# Lamb Ribs with Qview



## walterwhite (Feb 10, 2010)

I couldn't pass the lamb breast I saw at the store for $0.99/lb. I post the results of my preparation here not as a ringing success but rather to provide additional information for others should they wish to try something like this. There is also some good discussion of the subject in this thread. The best sounding advice there was to cook the ribs on the rare side.

The lamb breast consists of the ribs and cartilage along the breast with lots of fat and a little meat. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 Because of the quantity of fat, I decided that rare was not the best course. Instead I planed to do a long and very slow cook, hoping to render some of the fat away.

I prepared the lamb by rubbing with a mix of garlic and rosemary with a little sage, pepper and cumin mixed in peanut oil. This marinated about half an hour while I prepared my fire.

I smoked in a mini-WSM using briquettes, black walnut, mulberry, cherry and box elder for smoking woods. I used water in the bowl to help moderate temps. I put the lamb on the upper rack and some chicken legs and thighs on the lower rack.

Meat went in when the grill temp hit 225° F. I adjusted the vents to keep temps about 200°-210° F. (It did get up to 220° at one point.) I kept the meat on until the meat temp seemed to level off about 170°. At about 3 hours, I took the meat off and rested it while I prepared salad and vegetables for our meal. The meat had just started to pull back on the bone when it came off. It did not release much moisture while it rested.

I was surprised to find the meat slightly pink in some places. I would characterize it between medium and well and I had expected it to be very well done after three hours.

I guess this wasn't really long enough to render away much fat. Eating it was an exercise in separating what seemed like little bits of meat from the fat and bone.

What meat we did get was delicious, so I have no complaints there. It was very juicy and the flavor was good.

So, the question I have is is there a better way to cook lamb that is mostly fat? SWMBO thought lamb carnitas. Maybe I'll try that with the left overs. In addition, I'll make a broth with the bones and use that for cooking lentils. 









Feel free to discuss and criticize.

-walt


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## insight (Feb 14, 2010)

I would...if I could sample it! Sorry, no advice on lamb at this stage in my q-reer, but that looks awesome!


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## beer-b-q (Feb 14, 2010)

They Look Great, but man it would take a lot of them...


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## glgoodwin (Jan 1, 2011)

The lamb ribs need to be cooked just as spares 3-2-1.  The amount of fat needs a long time to cook off.  So while medium rare lamb is delicous, cooking lamb breast isn't like cooking a lamb roast.


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## kansasplowboy (Jan 19, 2011)

Man that looks great. Never ate lamb before but always wanted to. Here in Kansas were I live can't find anything but the leg and thats at Easter, Again looks great, Good job.


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## cowgirl (Jan 19, 2011)

They look great from here too, nice...


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## mballi3011 (Jan 19, 2011)

Now I wish that I could find something like that. They look awesome and I know they were great tasting too.


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## chef jimmyj (May 21, 2011)

Just a suggestion until I can get some and play...Why not handle like pork? Remove the the upper (skin side) layers of fat and meat and cure and smoke into BACON...The Ribs and bottom layer of meat (to make it worth it) rubbed and smoked like SPARE RIBS... 

 The two episodes of Diners, Drive-in's and Dives that featured Lamb Ribs were Only at this Joint (mentioned in a previous thread) last aired 11-26-2010, rubbed and Smoked lamb ribs, 3 hours at 225F and Bar Food and Bon Bons last aired 5-20-2011, (last night), rubbed and Roasted (covered) 4 hours at 225F, then char finished on the grill, were nearly falling off the bone. 

Maybe this helps?...JJ

Borrowed from Pike Lamb Breast thread for illustration purposes...

Thank you for the awesome pics... 

2010-05-08






Shot at 2010-05-


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## SmokinAl (May 21, 2011)

Well they sure looked good from here too!


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## venture (May 21, 2011)

Considering the difficult cut to work with that lamb breast is, you appear to have done a very nice job. 

Good luck and good smoking.


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## walterwhite (May 21, 2011)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Just a suggestion until I can get some and play...Why not handle like pork? Remove the the upper (skin side) layers of fat and meat and cure and smoke into BACON...The Ribs and bottom layer of meat (to make it worth it) rubbed and smoked like SPARE RIBS...




Thanks JJ. Sounds like a good idea. I was torn between rare and very well done because lamb can be eaten rare as well. Trimming the fat and making very well done is probably what I'll try next time I get some of these.

I did take the bones and fat I trimmed after cooking, rendered them, made broth and after removing the excess fat, I used it as stock to make lentils. That was good too.

-walt


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## dshawver (Dec 19, 2012)

Just bought 2 racks. Gonna try my brand new electric smoker out next week for holidays/guests. Also
gonna throw on pork & beef ribs. Thanks for the tips/info, think I'll do low & slow for at least 4 hours or so & 
hope they're not too fatty when done.


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## venture (Dec 19, 2012)

Well, Racks of lamb ribs are a whole different animal than the lamb breast with ribs in. Much different ribs in the breast than in the rib section of the lamb.

Racks I would take to medium rare. Those are primo meat!  Would be the so called "prime rib" on the beef.

Breast requires a low and slow.  Actually, for the lamb breast I would think about a braise or a stew. When thinking about lamb breast, think brisket with the very front rib bones sometimes thrown in.

Good luck and good smoking.


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