Rack of Lamb

Our roasted Rack of Lamb is marinated with a seasoned rub, then slathered with Dijon mustard before roasting in the oven. Serve with an herb-infused cream sauce on the side.

The Best Way to Prepare Rack of Lamb

Rack of Lamb is a delicious option for Easter dinner or any special occasion. No doubt, this is a special occasion meal – but you’ll be thrilled to learn that it’s very easy to make a fantastic rack of lamb at home.

In the past, you had to go to a specialty butcher to buy a rack of lamb – but these days, many supermarkets sell them right in the meat case, or the butcher can order some with a few days advance notice.

After marinating overnight in a simple herb rub, plus a slather of Dijon mustard, the lamb roasts up super tender and flavorful with a wonderfully herbaceous crust. You’ll slice them into “lollipop chops” revealing that perfectly cooked, medium rare, juicy lamb.

While mint jelly is often served with lamb, we decided to make a creamy goat cheese and sour cream sauce instead, infusing it with fresh mint and other herbs, plus lemon. It’s a wonderful complement to the rich flavor of the lamp chops.

• This dish is a show-stopper entrée – perfect for any special occasion.
• The tender and juicy lamb, the herb crust, and the creamy sauce are a fantastic flavor combination in every bite.
• This elegant dish is surprisingly easy to make.

• Rack of Lamb – The typical rack of lamb comes with eight ribs (sometimes sold in packages of two racks – so sixteen ribs in total). The racks are usually sold “Frenched” – meaning that the excess meat, cartilage, and fat on the rib bones is cleaned down to the start of the meaty chop. We found our eight-rib rack at Costco in a vacuum-sealed bag. If you find a lamb rib roast that hasn’t already been Frenched, you can roast as is, ask the butcher to clean it for you, or try doing it yourself.
• Wet Rub – After seasoning the lamb with salt and pepper, cover with a wet rub made from fresh garlic, fresh rosemary, Italian flat-leaf parsley, and thyme, red pepper flakes, and extra virgin olive oil.
• Dijon Mustard
• Sauce – We served our rack of lamb with a sauce made with sour cream, mixed chopped herbs (same ones used in the wet rub), fresh garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, a soft goat cheese, and honey. Alternately, you can swap in Greek yogurt for the sour cream and goat cheese – the sauce will have a more tangy flavor.

1. Rinse the roast and clean any residue off the rib bones. Salt and pepper both sides.
2. Mix wet rub and spread over the fat side of the lamb roast. Place in a zipper seal bag and refrigerate overnight, or for at least eight hours.
3. Remove roast from the bag and smear the Dijon mustard over the fat side.
4. Place roast fat side up on the prepared pan.
5. Roast at 450 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Flip and cook rib side up for five more minutes and remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F for medium rare.
6. Let rest loosely covered with foil for ten minutes.
7. While roast is cooking, make the sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients.
8. After resting, cut between each rib, pressing down through the bottom of the rack and serve two chops per person along with the sauce.

• Can I make Rack of Lamb ahead of time?  You can mix the rub and sauce ahead of time – plus you’ll need to let the rub sit on the meat for at least eight hours before roasting. But – the roasting time is so brief, this dish is best served right out of the oven, not reheated.
• How do I store leftovers?  Store refrigerated for up to three days.
• How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in the oven or in a microwave. Just avoid overcooking – lamb is best served medium-rare.
• Can I freeze?  Yes, cooked lamb chops can be frozen. However, we think it’s best served freshly cooked.

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