Main Dishes
Roasted Rack of Lamb
Description
Roasted Rack of Lamb is a main dish that’s impressive enough for a holiday meal, but it’s just as easy to cook as any other weeknight dinner! A simple marinade brings out the best in the tender, juicy lamb without overpowering it.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 racks of lamb "frenched*" (about 1 ¾ to 2 pounds per rack)
Directions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade** (I find a mini food processor works best), add the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest (zest the lemon right over the bowl). Blend until they are as finely chopped as possible. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and blend until evenly combined.
- Place the lamb in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet pan, with the fat side up and ribs curving down (I place the racks so the ribs are pointing outward and the rack meat runs down the center). Rub all over with the garlic-rosemary mixture. Let at room temperature for 1 hour prior to roasting.
- About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 450°F (you want the oven to stay heated for at least 10 minutes after it beeps to make sure it’s good and firey hot).
- Roast the rack of lamb for 25 minutes for medium rare (rack of lamb should not be medium or well-done or it will taste dry). If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the pan 180° halfway through. Remove from the oven and tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes. When ready to serve, use a sharp chef’s knife to cut into individual ribs and serve (you can arrange them on a platter, or let guests serve themselves from the cutting board). If you’d like a wow moment, you can stand the ribs up on a platter prior to cutting them apart. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
