These sous vide lamb chops are some of the most delicious and decadently tender lamb chops you'll ever have! I use a simple marinade of herbs, oil, and lemon juice that perfectly complements the rich flavor of lamb meat for restaurant-quality lamb chops at home! Once you see how easy it is, you'll want to sous vide your lamb from here on out!
Easy Sous Vide Lamb Chops
I love lamb chops and enjoy trying different methods to cook them, and let me just say these sous vide chops are some of the most tender I've ever had! It takes more time than pan-searing lamb chops, but it's super simple and well worth the wait.
My quick and easy lamb marinade keeps the meat wonderfully moist and gives it tons of flavor. These lamb chops got 2 thumbs up from my family and yours will love them, too!
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🥘 Sous Vide Lamb Chops Ingredients
For marinades, I think dried herbs give the meat the most flavor. You could use fresh if you have that on hand but you will need to double the amount.
Lamb Chops
- Lamb Chops - 1-2 pounds of lamb chops (I used 6 small lamb chops).
Lamb Marinade
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
- Lemon Juice - 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, fresh is best.
- Dried Rosemary - 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
- Ground Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Dried Thyme - ½ tsp dried thyme.
- Dried Mint - ½ teaspoon of dried mint.
- Dried Basil - ¼ teaspoon of dried basil.
- Dried Parsley - ¼ teaspoon of dried parsley.
- Salt - 1 pinch salt (to taste).
- Cayenne Pepper (optional) -1 pinch cayenne pepper (to taste).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
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🍽️ Equipment Needed To Sous Vide Lamb Chops
There are two tools you can use to sous vide lamb chops. You will need either a sous vide machine (aka immersion circulator) or an Instant Pot with a sous vide function.
SOUS VIDE MACHINE
In addition to the immersion circulator, you will need the following tools to sous vide your lamb chops:
- Sous vide machine (immersion circulator)
- Large stockpot or a large sous vide tub
- Vacuum sealer and vacuum bag or a gallon Ziploc bag
- Cast iron skillet or another heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan
- Tongs for reverse searing your lamb chops
INSTANT POT
Be sure to double-check that your Instant Pot model includes a sous vide function because not all do. If yours does, you will need the following tools to sous vide your lamb chops:
- Instant Pot with sous vide function
- Vacuum sealer and vacuum bag or a gallon Ziploc bag
- Cast iron skillet or another heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan
- Tongs for reverse-searing your lamb chops
🌡️ Temps & Times
You can sous vide your lamb for a maximum of 4 hours, any longer and the fibers in the meat will break down giving it a mushy texture. See below for accurate times and temperatures needed to achieve your desired level of doneness. To follow proper food safety protocol, you should never let any meat sit below 130°F (54°C) for more than 2 hours.
If you need help determining how you want your lamb cooked, take a look at my post dedicated to lamb cooking doneness.
| Doneness | Sous Vide Temperature | Timing |
| Very-Rare to Rare | 120°F (49°C) to 128°F (53°C) | 1 - 2 ½ hours |
| Medium-Rare | 129°F (54°C) to 134°F (57°C) | 2 - 4 hours (2 hours at most if under 130°F/54°C) |
| Medium | 135°F (57°C) to 144°F (62°C) | 1 - 4 hours |
| Medium-Well | 145°F (63°C) to 155°F (68°C) | 1 - 3 ½ hours |
| Well-Done | 156°F (69°C)+ | 1 - 3 hours |
🔪 How To Sous Vide Lamb Chops
Whether you are using an Instant Pot or an immersion circulator, this cooking method is extremely simple! Gather your tools and let's get started!
You can use this marinade for up to 2 pounds of lamb. I made 6 juicy lamb chops this time around!
Lamb Marinade
- Make the marinade. Add all of the marinade ingredients to a large Ziploc bag or bowl and stir to combine (2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary,1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of dried mint, ¼ teaspoon of dried basil, ¼ teaspoon of dried parsley, 1 pinch of salt, and the optional 1 pinch of cayenne pepper). Rinse 1-2 pounds of lamb chops and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Marinate the chops. Place your lamb chops into the bag with the marinade in a single layer side-by-side, making sure all parts of the lamb are coated, and seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Sous Vide Machine
- Prep. Fill a large stockpot or sous vide tub with water and preheat your sous vide machine to 130°F (54°C) (for medium-rare). *See the temperature and time chart in the post for other levels of doneness.
- Seal. If using a large sealable storage bag, leave just a tiny opening at the corner so you can dip the bag into the water (with the opening always above the surface) to displace all of the air before fully sealing the bag. If you have already vacuum-sealed your lamb chops in the marinade you can proceed to the next step.
- Cook. Submerge the sealed lamb chops and keep them from floating by either using clips to secure the bag to the side of the container or by placing a plate/bowl on top. Let the lamb cook for 3 hours, or however long needed to achieve your desired level of doneness, before moving on to the searing step.
Instant Pot
- Prep. Once you confirm that your Instant Pot has a sous vide setting, set the trivet in the bottom of the pot and fill it ⅔ of the way full with water.
- Seal. If using a Ziploc bag, remove the air using the displacement method above. If using your lamb chops are already vacuum-sealed in the marinade, you can proceed to the next step.
- Cook. Set the cooking temperature to 130°F (54°C) and the time to 2 hours (for medium-rare). Seal your Instant Pot and let the lamb chops cook before proceeding to reverse sear them.
Reverse Sear
- Rest. Take the lamb chops out of the water bath carefully and let them rest for 5 minutes before reverse-searing them.
- Dry. Heat a cast iron skillet or frying pan over high heat on the stovetop. While you wait for the pan to heat up, pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels.
- Sear. Once the pan is smoking hot, add the lamb chops and sear each side for 30-60 seconds to develop a golden brown crust. (Try not to sear your lamb chops for more than 60 seconds or you could overcook them).
- Serve. Use tongs to remove the chops from the pan and serve right away. There is no need to let the lamb rest before slicing or serving when cooked with a sous vide.
These lamb chops are flavorful just as they are, but they are even more delicious with a side of mint sauce! For side dish ideas, take a look at my page on what to serve with lamb chops. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- When searing your lamb chops, try not to crowd the pan and work in batches when necessary.
- Make sure that the intake and outtake areas of your sous vide machine is not blocked by the bag of lamb chops or it won't work properly.
- When adding your lamb chops to the sous vide bag, make sure they are in a single layer side-by-side to ensure they all cook evenly.
- Always dispose of excess marinade that has come into contact with raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once cool, place your lamb chops in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
If you want them to last longer, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw frozen chops in the fridge overnight before reheating.
For great leftover ideas, check out all of my favorite leftover lamb recipes!
Reheating Sous Vide Lamb Chops
For the best results, reheat your lamb chops the same way you cooked them. To do this, seal them in a bag and cook them with your sous vide machine at 130°F (54°C) for 5-10 minutes, or until sufficiently heated through. You can then reverse-sear them once more to revive the crust.
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
❓ FAQ
Though the CDC does recommend cooking lamb to a safe internal temperature of 145ºF (63ºC), it is typically safe to eat rare lamb chops as long as the outside is seared to kill any bacteria on the surface. You should take extra care and sear the edges when preparing very-rare to rare lamb chops so every surface of the meat is exposed to the high temperature of the skillet.
Because I use a marinade in for recipe, I recommend thawing the lamb chops first. If you aren't using a marinade, you can sous vide lamb chops from frozen by simply adding 1 hour to the total cook time.
You can sous vide the lamb chops up to 24 hours in advance and keep them refrigerated in the bag. To finish them up, simply sear them for 40-60 seconds per side (up to 20 seconds longer for extra thick chops) on a very hot skillet.
🥩 More Lamb Recipes
- Roasted Lamb Breast - This perfectly cooked bone-in lamb breast makes a perfect meal for any occasion!
- Instant Pot Leg of Lamb - Making a juicy leg of lamb has never been easier thanks to your Instant Pot!
- Irish Lamb Stew - This hearty lamb stew has a rich broth and plenty of tender root vegetables.
- Smoked Leg of Lamb - You'll love the rich smokey flavor of this tender leg of lamb.
- Grilled Lamb Steaks - Fire up the grill because your family will love these juicy lamb steaks!
- Slow Cooker Boneless Leg of Lamb - A succulent lamb meat and potato dinner you can set and forget in your crockpot.
📋 Recipe
Sous Vide Lamb Chops
Ingredients
Lamb Chops
- 1-2 lbs lamb chops (I used 6 small lamb chops)
Lamb Marinade
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried mint
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 pinch salt (to taste)
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional to taste)
Instructions
Marinade
- Add all of the marinade ingredients to a large vacuum seal bag or Ziplock bag and shake or squish gently to combine. Rinse the lamb chops and pat them dry with paper towels.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried mint, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried parsley, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- Place your lamb chops into the bag with the marinade in a single layer side-by-side, making sure all parts of the lamb are coated, and seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.1-2 lbs lamb chops
Sous Vide Machine
- Fill a large stockpot or sous vide tub with water and preheat your sous vide machine to 130°F (54°C) (for medium-rare). *See the temperature and time chart in the post for other levels of doneness.
- If using a large sealable storage bag, leave just a tiny opening at the corner so you can dip the bag into the water (with the opening always above the surface) to displace all of the air before fully sealing the bag. If you have already vacuum-sealed your lamb chops in the marinade you can proceed to the next step.
- Submerge the sealed lamb chops and keep them from floating by either using clips to secure the bag to the side of the container or by placing a plate/bowl on top. Let the lamb cook for 3 hours, or however long needed to achieve your desired level of doneness, before moving on to the searing step.
Instant Pot
- Once you confirm that your Instant Pot has a sous vide setting, set the trivet in the bottom of the pot and fill it ⅔ of the way full with water.
- If using a Ziploc bag, remove the air using the displacement method above. If using your lamb chops are already vacuum-sealed in the marinade, you can proceed to the next step.
- Set the cooking temperature to 130°F (54°C) and the time to 2 hours (for medium-rare). Seal your Instant Pot and let the lamb chops cook before proceeding to reverse sear them.
Reverse Sear
- Take the lamb chops out of the water bath carefully and let them rest for 5 minutes before reverse-searing them.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or frying pan over high heat on the stovetop. While you wait for the pan to heat up, pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels.
- Once the pan is smoking hot, add the lamb chops and sear each side for 30-60 seconds to develop a golden brown crust. (Try not to sear your lamb chops for more than 60 seconds or you could overcook them).
- Use tongs to remove the chops from the pan and serve right away. There is no need to let the lamb rest before slicing or serving when cooked with a sous vide.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- When searing your lamb chops, try not to crowd the pan and work in batches when necessary.
- Make sure that the intake and outtake areas of your sous vide machine is not blocked by the bag of lamb chops or it won't work properly.
- When adding your lamb chops to the sous vide bag, make sure they are in a single layer side-by-side to ensure they all cook evenly.
- Always dispose of excess marinade that has come into contact with raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
- To store: Once cool, place your lamb chops in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. If you want them to last longer, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw frozen chops in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: For the best results, reheat your lamb chops the same way you cooked them. To do this, seal them in a bag and cook them with your sous vide machine at 130°F (54°C) for 5-1o minutes, or until sufficiently heated through. You can then reverse-sear them once more to revive the crust.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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