These Air Fryer Lamb Rump Steaks are a delicious alternative to beef rump and lamb chops with the bone. Also called Boneless Chump Chops. they’re a cut not often talked about but that really should change. They’re simple to cook, the small amount of fat renders and crisps beautifully and they’re easy to carve – what more could you ask for?!
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I have cooked a lot of lamb in the air fryer recently in order to share with you the slightly different cooking times and methods for each cut. And I can say with certainly that these lamb rump steaks were in my top 10. Probably top 5, maybe top 3! OK they’re all really quite delicious so it’s very hard to choose. But not having bought chump chops for many years, I have now put them back into regular rotation in my house.
How to Serve
Because lamb chump chops are a boneless cut, they are very flexible. You can serve them whole in exactly the same way that you might a beef steak. Add chips, a side salad, maybe some onion rings and call it a day. Or stick with serving it whole but serve with Turkish rice with vermicelli and a smooth creamy hummus.
I’ll often slice a steak before serving, I have no idea why I have no images of the steaks sliced to share with you, I must have had a brain blip when taking the photos. But slicing thickly and then fanning out the slices on the plate or on a bed or rice or salad looks fab and is nice and easy to eat. You can also slice and stuff into pita breads, wrap in a soft naan or add to floury tortillas.
Ingredients
Lamb Chump Chops
This cut of lamb does go by several different names depending on where you go and who you ask. But rump steaks or chops and chumps chops or steaks are the most common names. Chump is a more old fashioned term but it is still used.
You can find them pre-packed in various British supermarkets. Sometimes they only come pre-flavoured – often with a mint seasoning. And butchers should always know what you’re talking about. It is also worth checking the freezer section and freezer shops as they are often available there.
I like to look for nice thick rump steaks which can be cooked to around medium, maybe medium rare. This is harder to achieve in the air fryer with thin steaks. The chops I used were 250g/9oz each and getting on for an inch thick.
If you are thinking of cooking a different cut of lamb, make sure to look at my other recipes – there may be cut specific instructions:-
Oil
As I most often do, I have kept this recipe which is more cooking instructions than recipe very simple. I’ve used a neutral vegetable oil which has two main purposes. Firstly it help the steak to brown and form a nice tasty crust whilst ensuring the outside doesn’t dry out. Secondly it gives the seasoning a surface to stick to.
You can use whichever oil you prefer. It is worth ensuring that any oils with a more pronounced flavour are only used when it’ll complement the seasonings and the rest of the meal you’re making. So for example avoid coconut oil when making an Italian dish or olive oil when making a Thai dish. If in doubt, stick with a neutral veg oil.
Seasoning
I used a mix of garlic salt and paprika. I like this combination as it is very simple, doesn’t overwhelm the flavour of the meat but adds a complementary flavour. You can use any seasoning mix you prefer, including herbs, spices and salts. And ready made seasoning mixes.
You should make sure that the seasoning you choose has a decent proportion of salt – at least a third. If you want to keep things even more simple – just use straight up sea salt flakes.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Boneless Lamb Rump Steaks
These 250g/9oz lamb rump steaks air fry to medium in 10 minutes. I don’t find that they need to be turned during the cooking process. But if you want to, you can flip them mid way though the cooking time.
Knock 1 to 2 minutes off the cooking time for rare and add 2 minutes for well done. However the steaks are cooked, it is essential to allow them to sit and rest for a few minutes to allow the meat to relax.
How to Air Fry Lamb Chump Chops From Frozen
I absolutely prefer to cook steaks from defrosted, especially when you are looking for a rare or medium cook. Ideally you don’t want to accidently end up with a lovely charred crust and still frozen inner.
But if you wish, you can air fry these boneless chops from frozen. There is an essential extra step when cooking meat from frozen and that is to remove any ice crystals from the surface of the meat. To do this I recommend giving the steaks a quick run under running water. And then making sure they are very dry before adding the oil and seasoning as normal.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftover lamb can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for longer storage.
You can eat leftover lamb cold but I do much prefer to reheat it. I suggest microwaving the lamb with a drop of water. It doesn’t take very long at all and this method keeps the meat soft and juicy. But if you want to use the air fryer, you can loosely wrap the meat in foil along with a splash of water. Air fry until the meat is piping hot – this method will effectively steam the meat which again keeps it nice and juicy.
You can also cut the lamb up and add it to other dishes like fried rice or a simply lemon and herb cous cous.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
Come on over to Facebook and join my community discussing all things air fryer. Get involved in sharing your experiences and trials, help out others and find out what wonderful things everyone is cooking in their air fryers!
What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Lamb Rump Steaks – Boneless Chump Chops
Ingredients
- 2 Lamb Rump Steaks/Boneless Chump Chops - around 250g/9oz each
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil - see notes
- 1½ tsp Seasoning - see notes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry 2 Lamb Rump Steaks.
- Drizzle over 1 tbsp Oil and 1½ tsp Seasoning and toss to thoroughly coat the lamb.
- Place the lamb steaks into the air fryer basket. Leave a little space between each so the air can circulate.
- Cook for 10 minutes at 200c/390f.
- If you want to turn them after 5 minutes, you can do – I don't need to using the rack in my air fryer.
- Check the lamb is cooked to your liking. If you prefer it more cooked, put it back in for 2 minutes at a time.
- Allow to rest for at least 3 to 4 minutes before tucking in. Spoon over juices that have collected in the bottom of the air fryer for extra flavour.
To Cook From Frozen
- Cook for 12 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Check that the lamb is sufficiently cooked in exactly the same way as if cooking from fresh!
Notes
- Oil – Choose your oil to match your flavouring. For example use garlic, salt and rosemary with olive oil or for a more neutral flavour, sea salt and black pepper with vegetable oil.
- Seasoning – Choose any seasoning mix, spices or dried/fresh herbs. Make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice.
- I used vegetable oil with a 2:1 mix of garlic salt and paprika.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can easily fit 2 250g/9oz lamb steaks in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate. I could probably squeeze in a 3rd although they would likely need turning midway through cooking.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Janice says
These were so delicious! The cripsy fat on lamb is one of the childhood memories and such a treat.
Lesley says
I followed your easy instructions and the chops were perfectly cooked. I also added some ground cumin and garlic powder and they tasted great.