, it’s time to remove the ribs from the fire. They’ll be hot, so grab a napkin to hold your ribs as you start eating right immediately. We both know that no matter how many times I tell you not to eat them right away, you will, so we may as well stop you from burning your fingers.

Most lamb cuts do not like to be cooked beyond medium internal temperature of 130F to 135F, however these ribs may be cooked to 140F to 150F.

Trust me, the scent of these is exquisite, but I highly advise you to let them cool for 5 minutes first.

Serving suggestions

My initial idea is to serve them with grilled asparagus and/or baked potatoes. Even a healthy salad. These ribs are a really versatile meat that goes well with almost any other dish.

You may also sprinkle with some of my pomegranate sauce.

Now try these other lamb recipes

• Grilled Lamb Chops With Mint Chimichurri
• Greek-Style Chicken & Lamb Gyros
• Smoked Rack of Lamb With Pistachio Crust
• Lemon Pepper Lamb Seasoning
• Smoked Leg of Lamb With all the Trimmings