Lamb chops are one of my all-time favorite proteins to cook and serve, especially as we enter the Spring season. At my Easter table, you can always count on seeing a rack of lamb as the centerpiece dish. Now I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that for a long time cooking this roast was quite intimidating for me. Given the steep price tag and quick nature of cooking this cut of meat, I was always nervous of messing it up.
One of the best skills I gained from culinary school was learned to cooking protein with confidence. Thankfully, I was a good student and took plenty of notes, and I’m excited to share them so that we can both nail this dish every time.
❤️ Why You’ll Love my Garlic-Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb
Despite its impressive appearance, this garlic-herb roasted rack of lamb recipe is actually relatively simple to make compared to other large cuts of meat. It does not require long marinating times or pre-treatment and the cook time is all done in less than an hour!!
Plus, to save even more time, the marinate can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Also, the lamb marinate can double as a potato marinate as well… that’s what I like to call a two-for-one special 😉!!
🍲 Ingredients
Frenched Rack of Lamb – Look for lamb with a decent fat cap and nice marbling on the meat. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find this roast in your prepared meat section. If not, head to your local butcher shop, as I’m sure they’d be able to help you. (To be sure and save time, give them a call in advance.) The idea of frenched lamb chops is that all of the excess meat, fat and cartilage are removed from the bones of your rack. This gives the rack a more appealing look and also makes the chops easier to enjoy once cooked.
As I always say, quality is more important than quantity. When you start with a great rack of lamb you don’t need to many other ingredients.
Kosher Salt – After the lamb, salt is the next important ingredient to this recipe. Salt is one of the most important ingredients to chefs and home cooks alike, so you want to make sure you pick a good one. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is hands down my favorite salt and will forever be in the brand you find in my cabinets.
Black Pepper – freshly ground is always the way to go.
Fresh Rosemary – to me lamb will forever go with fresh rosemary. It’s a match made in heaven.
Fresh Garlic – another important member of my lamb marinate. Grab a whole bulb, we’ll need quite a few cloves.
Lemon Zest – the fresh acidic pop brings another important element that compliments the flavor of the lamb super well.
Olive Oil – used to bind together the marinate.
Butter – used to basted the lamb for extra flavor.
Potatoes – technically optionally, but lamb without potatoes is like a sauce without pasta. They’re just meant to be. You can use any of your favroites, for me that’s gold potatoes.
👩🍳 How to Make Garlic-Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb
Step 1 – Prep and Season the Lamb
Remove the lamb from it’s packaging and pat it dry very well. It’s optional, but I like to score the fat cap to help render more fat and help it crisp up. To do so, use a sharp knife to gently create diagonal slices in one direction, no deeper than the fat, and then repeat in the opposite direction. Season the roast generously with salt on all sides. Set the roast on a sheet tray set with a wire rack and allow to sit at room temperature while prepping the marinate. (You can also do this step up to 2 days before and keep in the fridge uncovered. Remove the roast 2 hours before cooking to get it to room temperature.
Step 2 – Make the Marinade
Fresh rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper and oil come together in a food processor to quickly make a tasty aromatic rub for the lamb that doubles as a potato marinate as well!
(If making potatoes, at the point I peel and cube my potatoes and add them to a sheet tray with 1/3 of the marinate. Place the tray into a 400 F oven for about 30-45 minutes, flipping once halfway until golden brown.)
Step 3 – Sear the Lamb
Before the lamb enters the oven, give a nice sear on all sides in a hot pan. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lamb fat-side down. Once it has become golden brown (about 2-3 minutes) flip the lamb over and drop in the butter and rosemary. Use a spoon to baste the roast. Quickly sear the ends of the roast as well. Remove and set back the roast onto a wire-rack lined sheet tray fat side up.
Step 4 – Rub and Roast the Lamb
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Cover the fat side of the lamb with a generous amount of the the marinate, then place the rack of lamb into the oven. For medium-rare the roast should be in the oven for about 15-20 minutes per pound. My roast was 2 pounds so I set it for 30 minutes and then took the first temperature. (For medium-rare you want to read a temperature of 125-130 F when entered at the thickest part. It will continue to rise as it rests.)
Step 5 – Rest and Slice
After removing the roast it is important to allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into it. This will allow the juices of the meat to evenly distribute and also make it easier to handle while cutting.
To slice, run your knife between each of the rib bones.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Tip 1 – Go for a quality lamb roast. It truly makes the difference on the final product.
- Tip 2 – Sear the meat before it goes into the oven!! This step will help you achieve a beautiful crust on the meat and lock in the juices before it goes into the oven.
- Tip 3—Let it REST. Resting is super important to help the lamb achieve the proper temperature and allow the juices to distribute evenly.
🗒 Substitutions
There are few ingredients to this dish, which means fewer substitutions other than for the marinade.
- Don’t like rosemary? Swap it for fresh thyme or mint.
- Don’t like lemon? Swap it for orange zest or omit it altogether.
- Don’t like garlic? Omit it.
🗒 Best served with
- Roasted Potatoes
- Salad
- Green Beans
- A light pasta
🤔 Common Questions
A very important question!! Here is my guide to cooking lamb:
In a 400 F oven after being seared –
Medium-Rare: 15-20 minutes per pound
Medium: 20-25 minutes per pound
Medium-Well: 25-30 minutes per pound
For example, a 2 lb rack of lamb would take about 30-40 minutes for medium-rare, depending on your exact preference.
**Biggest thing to note here is that everyone’s oven is different so make sure to always check on the earlier side to ensure it does not get overcooked.
While searing adds flavor and a nice crust, you can roast a rack of lamb without searing it first. It will still cook well, but you may miss out on the caramelization and depth of flavor that searing provides.
Garlic-Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
- 1 Frenched rack of lamb, about 1.5-2 lbs
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3-4 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 Lemon, zested
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1lb Potatoes, any work, but gold potatoes are my favorite
Instructions
Prep the Lamb
- Pat the lamb dry and score the fat cap (optional). Season generously with salt and pepper. Set the lamb on a wire rack on a sheet tray and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the marinade.
Make the Marinade
- Combine rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor. Blend until smooth. If using potatoes, peel and cube them, then toss with 1/3 of the marinade and place on a separate sheet tray. Place the tray into a 400 F oven for about 30-45 minutes, flipping once halfway until golden brown.
Sear the Lamb
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb fat-side down and sear until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Flip and add butter and rosemary to the pan, basting the lamb with a spoon. Sear the ends, then transfer the lamb to the wire rack, fat-side up.
Roast the Lamb
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub the lamb generously with the remaining marinade. Roast for 15-20 minutes per pound for medium-rare (internal temp: 125-130°F). For a 2 lb rack, this takes about 30 minutes.
Rest and Slice
- Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes before slicing between the ribs. Serve hot and ENJOY!!!
