John Myers
Noble, tasty and ideally soft as butter: This is what a perfectly grilled piece of lamb tastes like. But how is lamb salmon tender and how do these attractive grill marks succeed? In the following article, we will explain how the right marinade can influence the cooking time, what temperature the gas grill should have, and what the ideal side dish looks like!
Properties of Lamb Salmon
Lamb loins are the boned pieces of a rack of lamb. Alongside pure fillet, it is the most expensive, the finest piece of lamb. Properly grilled, it unfolds an intense, characteristic taste experience and melts delicately on the palate. Being meat from the muscle region, it has very good circulation and is very lean at the same time – and this is exactly where the challenge for the grill masters lies: Lamb salmon become tough and dry very quickly, and they have hardly any intramuscular fat.
Cooking times
Whichever grill you use – you should definitely observe a few guide values for cooking times:
- Gas Grill: Preheat to 220-230°C, 2-3 minutes per side
- Charcoal grill: One minute per side directly on the grid, then allow to heat up for 2-3 minutes in a grill tray
- Electric grill: Preheat and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side
Tip: Grilling with gas often delivers the best results, as you can set the temperature precisely and get juicy, pink-colored meat!
Core temperature
The ideal core temperature for lamb salmon is 56-58°C. However, it is unfavorable to pierce the meat with the temperature needle, since the meat juices can then escape. For the same reason, it makes sense to use barbecue tongs instead of a fork for turning. With the right grilling technique, you can do without a thermometer!
Make sure to always serve the lamb salmon immediately – it is not advisable to keep the noble meat warm for a long time.
The grill method
The principle is direct and indirect grilling. Place the lamb salmon on the hot grill for a minute, turn them over, and grill the other side for a minute. That’s enough to achieve those delicious grill marks for a visual delight!
After this direct grilling, place the lamb in an aluminum tray or another thin-walled, fireproof container and place it back on the grill. The grilling temperature should then definitely be below 190°C. 3 minutes later your lamb loins are ready!
Tip: If the temperature is reduced enough, you can also place the bowl directly on the embers for indirect post-grilling.
Perfect marinade
Connoisseurs value lamb salmon for its characteristic, delicate flavor, and full aroma. Therefore, an elaborate marinade is not necessary – you should only slightly support the taste of the meat. This works best with fresh herbs, some salt, oil, and pepper. Don’t use whole peppercorns for marinating – they’ll burn you up immediately when you grill them and give the meat of the lamb salmon burnt spots.
Tip: Put a few sprigs of rosemary directly into the embers! They steam the lamb salmon from below with their delicious aroma and provide a wonderful scent.
Tasty side dishes
The perfect accompaniment to tender lamb loin is ready before the lamb is put on the grill. With a gas grill, you are a bit more flexible due to the exact temperature determination – but in principle, the meat needs your full attention when grilling. Preparing a side dish at the same time will cost you the tender grill result. With cooking time so short, fresh, imaginative salads and lightly toasted bread are perfect—that way, the lamb loins take center stage and you still have an elegant meal.
