Not Beef, Not Pork: These Rich, Fatty Ribs Deserve A Spot On Your Grill

Just when you think you've cracked the nuances between pork and beef ribs, a new handheld protein enters the chat: lamb, which is certainly less ubiquitous across American tables than baby back, short, or spare ribs. That creates a wonderful opportunity for aspiring grillmasters all over the nation to astound their pals with the dazzling cookout phrase, "it's lamb, actually."

Lamb ribs are typically among the more affordable cuts of the animal you can buy. These ribs come from the lower half of the animal while the bone-in rack of lamb you're likely more familiar with is sourced from the upper rib cage. Lamb ribs taste gamier to most palates than more common protein varieties when unadorned by seasonings, but with a pronounced richness thanks to the heavy presence of fat. The great news for lamb rib newbies is that you can flavor them with homemade or quality store-bought dry rubs you already know and love. You can also tinker with the mix to really enhance this terrific, less typical rib.

A sweet and spicy all-purpose dry rub performs nicely on ribs of all species, but leaning into the cumin and coriander that lamb is so famously great with makes it even more delicious. Mix a few tablespoons of each with your standard salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic, and paprika for a more appropriately bespoke blend.

Lamb ribs finish a little faster than you're probably accustomed to, even with good ol' low and slow barbecue treatments. If grilling, brown your lamb ribs over medium-low for around 10 minutes. Once they gather some nice surface color, they'll come to temp after about 90 minutes on low. Flip them every 15 minutes or so for a more even finish, and brush with your preferred sauce in the latter half of that cook time (if you're using one). The ribs should reach 190 degrees Fahrenheit once they've rested for a few minutes.

You can also prepare lamb ribs in the oven. Dry-rubbed, foil-wrapped ribs should roast for 90 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. They'll get their color when you unwrap and cook for another 30 minutes. Slice between the bones and plate for the most user-friendly way to serve.