Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs
Surprisingly easy to make, Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs is an impressive, crowd-pleasing main-dish full of herbaceous deliciousness. Traditionally served at Easter, this lamb recipe has the best of everything.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 4 racks of lamb (about one pound per rack, with 8 bones each)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper (may substitute ground black pepper)
- 4 tbsp dijon mustard
- 4 clove garlic (finely minced)
- 1+1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (not panko)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (see tips)
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper (may substitute black pepper)
- 1/3 cup fresh rosemary (chopped, may substitute dried rosemary, see tips)
- 1/3 cup fresh thyme (chopped, may substitute dried thyme, see tips)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- 2
Most racks of lamb are already frenched when you buy them, which just means the meat and fat have been scraped off of the top 2-inches of the bones. Your butcher will be happy to do it for you. If not, check out the link to a video by Gordon Ramsey in "tips" for instructions.
- 3
Season the undersides of the lamb racks with about one teaspoon of kosher salt, garlic powder, and onion powder and one-half teaspoon of pepper.
- 4
Evenly baste the top side of each of the racks of lamb with about one tablespoon of dijon mustard.
- 5
Divide the garlic and sprinkle evenly over the mustard. Set aside.
- 6
Melt about 3/4 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bread crumbs and stir to combine. The bread crumb mixture should have enough butter so that it will hold together and can be packed on the lamb. You should be able to take some in your hand and it should hold together when you squeeze it. If it seems too crumbly, add the rest of the butter.
- 7
Add the rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Mix well. Taste the bread crumb mixture and add additional salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder, if needed.
- 8
Let the bread crumb mixture cool until you can handle it and carefully pack it on top of the mustard and garlic covered racks. Liberally pile it on and keep packing it down. You shouldn't have but a tiny bit of bread crumb mixture left.
- 9
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Take two of the racks and stand them up on the baking sheet. Tilt the bones toward each other and interlock them. Repeat with the other two racks.
- 10
Roast in the oven for about 25-35 minutes. At about 20 minutes start testing for doneness with an instant-read meat thermometer. Stick the probe in the thickest part of the meat not touching any bone. Temperatures for lamb are 120 degrees for rare, 125 degrees for medium-rare, 135 degrees for medium and 145 degrees for medium-well.
- 11
When the lamb is done, remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes.
- 12
To serve, slice the racks into individual chops with one or two bones each.