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Rack of Lamb

A rack of lamb is covered in a herb and garlic mixture and roasted to tender, juicy perfection. A great introduction recipe for those who haven't tried lamb.

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What could be a better Sunday night dinner than a well-cooked rack of lamb? Meaty, juicy, and pretty when served on the bone, it doesn’t have to be difficult at all!

For some great similar recipes, why not make this Guinness® Irish Stew? Or learn How to Cook Prime Rib Roast instead? 

rack of lamb on a wooden cutting board

Rack of Lamb

Lamb has a bit of a reputation as being almost impossible to cook at home. Either it ends up bloody and rare, or it is way too overcooked and tastes gamey.

However, with a tasty seasoning and oil rub and some good temperature management, cooking lamb at home can be really easy.

The rack of lamb is a great way to get used to lamb, as the bones help disperse the heat more evenly throughout the meat, making it a little bit easier to reach the right temp and avoid under or overcooking it.     

Rack of Lamb Ingredients

Make sure you look at the recipe card at the very bottom for the exact amounts so that you know exactly what to buy for this recipe.

• Garlic

• Fresh rosemary

• Sea salt

• Black pepper                                                      

• Olive oil

• Rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched

• Olive oil

ingredients for rack of lamb

How To Make Rack of Lamb

• In a large bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, salt & pepper, adding in the olive oil to help moisten it all together

• Season the rack of lamb all over with salt and pepper, and heat the olive oil in a skillet over high heat

• Sear the lamb for 1-2 minutes, on all sides

• Pat the lamb with the seasoning mixture

• Cover the bones with foil

• Arrange the rack bone side down (fat side up!) and roast the lamb in a preheated oven for 15 or so minutes, until the center is pink and an instant-read thermometer reads 145 Fahrenheit

• Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before carving between the ribs     

roasted rack of lamb sliced on a wooden cutting board

How To Easily Prevent The bones From Scorching

One frequent problem with cooking a rack of lamb at home is the tendency for the tips of the bones to scorch in the oven.

This doesn’t just ruin the attractive appearance of the ribs, but it also creates that unpleasant burnt aroma and flavor that can actually taint the entire meal.

A really good trick to avoid this is to carefully tend the tips of the bones with some aluminum foil. You just need to tear off little bits of foil and wrap them around the ends of the bones to prevent them from burning.

This is actually why racks of the lab are often served with the foil, as it is just the best way to stop the tips from burning.

Make sure you don’t cop out and just wrap the whole thing in foil, though! If you tend the entire lamb in foil, you will end up with a watery texture and ruin the delicate browning on the meat of the lamb itself.

plated rack of lamb chop

How To Carve The Rack of Lamb For Serving

Carving up and serving your rack of lamb couldn’t be simpler, despite how surprisingly scary and complex it can look.

To carve the lamb, you first need to make sure that you let it rest for long enough. At least 10 minutes, possibly even 15, on a cutting board, as this helps keep the meat nice and juicy.

From there, take your sharpest knife and give it an extra sharpening, just in case. Then, pierce the lamb in its thickest point with a fork to help hold it down.

Using your sharp knife, carefully separate each rib bone, leaving an even amount of meat on each bone on either side. You want to make sure you leave the bone in each piece of meat, both for presentation purposes and because it helps to give everything that little bit of extra flavor.

Also, it is a convenient handhold as long as no one else is watching.

Looking for more delicious Dinner recipes? Try these out:

Roast Chicken

Roast Beef on the Barbeque

Instant Pot Pork Roast

Enjoy!

Love,

Karlynn

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A rack of lamb is covered in a herb and garlic mixture and roasted to tender, juicy perfection. A great introduction recipe for those who haven't tried lamb.

Rack of Lamb

A rack of lamb is covered in a herb and garlic mixture and roasted to tender, juicy perfection. A great introduction recipe for those who haven't tried lamb.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
French
Servings
4
Calories
133
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • one 8 bone rack of lamb trimmed and frenched
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 450 °F.
  • In a large bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
  • Season the rack all over with extra sea salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear the rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes.
  • Pat the lamb with the spice mixture.
  • Cover the ends of the bones with aluminum foil to prevent charring.
  • Place the lamb rack bone side down (fat side up!) in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 325°F, Continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meat reads 135 or 145 degrees. The best temperature for medium-rare doneness is 135°F, and145 °F for a medium-well doneness.
  • Remove and let it rest for 10 minutes loosely covered. To carve, slice between each rib, making a perfect "chop" each time.

Recipe Notes

  • Cooking temperature on this is a very personal preference when it comes to lamb. Cook to how you like it! 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 133kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 583mg, Potassium: 28mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 32IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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