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Medium-rare lamb chops with herb crust served with roasted potatoes and green beans
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5 from 2 reviews

Herb Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb

This easy to make Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb is seasoned to perfection with garlic and fresh rosemary and oven roasted until juicy and tender medium-rare.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword herb roasted rack of lamb, Rack of lamb, roasted rack of lamb, roasted rack of lamb recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 631kcal

Ingredients

For the Lamb

  • 2 racks of lamb frenched (about 1.5 pounds each)
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Pat the lamb racks dry with paper towels and place them in a roasting pan (or on a baking sheet pan), fatty side up, bones curving down.
  • In the bowl of a food processor or blender, place the salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and rosemary and process until the mixture is finely minced. Add the mustard and balsamic vinegar and process until just combined, about a minute.
    Container with an herb and mustard mixture (ingredient to make herb crusted lamb rack)
  • Coat the lamb meat with the herb mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
    Two racks of lamb coated with an herb and Dijon mustard mixture in a roasting pan.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Roast the lamb for 20 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium rare.
    Two cooked racks of lamb coated with an herb and Dijon mustard mixture in a roasting pan.
  • Remove from the oven and allow ribs to rest for 10-15 minutes, tented with aluminum foil. Serve cut into individual ribs if desired.
    Close view of two golden brown Roasted Lamb Racks on a white plate.

Video

Notes

  • When trimming the lamb rack, leave a thin layer of fat on the ribs.
  • When cooking lamb, the best way to check for doneness is with an instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.
  • Lamb is best served medium-rare (pink inside), between 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit (52 to 54°C) or 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit (54 to 57°C) for medium.
  • To prevent overcooking, roast the lamb 5-10 degrees below your target temperature As the meat rests, the meat juices redistribute and the temperature rises about 5 to 10 degrees. This puts you right at the perfect target/serving temp. So if you want to serve medium-rare lamb 125-130° F, remove the lamb from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 115-120°F, and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
  • Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties cookbook.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1034mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg