Hosting a dinner party for friends but can’t think of what to make in a short amount of time? In situations like these, a quick and easy solution would be to roast a rack of lamb. Roasting is the ideal way to cook a rack of lamb. The process can basically be broken down further into three distinct parts: preparation, roasting and resting.
First, the prep work. Prepare a combination of fresh or dried herbs and spices or create a paste by combining the herbs and spices with a little bit of olive oil and rubbing it over the lamb. For best results, use the following steps for preparation:
- Score the fat covering the meat using a crisscross pattern across the surface of the lamb.
- Season both sides of the rack with salt and pepper.
- Rub the lamb with single herbs, mixtures or herb paste.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
What’s the best temperature to roast a lamb rack? Ideally, the best roasting temperatures are between 425 and 450 ° F (about 230°C ). Cooking lamb at high heat preserves the tender and juicy nature of the meat. The lamb rack should cook to a medium pinkish rare in about 12-18 minutes.
For me, I like to sear the lamb before roasting to get a nice brown finishing. This can simply be achieved by heating a salute pan with olive oil until the oil shimmers. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper, and sear the meaty side for 3-4 minutes until a golden brown colour emerges. If you elect to pan sear before roasting, add herbs, crust or herb paste after searing and before roasting to ensure the lamb remains juicy and succulent.
Roast Rosemary Rack of Lamb
Total time: 25 minutes | Serves: 6 (roughly 3 chops each)
INGREDIENTS:
- Two baby back lamb ribs
- Few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons of freshly minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, to rub
- Salt and black pepper, to season
METHOD:
- Season the lamb racks first by generously rubbing them all over with olive oil, black pepper, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Leave to marinade for a few hours, or overnight if desired.
- Preheat oven to 230 degrees celsius and line roasting tray with parchment paper.
- Heat sauce pan on medium high. Pour some olive oil to coat and once oil starts shimmering, throw the lamb racks in and brown evenly on both side (roughly 2-3 minutes each side).
- Transfer browned racks to the preheated oven and roast for 12-15 minutes depending on how “rare” you like your lamb.
- Let the rack sit for a few minutes (can cover with an aluminium tent foil) to let the juices run so that the lamb chops will be tender upon serving.
