Lamb Spare Ribs

Name: Smoked Lamb Spare Ribs with Chimichurri
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 racks American lamb spare ribs; Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning; 1 cup fresh parsley; 1 cup fresh cilantro; 6 tbsp shallots, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, microplaned; 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 tbsp capers; 6 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub

Feb 18, 2026 • Tom Jackson

Lamb spare ribs bring everything you love about traditional barbecue ribs, but with deeper richness and bold, savory character. These American lamb ribs are seasoned with Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning for a Southwestern-inspired flavor, then smoked low and steady over hickory on a pellet grill. Because lamb ribs are smaller than pork spare ribs, they cook faster—developing incredible bark and tenderness in about three hours without ever needing to wrap.

The fat cap renders beautifully during the cook, keeping the meat juicy while building a flavorful crust. Finished around 208°F internal temperature, the ribs are probe-tender with clean bone exposure—your visual cue that they’re ready.

They’re served with a vibrant chimichurri made from fresh parsley, cilantro, capers, garlic, red wine vinegar, and Texas Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil. A touch of Lone Star Brisket Rub seasons the sauce for a balanced finish. The result is smoky, herbaceous, and richly satisfying from the first bite to the last.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Ready in about 3 hours—no wrap required
Bold Southwestern seasoning pairs perfectly with lamb
Beautiful bark with juicy, tender meat
Fresh chimichurri balances the richness
Perfect for weekend cooks or entertaining

Smoked Lamb Spare Ribs with Chimichurri

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

12

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

3 hours

Calories

480

Smoked lamb spare ribs cooked hot and fast over hickory and finished with bright, herb-packed chimichurri.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Lamb

2 racks American lamb spare ribs
Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning

Chimichurri

1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh cilantro
6 tbsp shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, microplaned
1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp capers
6 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Preheat your pellet grill to 275°F using hickory pellets. Set up for indirect cooking. This cook is done completely unwrapped, so steady airflow and clean smoke are important.
Season the bone side of the lamb spare ribs with Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning. Let the seasoning adhere, then flip and season the meat side evenly. These ribs are smaller than pork spare ribs, so avoid over-seasoning—somewhere in the middle is perfect. Leave the fat cap intact; it will render and baste the ribs during the cook.
Place the ribs directly on the grill grates. Cook for approximately 3 hours. Around the 2-hour mark, begin checking internal temperature and tenderness. You’re looking for bone exposure and an internal temperature between 200–208°F. More importantly, probe tenderness should feel soft with little resistance.
When the bones are visibly exposed and wiggle easily, and the internal temperature reaches around 208°F, remove the ribs from the grill. Rest loosely for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This allows juices to redistribute while preserving the bark.
While the ribs cook, prepare the chimichurri. Slice the parsley and cilantro rather than chopping aggressively to preserve freshness. Add the herbs to a food processor along with shallots, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, capers, olive oil, and Lone Star Brisket Rub.
Pulse until your desired consistency is reached. The processing emulsifies the oil and vinegar, creating a creamy texture while maintaining fresh herb character. Adjust texture as preferred—slightly coarse is ideal.
Flip the ribs bone-side up to slice. Cut cleanly between the bones for even portions. Spoon chimichurri generously over each rib before serving.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

How long do lamb spare ribs take to smoke?

About 3 hours at 275°F, which is significantly faster than pork spare ribs at the same temperature. Lamb spare ribs are smaller with less collagen to break down, so they reach tenderness more quickly. Start checking at the 2-hour mark by probing for tenderness and looking for bone exposure. Individual racks may vary slightly depending on size — pull each one when it passes the probe test, not on a timer.

What internal temperature should lamb ribs reach?

The target is 200–208°F, but temperature is secondary to tenderness here. A probe or skewer should slide through the meat between the bones with very little resistance — like pushing into soft butter. The bones should be visibly exposed and wiggle easily when you grip one and twist. If the probe still meets resistance at 205°F, give the rack another 15–20 minutes and check again.

Why cook these unwrapped instead of using the 3-2-1 method?

Lamb spare ribs don't need the 3-2-1 wrapping method because they're smaller and have less connective tissue than pork spare ribs — they reach tenderness faster and don't benefit from the extended steam phase that wrapping provides. Cooking unwrapped the entire time allows the fat cap to render slowly, the bark to set properly, and the smoke to work uninterrupted throughout the cook. Wrapping would soften the bark and potentially over-tenderize the meat.

Can I make the chimichurri ahead of time?

Yes, and it actually improves slightly after an hour or two as the flavors meld. Make it up to several hours in advance and refrigerate, but bring it back to room temperature before serving — cold chimichurri loses some of its bright, fresh herb character. The capers and red wine vinegar hold well; the fresh herb color is the only thing that fades slightly over time, which is cosmetic rather than flavor-impacting.

Can I cook this Indoors?

We rate this a 2 out of 5 for cooking indoors. Can be done inside, but loses key flavor or texture. The ribs can be oven-roasted at 275°F on a rack over a sheet pan, but you'll get no bark and no smoke penetration — two of the defining qualities of this recipe. The chimichurri is fully made indoors, so if smoke flavor is the primary goal, the grill is not optional here.

Recipe Highlights & Insights

Cooking unwrapped the entire time is the deliberate technique that separates these from typical rib recipes. The fat cap renders slowly over 3 hours, continuously basting the meat from above while the exposed surface develops a dark, flavorful bark. Any moisture loss from not wrapping is compensated by the rendered fat — these ribs stay juicy without ever needing a foil crutch.
The bone exposure and wiggle test are more reliable doneness indicators than temperature alone for lamb ribs. Because these racks are smaller and the bones are closer together, probe placement matters — insert between bones parallel to the bone rather than angled into it. A reading in the high 200s with the probe sliding in cleanly means the rack is done regardless of whether it's exactly 208°F.
Processing the chimichurri rather than hand-chopping it is an intentional technique choice. The food processor emulsifies the olive oil and red wine vinegar together, creating a creamy, cohesive sauce rather than a loose herb oil. This texture clings to the ribs better and distributes flavor more evenly per bite. Pulse rather than blend continuously — you want a slightly coarse texture, not a puree.
The capers in the chimichurri are the ingredient most people overlook, and they're the most important one. They add a briny, concentrated umami note that amplifies the herbaceous quality of the parsley and cilantro without tasting distinctly like capers. Combined with the Lone Star Brisket Rub seasoning the sauce, the chimichurri is more complex than it reads on the ingredient list — savory, acidic, herby, and slightly salty all at once.