Herb Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb
Who is ready for spring? There’s something about the slightly sunnier days, the way everything starts to turn green, and the caress of warmer weather that always makes me crave lamb. This Herb Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb is a perfect way to celebrate spring or bring a little sunshine to your weekend.
While this beautiful and impressive dish might look complicated, with just a handful of fresh ingredients it comes together quickly and easily. This is easy dish is just as at home on the Sunday dinner table as it is at your next special occasion.
Fresh Flavor
Beautiful food shouldn’t have to be complicated. This Herb Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb combines a fresh and herbaceous rub with tender lamb for an incredibly savory bite.
There are so many different traditions involving food, from the way they’re prepared to the dishes themselves. In my house we love putting in a roast on a Sunday, especially on a rainy day. I love the way it immediately perfumes the house.
Unlike many cuts of meat, such as a beef rib roast, rack of lamb cooks up relatively quickly. Depending on what temperature you prefer as well as the side of your rack it might only spend 15 minutes in the oven.
What makes this rack of lamb so special is the combination of herbs and aromatics that go into the easy and bright rub. Rosemary and lamb are a classic pairing. The woodsy flavor compliments the rich earthy meat. Thyme adds a note of lemony citrus while parsley gives a vibrant, grassy finish.
Garlic and pine nuts provide both flavor and texture. The pop of garlic adds a sharp aromatic bite. The pine help develop the crust while enhancing the flavors of the herbs. This simple combination of flavors come together to create a balanced dish your family won’t soon forget.
Maximum Flavor with Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
With just a couple tips and tricks this dish is sure to become a part of your special occasions and regular recipe rotations.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. This recipe is utilizing high heat to lock in the flavors and juiciness while also cutting down on the cook time.
- Let your food processor do the work of making the herb mixture. Don’t worry about chopping. Just toss the ingredients into your food processor and pulse until they are fine.
- Allow your butter to come to room temperature. This will allow you to easily mix in the herbs and make it a breeze to spread the compound butter over the lamb.
- Make sure you have an instant read digital thermometer. This will take out the guess work from how done your rack of lamb is. I like to cook my lamb to an internal temperature of 12-130 degrees. When I let it rest the temperature will rise slightly. 135 is the internal temperature for medium rare lamb.
- Always allow your lamb to rest before slicing into it. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat. There is nothing like that juice, tender bite.
Make sure to check out my recipe for Braised Oxtails with Prunes for another weekend inspiration!
Herb Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb
Equipment
- food processor
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 lbs racks of lamb
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/2 stick butter, room temperature
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Season rack of lamb with salt and pepper.
- Add the herbs, garlic, and pine nuts to a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped.
- Mix the herb mixture in with the softened butter.
- Spread the herb compound butter on the top of each rack of lamb.
- Roast for 15 minutes, or until your desired temperature. I like to roast it to 125-130 degrees. Medium-Rare is 135.
- Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. As it rests it will continue to cook and the juices will redistribute.
- Slice and enjoy!
