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Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Lamb Medallions (in Red Wine Sauce)

Tender grilled Lamb Medallions are rich and flavorful. The smokey bacon and smooth Red Wine Sauce elevates this dish to a gourmet status but is quick and easy enough to be made at home.

White plate with wild rice in the center topped with 4 bacon-wrapped lamb medallions covered in a wine sauce with mushrooms. A sprig of thyme garnishes the dish.

There are so many ways you can use a rack of lamb. Lamb Medallions are so tender and delicious. They’re also quick and easy!

Not long ago I shared our Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops recipe.

A black cast iron skillet holding sizzling pistachio crusted lamb chops.The skillet sits on a wooden cutting board with a blue napkin in the background over a blue tablecloth.
Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops

We had 8 ribs to our French cut rack of lamb and I used four of them in that recipe.

Don’t you just love it when you can get two meals made from one single piece of meat? That made this beautiful rack of lamb the perfect choice for just the two of us!

I hope to show you how quick and easy this boneless lamb chop recipe is using the remaining four ribs.

Top down view of 4 bacon-wrapped lamb medallions sitting on a bed of wild rice and topped with a sprig of fresh thyme. on a white plate. A fork sits next to the plate on a blue napkin.

This post is sponsored by True Aussie Beef & Lamb but the opinions here, and love I have for their products and their story are all my own. 

Simply put, exposing the bones on the rib rack of lamb is referred to as a “French Cut”. Cutting the bones apart created our lamb chops.

3 photo grid showing how to remove single chops from a french cut lamb rack of ribs.

Cutting the meat off of each lamb chop provides us with our lamb medallions used in this Grilled Lamb Medallion recipe.

Top down view of 4 lamb medallions wrapped in bacon on a white plate over a white tablecloth.
Bacon-wrapped Lamb Medallions

Bacon-Wrapped Lamb Medallions in Red Wine Ingredients

A white cutting board filled with chopped onion, mushrooms, 4 lamb medallions, 4 strips of bacon, 4 tablespoons of butter, fresh thyme, a cup of red wine and a cup of beef broth.
  • Lamb Medallions – Australian Lamb is what we prefer.
  • Bacon – It’s easier to wrap lamb medallions with a thinner slice of bacon. For that reason, we don’t recommend using thick-sliced bacon.
  • Red Wine – Choose a smooth wine that isn’t strong in tannins. A Cabernet or Pinot works well. A wine that is tart or bitter will make a tart or bitter wine sauce.
  • Butter – salted or unsalted is fine. Butter makes our red wine sauce smooth and rich.
  • Beef Broth – Low sodium, fat-free is what we use.
  • Flour – all-purpose flour is used to thicken the wine sauce.
  • Thyme – Fresh is preferred.

The True Aussie Beef & Lamb Company produces lamb that is free-range and naturally fed on Australian pasturelands, so it’s mild tasting and naturally lean and tender. Aussie Lamb is free of artificial additives and hormone growth promotants.

This locator can help you find True Aussie Lamb in your area.

Close-up side view of a white plate with wild rice in the center topped with 4 bacon-wrapped lamb medallions covered in a wine sauce with mushrooms. A sprig of thyme garnishes the dish.

Tips for making the perfect Grilled Lamb Medallions

  • Use one whole slice of bacon. Even though the lamb medallions are small, the bacon will shrink once it’s cooked. We found that a whole slice of bacon is a perfect size for this easy lamb recipe.
  • Pre-cook the bacon until just pliable. It makes wrapping the lamb medallions easier. It also assures that your bacon is cooked when the lamb is finished.
  • We added diced onions and mushrooms to the bacon grease to add additional flavor to the rice we made to go with this recipe. This is optional but delicious! I really recommend doing it!
  • Raise the rack on your grill. These lamb pieces cook quickly, and raising the rack assures that your lamb will not be tough or overcooked.
  • Cook by temperature, not time. Use an instant-read thermometer and remove the lamb when it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F.

Tips for the best sauce for lamb

Red wine makes an easy sauce for lamb. I usually am the inside cook and John does the grilling. If you’re making this recipe by yourself, here are some tips.

  1. Red wine sauce can be made ahead of time and then heated when you’re ready for it. This is helpful if you’re making this recipe for entertaining too.
  2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour. Cook it over medium heat whisking it continually until it’s smooth. Add the red wine and thyme and whisk and cook until it starts to thicken.
  3. Add the beef stock and allow this sauce to simmer until thickened.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste.

Suggested Side Dishes

I served simple brown rice mixed with mushrooms and diced onions that had been sauteed in the bacon grease used in this recipe.

A blue bowl filled with sauteed onions and mushrooms over a white tablecloth.

I wouldn’t go with a rich side dish. Perhaps a vegetable or fruit salad such as the following.

Products we use to make Lamb Medallions

  • Skillet – I prefer to use a skillet when making sauces that need to be whisked. It allows me to see how my food is cooking and browning. It cleans up beautifully and is durable.
  • Whisks – I love my whisks and have them in several sizes, shapes, and colors. I have a gadget obsession I guess and love these!
  • Instant-read thermometer – I use an instant-read thermometer for this recipe, for grilling, and even baking bread! I couldn’t function without one.

Pin these amazing Grilled Lamb Medallions!

A white plate of medium-rare sliced lamb medallions on a bed of wild rice with a wine sauce drizzled over the top. The title \"Grilled Aussie Lamb Medallions in Red Wine Sauce\" banner runs across the top of the photo

Are you a lamb lover? What’s your favorite lamb recipe?

I hope you enjoyed our Bacon-wrapped Grilled Lamb Medallions with Red Wine Sauce. It’s a great recipe in our humble opinion perfect for a special occasion or an easy dinner.

Close-up top angel view of a white plate with wild rice in the center topped with 4 bacon-wrapped lamb medallions covered in a wine sauce with mushrooms and garnished with fresh thyme.

Bacon Wrapped Grilled Lamb Medallions (with Red Wine Sauce)

Author: Julie Menghini
Tender grilled Lamb Medallions are rich and flavorful. Smokey bacon and smooth red wine sauce elevate this homemade dish to gourmet status.
4.80 from 5 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Australian
Keyword: Lamb Medallions, Wine Sauce
Servings: 4

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 Lamb Medallions
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • olive oil
  • fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook the bacon until just pliable. Remove it and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.
  • Secure a piece of bacon around each lamb medallion. We used a toothpick. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside and prepare the sauce.

Red Wine Sauce

  • Melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan and add the flour. Whisk until smooth.
  • Add the red wine and fresh thyme. Continue whisking until it starts to thicken. Stir in the beef broth and simmer until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.

Grilled Lamb Medallians

  • Heat the grill and raise the rack so it's not directly on top of the heat but still over direct heat.
  • Grill the medallions 3 to 4 minutes on each side and remove when the internal temperature of the meat reaches 125°F. Remove from the grill and allow the meat to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Serve with a drizzle of the red wine sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 273mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 177IUCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Here are a few more easy lamb recipes you may enjoy

4.80 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




Erin

Thursday 23rd of April 2020

These Lamb Medallions are absolute PERFECTION! We made them for Easter dinner a few weeks ago, and my family simply gobbled them up. Thanks for your tips and tricks, too. They made me feel a lot more confident in making this recipe.

Kathleen Pope

Monday 13th of April 2020

Oh my word, I have not worked much with lamb, but these medallions look spectacular and I am inspired!

Julie Menghini

Wednesday 15th of April 2020

Thank you, Kathleen!

Debi

Sunday 12th of April 2020

This looks like a meal my family will really enjoy. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Julie Menghini

Monday 13th of April 2020

Thank you, Debi!

Claudia Lamascolo

Wednesday 8th of April 2020

I cant wait to find lamb again to make this meal we love lamb its just been hard to get here in Florida recently have a wonderful Holiday I will let you know how this turns out thanks so much

Julie Menghini

Thursday 9th of April 2020

Thank you so much Claudia! I hope you have a wonderful Holiday too!

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