Some of the quickest and most delicious high restaurant-level dishes you can cook are grilled rack of lamb or lamb chops.
The basic recipe needs only a few ingredients: meat, salt, pepper, and garlic. Adding dry spice rub can take it to the next level, and that’s why we always have at least half a dozen classic ready mixes and many individual spices to create our mixes.
Grilled Rack Of Lamb
Preparation
Typically, we buy a rack of lamb and cut it into pairs because it helps with even cooking. We can always split them when they are ready.
If you cut it into singles, some pieces may burn. On the other hand, leaving the rack whole is trickier to cook through evenly. We learned it the hard way.
Ideally, it’s best to apply dry rub between a few hours to a day in advance; longer is better. This will allow the meat to absorb some spices, resulting in a more complex flavor profile. Some of our go-to spice mixes for the lamb are Middle Eastern Khmeli-Suneli, Kharcho, Ras el Hanut, and Arabic Baharat.
If you are short on time, apply the spices liberally, salt, pepper, and garlic immediately before cooking.
Garlic is a must because it has an excellent affinity with lamb. The best way to apply is to use a garlic press and liberally smother the meat before using salt, pepper, and spices. Why?
Garlic paste will make the meat sticky, and dry spices will adhere to it better.
Cooking
You can prepare a rack of lamb either in the oven or on the grill. We recommend using a heat-proof insert thermometer to ensure you do not overcook the meat. Most thermometers are preset to 160°F for lamb, as it’s recommended to be fully cooked.
Many professional chefs suggest cooking lamb ribs at 140–145°F, and we follow their advice because when you remove them from the heat source, the meat may add another 5 to 10°F internal temperature. Use your best judgment when picking the temperature.
Our preferred method is in the oven because it provides the most control. We cook at 320°F for 15-20 minutes until lamb reaches 140 to 145°F internal temperature.
After we remove the lamb from the oven, we brown it on a hot skillet using melted fat accumulated on a baking sheet. This fat is infused with all the spices used in a rub, adding more flavor to the meat.
The browning process will initiate a Maillard reaction and caramelize fats on the surface of the meat, adding sweetness and texture. You must be cautious while pouring the fat from the baking sheet into the skillet because it’s boiling hot. Alternatively, you can use vegetable oil or butter.
The whole process should take a minute or two on each side. The browning part is optional because it will taste great already.
Once done, let the lamb rack rest on the plate for five minutes before serving. It’s essential because meat contracts during cooking, pushing all the juices out. Letting it rest allows the meat to re-absorb all those juices, resulting in a moist and juicy rack of lamb.
If you’re grilling the ribs, skip the skillet part because the meat will brown as it’s being grilled. From start to finish, the whole process typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. You can follow the same process with lamb chops as well.
Now that your rack of lamb is ready, it’s time to pick the wine to go along with them.
Pairing Rack Of Lamb with Wine
We find lamb to be quite versatile when we are paring it with wine. Its bloody leather-like flavors call for wines with vibrant fruit and sensible acidity.
One of our favorite pairings with a rack of lamb was 2010 Vieux Chateau Mazerat, the Merlot dominant Bordeaux classic. The richness and fruitiness of Merlot underscore the primary flavors of lamb ribs.
If you’re a New World Dusted Valley BMF fan, the Merlot blend from Washington State can work just as great.
Cuvée Sainte Vierge 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape, a classic red blend from Southeastern France, or Amavi Syrah from Walla Walla Valley of Washington pair beautifully with this dish.
Full-bodied whites pair nicely with lamb ribs as well. We compared Rombauer and Ramey Chardonnay from the Carneros and Sonoma Coast of California, respectively, which can withstand the richness of lamb and some nice tropical notes.
For adventurous foodies, try it with full-bodied Italian white Fianno Avellino or dry-style Lambrusco Vigneto Saetti RossoViola.
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