Grilled lamb loin chops with garlic and rosemary

Grilled lamb loin chops with rosemary, garlic, and lemon are quick, easy, and delicious. Learn how to grill perfect lamb T-bones every single time by following these simple guidelines. A flavorful marinade turns these lamb chops into a delicious and easy weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

You may also be interested in my grilled chicken and peaches and my Middle Eastern grilled lamb loin chops recipe. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my grilling recipes in one place.

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Grilled lamb loin chops with garlic and herbs

Grilling lamb loin chops is a snap. Once you understand a few basics, you’ll make perfect chops every time. I will walk you through every step to ensure you have a successful result.

What you need to know

Learning how to cook lamb chops on the grill is very easy. The first step in grilling any meat is to remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. You do not want to put ice cold meat onto a hot grill (more on that later).

After marinating, pat the lamb dry with paper towels to remove most of the marinade. That’s another helpful tip – you don’t want the chops (or anything you are grilling) to be really wet when it goes on the grill.

Ingredients

Before you put the lamb loin chops on the grill, let them marinate in a simple mixture of lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Nothing fancy, but it gives the lamb amazing flavor.

• Lamb loin chops – Also called lamb T-bones, it is the lamb version of a T-bone steak from a cow. The bone divides the loin and the tenderloin.
• Neutral oil – I like grapeseed oil, as it has a high smoke smoke and a very light flavor.
• Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal salt. If you use Morton’s kosher salt, cut the amount by almost half.
• Black pepper – Regular ground black pepper, or a few turns of the grinder.
• Garlic – The sharpness of the garlic will mellow as it sits in the marinade.
• Lemon zest – The skin of the lemon. Take care not to get too much of the bitter pith (the white part) underneath.
• Rosemary – I’ve used fresh rosemary, but you can also use dried.

How to grill lamb loin chops

Here’s a quick summary of how to make this lamb loin chops recipe. Please see the card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe. 

1. Make marinade – Mix the rosemary, lemon zest, oil, salt and pepper together, then coat the lamb and let it marinate.
2. Grill – Pat the lamb dry, then place on a preheated grill. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes per side.

I have a meat thermometer, which takes away any guesswork. This is especially important if you are new to grilling, but even grilling experts use thermometers.

Using a thermometer is the best method to making sure it will be cooked to your preference. 135° is my perfect temperature, after it has rested. Every meat thermometer, even the old-school ones with the dial on top, have a line or a dimple on the side. That line or dimple tells you where the sensor area is on your thermometer. Find that line to make sure you’re getting an accurate reading.

Grilled lamb loin FAQ’s

Carryover cooking and resting meat

One thing that many home cooks don’t realize is that meat continues to cook after you take it off of the heat. This is true for any cooking method, whether it is the oven, stovetop or grill. This is called “carryover cooking“. When meat is removed from a heat source, it will continue to cook. The outside surface of the meat is hotter than the center.

The heat from the surface will move to the center, raising it’s temperature by up to 10° – 15°. Eventually, by letting the lamb chops rest, the temperature will be the same all the way through. You want to remove the lamb from the grill when it is just below your perfect temperature (this is why a good meat thermometer is so helpful).

This lamb loin chops recipe is quick and easy, making it perfect for weeknight dinner or a low-effort weekend meal.

Variations and substitutions

• Swap out rosemary for other dried herbs, like thyme or marjoram. Tender fresh herbs won’t hold up as well as a hearty herb, like rosemary, so their dried counterparts are a better option.
• This marinade (and cooking time) also works for chicken breasts. You can swap out lamb for chicken for another tasty option.

Helpful tools and equipment

• Thermapen is another option for a thermometer. I also have this one and it really is instant read.
• Tongs – You’ll need a pair of tongs to flip the lamb. Please do not stick a fork in it to turn it over.
• Stainless steel mixing bowls – This is a great set. Perfect for going from the kitchen to the grill.

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Originally published April 2021. Most recent update 4/28/25.