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Roast rack of lamb cut into chops and placed on a serving platter.
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5 from 4 votes

Roast Rack of Lamb Recipe with Garlic and Rosemary

Make this Garlic and herb-crusted roasted rack of lamb recipe for a show-stopping Easter dinner, Christmas feast, or a simple Tuesday meal. First, marinate Frenched lamb racks with a garlic and rosemary marinade and then roast them in the oven. With only 20 minutes of hands-on time, this recipe is surprisingly easy to make.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Resting time10 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 racks lamb Frenched - 1 to 1 ½ pounds each - trimmed off fat*
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed (~ 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
  • 1 cup parsley finely chopped, loosely packed
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Pat dry all sides of the racks of lamb. Sprinkle the kosher salt and pepper over all sides of the lamb meat.
  • To make the marinade, combine olive oil, garlic, rosemary, parsley, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl.
  • Spread the herb mixture on the top and sides of the frenched lamb racks. There is no need to put any marinade on the back side.
  • Cover loosely with stretch film and let it sit on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the rack of lamb in an airtight container and let it marinate overnight.
  • When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Place the racks of lamb with the fat cap up on the baking sheet.
  • Roast until it reaches your desired level of doneness. For medium rare, cook it until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat registers 125 degrees F. for 18-20 minutes. For medium, cook it until it registers 135 degrees F, 21-24 minutes. And for medium-well, roast it until it registers 145 degrees F, 25-27 degrees F. Keep in mind that there will be 4-5 degrees carryover cooking while resting, which will help the lamb reach its ideal temperature based on your doneness preference.
  • Loosely tent with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
  • When ready to slice, it's best to begin cutting from the backside. Cutting from the front often meets with resistance. To do so, position the rack with the meat side down and the ribs pointing up. Make a preliminary cut in between the bases of the rib bones. Flip the rack over and stand it vertically. Your knife should glide through the ribs without any resistance.
  • Transfer the lamb chops onto a serving platter and serve.

Video

Notes

  • Yields: Each lamb rack includes eight chops, which is ideal for four adults, each having four chops. The nutritional values below are per serving.
  • Trimming: I recommend trimming some of the fat on the fat cap using a sharp knife. The blog post contains more information and how-to photos about this, should you need them.
  • The weight of the lamb racks: For best results, purchase a Frenched rack of lambs that are equal in size (as much as possible.) Also, keep in mind that you'll lose some of the weight after trimming it.
  • Make ahead: To get a headstart on this recipe, start by seasoning and marinating the meat up to 24 hours in advance. You can then store your lamb in the refrigerator in either an airtight container or a Ziplock bag with as much air removed as possible. Then, all you need to do is remove the meat from the fridge 30-60 minutes before cooking and roast the rack of lamb once it reaches near-room temperature.
  • Store: When storing the leftovers, I recommend keeping them unsliced to retain as much juice as possible—especially while reheating. However, if you’ve already cut your meat, that’s okay. Whether whole or sliced, you can store your meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
  • Reheat: I recommend heating the leftovers in a low-heat oven (275-300 degrees F.) for 5-10 minutes or until warmed to your liking.
  • Freeze: You can freeze the leftovers either as a whole or sliced. Place them in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, thaw the frozen lamb overnight in the fridge and reheat it when you’re ready to eat.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 93g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 40g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 1280IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 5mg

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