If you’re a fan of lamb and bacon, then you’ll love our Bacon-Wrapped Lamb Chops using thick-cut bacon.
It’s a simple, yet delicious dinner idea! It’s decadently delicious and makes you feel like you are eating at someplace super fancy.
Grab the recipe down below!
Thick-Cut Bacon Wrapped Lamb Chops
Food is so essential. Period. Food means survival and sometimes is a quick, thoughtless grab like a piece of fruit or muffin. At other times it’s more thoughtful, like a bowl of homemade soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.
Other times, we plan out every detail. We carefully select a wonderful cut of meat. We pick the best thick-cut bacon we can afford, and we scrutinize our onions.
The seasonings are scant because, at times, all you need is freshly cracked black peppercorns, with the pepper mill set to distribute those large bits of peppercorns, and for this recipe, flaky sea salt is the order of the day.
Thick-cut bacon is essential!
Our Thick-Cut Bacon-Wrapped Lamb Chops are not complicated to make. This recipe is a keeper, mainly for its simplicity and very basic ingredients.
The thick-cut bacon works a special kind of magic on the lamb chops.
The flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns are effective yet simple.
At its core, this recipe is almost reminiscent of provincial French cooking.
There is nothing fancy about it, but that doesn’t keep it from feeling more shameful than it is.
And would you believe the cherry on top is a maple cream glaze? Touché!
Here’s What You Will Need To Make Our Bacon Wrapped Lamb Chops:
Lamb. We started with two Frenched racks of lamb for this recipe. We’re using Aussie Lamb, which has been featured several times on the blog for its high-quality meat. Using a very sharp cleaver and a heavy kitchen mallet, we cut our chops. You can also replicate this recipe with lamb loin chops; no mallet is required.
Thick-Cut Bacon. There are various degrees of thick-cut bacon, and I use three brands depending on availability. But needless to say, quality thick-cut bacon is well, thick, and typically has a substantial amount of meat and fat in each strip.
Black Peppercorns. Sea Salt. I am fond of freshly cracked black peppercorns and flaky sea salt. I am convinced less is more for some recipes, which is one reason I love this recipe so much. It’s easy, uses few ingredients, and turns out great every time!
Onion. Green Onion. Fresh Marjoram. I always use quartered onions and green onions for this recipe because I can usually find them year-round. In the summertime, I will use either fresh rosemary, thyme, French tarragon, or marjoram. Since I still have marjoram in the garden, I used several sprigs.
How to make Bacon-Wrapped Lamb Chops
6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 Frenched Rack of Lamb
- freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste
- flaky sea salt
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 6-8 green onions
- 16-20 slices of thick-cut bacon
- fresh marjoram optional
- 1/2 cup of pure maple cream or sweet maple mustard
Our good friend, Eboni from Mrs.CR8 sent us this delicious jar of Pure Maple Spread.
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the Frenched rack of lamb into individual chops, and season liberally with freshly cracked black peppercorns and flaky sea salt. Tightly wrap each chop with a strip of thick-cut bacon. Arrange the quartered onions and sprigs of fresh marjoram in the bottom of a cast-iron skillet, and place the thick-cut bacon-wrapped lamb chops on top. Place the lamb on the center rack of a preheated oven at 375°F and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven, wrap each bone with aluminum foil, and adjust the broil function.
- Carefully pour out half of the excess drippings from the skillet and return the lamb to the center rack. Broil until the thick-cut bacon has browned to your liking.
- Remove the skillet from the oven, turn each piece of lamb over, add a generous amount of the Michigan Pure Maple Spread to each chop, and return the skillet to the oven.
- Continue to broil until the bacon is crispy or browned to your liking. Remove the lamb from the oven. The internal temp for your lamb should be: For medium-rare, remove the lamb at 130–135°F.
For medium, remove at 140–145°F. - Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes and garnish with chopped green onion.
- Serve.
I Never Had Lamb. What is it?
Lambs are young sheep, no older than a year old. Lamb also generally comes in several cuts: Rack of lamb, lamb loin chops, Leg of lamb, Lamb shoulder, and Lamb shanks.
There are additional cuts of lamb, but these are the most common and the easiest to find.
We usually purchase our lamb at Costco.
They are the only store in our area that carries Aussie Lamb products.
What Does Lamb Taste Like?
Because of its young age, lamb is typically tender, and depending on how it is finished, it can have varying amounts of marbling.
Grain-finished lamb is less gamey and has substantially more marbling and fat.
However, grass-finished lamb will have a more gamey taste, and the meat will be leaner with less fat.
Different Ways To Cook Lamb
Like most red meats, there are a variety of ways to cook lamb. You can grill it, roast it, or prepare it in a skillet on the stovetop.
My two favorite cuts of lamb are Frenched rack of lamb and lamb loin chops, and I love them wrapped in bacon or cooked with a simple marinade.
Here are some of our favorite lamb recipes on the blog using Aussie Lamb:
Aussie Lamb Platter | Summer Grazing Board Idea
Garlic & Mint Grilled Aussie Lamb Chops
Instant Pot Spicy Australian Lamb Pho
Garlic Parmesan-Herb Crusted Lamb Rack
Which Spices & Herbs Pair Well With Lamb?
When it comes to adding spices and herbs to lamb, there are many options. At the very least, all you need is quality salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns. If you want to take it up a notch or two, try these flavor combinations:
- Fresh rosemary, garlic, and sea salt.
- Ground coriander, cumin, sea salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
- If you like a little heat, season the lamb with smoked paprika, ground cayenne pepper, sea salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
Make a chimichurri sauce.
- 1/2 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 4–5 mint leaves, torn or finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
Using a sharp chef’s knife, finely chop the parsley, cilantro, and mint and place them in a bowl. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined, then let stand for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Can I Marinate Lamb?
Yes, when using a no-acid marinade, you can marinate for longer. Acid-based marinades are quick marinades that use lemon or lime juice and may also include vinegar, wine vinegar, and yogurt.
Using an acid-based marinade is recommended for both adding flavors and tenderizing meat. Regarding lamb, allow it to marinate in acidic marinades for no longer than 15 minutes. After 20-30 minutes, lamb, chicken, or pork can become mushy or stringy.
Here is a no-acid marinade I enjoy using for lamb. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil to a bowl, then add 2 tbsp of fresh, chopped thyme, 2 tbsp of fresh, chopped oregano, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp of onion powder, plus sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
Mix to combine. Brush the lamb with the mixture, place the lamb chops in a shallow-walled container, and pour the remaining marinade over them. Allow the lamb to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
When Cooking Lamb At What Temperature Is It Done?
Lamb is safe to eat when it reaches the following internal temperatures: 145°F for medium-rare, 160°F for medium, and 170°F for well-done.
Now that you have the recipe, all you have to do is add the ingredients to your weekly grocery list, and you are good to go!
And as always, if you have any questions, drop us a line!
Anytime you want an easy and delicious lamb recipe with a little bit of fuss, this is the one!
Thick-Cut Bacon Wrapped Lamb Chops
Ingredients
- 2 Frenched Rack of Lamb
- freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste
- flaky sea salt
- 1 large onion quartered
- 6-8 green onions
- 16-20 slices of thick-cut bacon
- fresh marjoram optional
- 1/2 cup of pure maple cream or sweet maple mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the Frenched rack of lamb into individual chops, and season liberally with freshly cracked black peppercorns and flaky sea salt. Tightly wrap each chop with a strip of thick-cut bacon. Arrange the quartered onions and sprigs of fresh marjoram in the bottom of a cast-iron skillet, and place the thick-cut bacon-wrapped lamb chops on top. Place the lamb on the center rack of a preheated oven at 375°F and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven, wrap each bone with aluminum foil, and adjust the broil function.
- Carefully pour out half of the excess drippings from the skillet and return the lamb to the center rack. Broil until the thick-cut bacon has browned to your liking.
- Remove the skillet from the oven, turn each piece of lamb over, add a generous amount of the Michigan Pure Maple Spread to each lamb chop, and place the skillet back in the oven.
- Continue to broil until the bacon is crispy or browned to your liking. Remove the lamb from the oven. The internal temp for your lamb should be: For medium-rare, remove the lamb at 130–135°F. For medium, remove at 140–145°F.
- Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes and garnish with chopped green onion.
- Serve.
Notes
- 1/2 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 4–5 mint leaves, torn or finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
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