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Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb

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This post has been sponsored by Superior Farms American Lamb. All opinions expressed are my own.

There are few dishes that come as easy and elegant as this Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb. In just a few simple steps you’ll have a delicious, unforgettable meal for Easter.

Maybe it’s a New York thing, but when I think ‘lamb,’ I think of two very different things – street food and super elegant food.

On the one hand, I’m absolutely in love with Greek and Turkish bistro-style food in the form of gyros or deliciously greasy souvlaki slathered in tzatziki, or quick grabs of orzo with thick red sauces that are always a bit too heavy on the mint and cinnamon, but where the lamb chunks are invariably cooked down to melt-in-your-mouth goodness in their own fat.

On the extreme other end of the spectrum, I think of the cooked perfection ‘centerpieces’ of various holiday tables, that are crisped and herbed on the outside, and moist and tender on the inside. The ever-familiar leg of lamb comes to mind, with its skin scoured and stuffed, or braised shanks prepared in a red wine reduction with plenty of garlic, whole pearl onions, and sprigs of fresh rosemary.

The recipes on the ‘elegant’ end of the spectrum are part of what really define the spring and Easter season – at least in my mind. Aside from lamb being the quintessential Easter meat, for me the flavor and texture of lamb just pairs excellently with the warming weather and brighter days.

However, no matter how you’re preparing your lamb, and regardless of the occasions, you’ll want to choose a quality lamb, and preferably one that you can feel good about eating. Today, the rack of lamb we’re preparing comes courtesy of Superior Farms, American Lamb, and there’s a couple of reasons to choose their product. First and foremost, their lamb is raised humanely out in the open on natural grasslands. Secondly, their lamb is raised sustainably, utilizing domestic American resource management. And finally, and let’s be honest – most importantly – their lamb is simply delicious. Meaning not only is this a product you can feel good about eating, but it’s also one you’ll enjoy eating.

The rack of lamb comes ‘Frenched,’ meaning the bone is exposed which not only makes it more convenient to eat serve but also makes for a great, classic presentation.

To start, we begin by scouring the fat on the top side of the rack. To do this, using your sharpest knife, make single, shallow cuts through the fat diagonally across the rack, spacing your cuts about one inch apart. Do ‘not’ cut into the meat itself – only through the fat. Then, repeat this process in the opposite direction so that you achieve a ‘diamond’ pattern across the top of the meat as pictured below.

While this process isn’t ‘necessary,’ the resulting ‘cubes’ or ‘diamonds’ of fat are absolutely delicious, and look simply beautiful – it’s one of the easiest ways to impress your guests with this recipe. For reference, they’re my son’s favorite part of this whole equation.

Next, wrap the exposed bones in tin foil, and then set the rack aside and prepare the rub.

Combine all of the ingredients listed below for the rub, and give it a few chops in a food processor. Once that’s done, massage the rub all over the scored fat, making sure to get the rub in between the crisscrossed sections. Be gentle, however, as you do not want to damage or ‘separate’ the fat from the lamb.

Now, let the lamb sit out for about one and a half to two hours. You want it to be room temperature before cooking.

Once the lamb is room temperature, cook the lamb at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes in order to brown the meat and crisp the scored fat. Then, lower the heat to 300 degrees, and roast for another twenty minutes. You want the thickest part of the rack to reach a temperature of about 125 degrees.

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Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb

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  • Author: Living the Gourmet
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 1 rack of ribs 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Rub:

  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • ¼ tsp. fresh ground sea salt
  • 10 – 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 2-inch piece of Romano cheese
  • 3 tbs. olive oil
  • 2 tbs. honey

Instructions

  1. Score the fat by making sharp and shallow cuts through the fat spaced about one inch apart. Do this procedure first in one direction and then in the other direction forming diamond shapes across the fat.
  2. Set aside, while making the rub.
  3. Wrap the exposed fragile bones with tin-foil so that they do not burn during the cooking process.

For the Rub:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a food processor and give a few good chops.
  2. Massage the rub all over the scored fat and let the lamb reach room temperature. This will take one and half to two hours so that the meat will cook evenly.
  3. Place the rack of lamb first at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes in order to brown the meat. Then, lower the heat to 300 degrees, and roast for another 20 minutes. If using a meat thermometer, the thickest part of the meat should reach approximately 125 degrees F.

Notes

Prep Time does NOT include Inactive Prep Time.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4
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And then you’re done, and just like that, you’ve got a beautiful rack of lamb perfect for an Easter or spring themed dinner party.

Enjoy with Love!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Krista says

    You absolutely have me salivating ahead of Easter. Lamb is one of my favorite dishes anyways, but particularly around Easter time! Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

  3. angiesrecipes says

    I had some lamb roast yesterday…need to get some racks for the holiday too. This recipes comes just in time. So yummy! The meat looks so juicy and tender. Love the herb rub :-))

    Reply

  4. Gladys Nava says

    Oh my! This is heavenly delicious. My family would be great if I cook this for dinner. Recipe saved!

    Reply

  5. Romeo says

    These look delicious! Never tried this before but I guess I now need to try them, thanks for sharing the recipe

    Reply

  6. kumamonjeng says

    I love lamb chops and these lamb chops look so delicious. Glad there are garlic and basil as they are my favorite ingredient to get rid of the smell of the meat. This recipe is brilliant.

    Reply

  7. Lisa says

    We’re thinking of preparing a lamb for Easter Sunday, so this post came at a good time! It’s not the easiest joint to cook but I’ll follow your recipe!

    Reply

  9. Claudia Lamascolo says

    oh my goodness my favorite meat is lamb and this looks spectacular, you need to set another plate for me and make more! LOL Happy Easter to you and your beautiful loving family all the best ! Claudia!

    Reply

  10. Lydia Smith says

    I love lamb it’s so tasty and delicious. It taste differently from the beef. Tasted it once and since have not gotten over it. Using this recipe this Easter.

    Reply

  12. Pati Robins says

    your photographs are so beautiful !! mouthwatering beautiful – the lamb looks so delicous and thanks to your detailed how to – i think even the bad cook like myself can try it

    Reply

  13. Chelle Dizon says

    Oh no! Looking at these dish makes me really hungry. That lamb definitely looks appetizing and delicious to eat.

    Reply

  14. DAVID J MYERS says

    Catherine, There aren’t many entrees that look more appealing to me than your roasted rack of lamb! My wife and I both love lamb but most of the people we know don’t like lamb. Go figure! I guess its all what you’re used to or grew up with. I’m hungry just looking at your photos… Thanks for the prep and cooking information! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

    Reply

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