Rack of Lamb
The quintessential Spring dish is lamb. I used to make a Leg of Lamb, but I switched to a Rack of Lamb about 10 years ago. It is such an easy cut of meat to make. No carving. The nice thing about this cut of lamb is that it can be cooked in the oven or on the grill. It tastes wonderful either way.
Have your butcher remove the chine bone for easy carving if you can. Some Rack of Lamb come pre-package, so it may be a little harder to separate the ribs. Cut each rack of lamb so that you have 4 “frenched” ribs per serving. “Frenched” refers to scraping the meat off the tips of the bones. Ask your butcher to leave 1/8 inch of fat on the meat.
In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic and all the spices. Mix thoroughly.
Cut each rack of lamb so that you end up with 4 ribs per serving.
In a large bowl or a marinating dish, place your rack of lamb with the chop portion down. Smear the Dijon mustard on top of the lamb meat. Add the olive oil, seasoning mixture over the lamb. Make sure all areas of the lamb is immersed in the mixture. Let marinate for at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator. Checking on it each hour and turning or basting if needed.
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and place the lamb in the baking dish.
Place the rack of lamb in a baking dish. Spread some of the marinade on top of the lamb. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes or until medium rare. Lamb is best when cooked medium rare. It just melts in your mouth. Of course, that is a matter of preference. Some may prefer it cooked a little longer, but don’t go past medium.
To check the temperature, insert an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, without touching the bone. Medium-rare will read between 125° and 130°. Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute. Slice into separate ribs for your guests so they don’t have to do it at the table.
Serve with a wedge a lemon. Rack of Lamb pairs well with some carrots, roasted asparagus or spring peas. A great side dish is my Pearl Couscous or my Lemon Roasted Greek Potatoes.
If you like my Rack of Lamb recipe, please comment below. If you made it, post your wonderful images on Instagram and tag me. Don’t forget to go back to the The Finished Dish’s Home Page, scroll down on the right side and subscribe. You will be emailed each time I post a new recipe.
Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
- Rack of Lamb (8 French Ribs)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, freshly squeezed juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest or lemon peel
- ½ teaspoon dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon marjoram
- 1/8 dried oregano, crushed
- 1/8 dried spearmint, crushed
Directions
- Step 1 In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic and all the spices. Mix thoroughly.
- Step 2 Cut each rack of lamb so that you end up with 4 ribs per serving.
- Step 3 In a large bowl or a marinating dish, place your rack of lamb with the chop portion down.
- Step 4 Smear the Dijon mustard on top of the lamb meat. Add the olive oil, seasoning mixture over the lamb. Make sure all areas of the lamb is immersed in the mixture.
- Step 5 Let marinate for at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator. Checking on it each hour and turning or basting if needed.
- Step 6 Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and place the lamb in the baking dish. Spread some of the marinade on top of the lamb and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes. These can also be grilled.
