Rack of Lamb

Impress your guests with this easy-to-make and flavorful rack of lamb recipe. Perfect for entertaining at home. If you’re looking for something elegant and incredibly flavorful to serve at your next special occasion dinner, then you have to try this lamb recipe. The best part is, it’s so simple to make!

A rack of lamb is equivalent to prime rib (beef) with each rack having around 8 bones/ribs. American lamb has a larger loin and has more fat and the whole rack is larger. It also has a stronger gamier taste than Australian or New Zealand lamb. Those racks are also smaller.

I bought my racks for £23, and typically the price for 1kg is £17 in the UK and anywhere between $16 – $30 per pound in America. It’s not the cheapest cut of meat, but it’s totally worth the splurge now and then.

The meat is perfectly seasoned and marinated in a quick herby marinade for an extra hit of flavor, then it’s in a hot oven for a quick roast. It will be deliciously caramelized on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.

This is the easiest and simplest way to make a delicious roast lamb and I love the crust! The garlic doesn’t burn since it doesn’t hang out in the oven for too long, but it does go nice and crispy.

Serve it with some roasted potatoes and broccoli for a quick and impressive meal!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This showstopper of a dish is impressive to serve to family and friends yet so easy to make! There’s very little prep time, and the marinade is a simple herb and garlic mix that will give you tender and juicy meat every time. Plus, there’s nothing like the aroma of a roasting rack of lamb to get your mouth watering!

key ingredients

Everyone will love the rich and savory flavors and you’ll love how fuss-free the recipe is with minimal prep and only a few ingredients needed to make it.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• 2 racks of lamb: Usually sold already frenched, so that the rib bones are cleaned. 
• Marinade: For a quick herbaceous marinade, combine minced garlic, finely chopped rosemary and thyme leaves, and some extra virgin olive oil. The marinade gives the lamb great flavor and also helps to keep it moist as it roasts.

How to Prepare the Lamb

Most racks will come already frenched which means the rib bones will be cleaned of meat and fat. If yours isn’t frenched, you can ask the butcher to do it for you, or if you want to try doing it yourself, you can follow this excellent tutorial on how to clean and French a lamb rack.

I didn’t remove any of the fat on my racks but go ahead and trim yours if you feel like the fat layer is too thick.

How To Make Rack of Lamb

A quick marinade and then into the oven for a few minutes is all it takes to make the most delicious roast rack of lamb. You’ll need about 1 – 1.5 hours from start to finish.

1. Make the marinade: Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and olive oil in a bowl.
2. Prepare lamb: Pat dry with paper towels, place them in a baking pan, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Rub the marinade over both racks and let them marinate for 30 – 60 minutes. You can leave it in the fridge to marinate in a zip-top bag for up to 24 hours.
4. Roast: Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C, (410°F/210°C fan oven) and place the lamb in the oven for 10 minutes, then flip and roast for 10 – 15 minutes more until the internal temperature reaches your personal preference. Read on for temperature guidelines. I prefer mine medium rare.
5. Rest and serve. Remove the lamb from the oven, cover it with foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing in between the rib bones.

When is the Lamb Done?

So, what’s the ideal rack of lamb temperature? Typically, it is at its best when cooked to rare or medium rare. I prefer mine medium-rare, but you can cook it for longer to suit your preferences. 

Remember that the internal temperature will continue to rise for a couple of minutes after you bring it out of the oven, so it’s a good idea to bring it out of the oven 5 minutes before it reaches the temperature you want. 

Using a kitchen thermometer is the best way to check the internal temperature of the lamb.

Here are some temperature guidelines to follow:

• Rare: Remove the meat from the oven once it reaches 115°F/46°C. The final temperature should be around 120°F/49°C after the resting period. 
• Medium rare: Remove the meat from the oven at 120°F/49°C and allow the meat to rest for a few minutes. The final temperature should be around 125°F/52°C. 
• Medium: Remove the meat from the oven at 125°F/52°C. The rested meat should reach 130°F/54°C. 
• Medium well: Bring the lamb out of the oven at 140°F/60°C and let the meat rest until it reaches 145°F/63°C.
• Well done: The final temperature should be around 150°F/65°C so remove the rack from the oven when it reaches 145°F/163°C.

Recipe Tips

• If the meat looks like it’s drying out while roasting, baste it with the juices or some melted butter as it cooks to keep the meat nice and juicy.
• Remove the lamb from the oven once it reaches 5 degrees below the final temperature you are aiming for. The internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
• Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving it. This resting time is important to let the juices settle back into the meat giving you a tender and juicy roast.

Storing Tips

Your roast lamb will taste the best when eaten on the day it’s prepared, but you can easily store and reheat any leftovers.

Let it cool completely and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place the lamb in a baking dish with a splash of water or broth, cover with foil, and heat in a 350°F/175°C oven for 10 – 15 minutes until heated through.

If you’re in a hurry, you can reheat the lamb in the microwave. Place it in a microwave dish with a splash of water or broth and heat in 30-second intervals until it is warm throughout.

What To Serve With

There are so many side dishes that complement the rich flavor of lamb!

Classic sides like garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, or carrots will always round out your meal perfectly. 

For something a bit lighter, a green salad, or some blanched asparagus would really hit the spot.

You might also like to serve it with a delicious sauce like creamy and refreshing tzatziki sauce or mint sauce which is always a popular accompaniment to lamb.

Recipe FAQs

I hope you enjoy making this easy rack of lamb! Save this recipe for the next time you want to impress your dinner guests! Pin it for more people to enjoy too!