Recipes

Rack: An impressive presentation that is surprisingly easy to prepare at home, the rack offers versatility for entertaining. There are 8 chops per rack and our racks weigh about 1 – 1.5 pounds. Frenched Rack: a few inches of meat is removed from the end of the bones. Crown Roast: two frenched racks tied together to resemble a crown. The cooking time depends on how big your rack of lamb is, and how rare you want it cooked. Rack of lamb should be cooked rare, or at most medium rare. Marinate lamb with mixture of rosemary, thyme, and garlic and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Place in a thick plastic bag with olive oil. Bring lamb to room temp and preheat oven to 450°F. Score the fat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap bones in foil, place in pan fat side up. Place the rack in the oven roast at 450°F for 10 minutes (longer if roasting more than one rack), or until the surface of the roast is nicely browned. Then lower the heat to 300°F. Cook for 10-20 minutes longer (depending on the size of the lamb rack, if you are roasting more than one rack, and how rare or well done you want your lamb), until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 118°F for rare or 128°F for medium rare. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut lamb chops away from the rack by slicing between the bones. Serve 2-3 chops per person.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb: Boneless leg is the most versatile and leanest lamb cut. Lightly pat lamb dry. On a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals and grill lamb about 10 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into thickest part of meat registers 128°F for medium-rare. (Alternatively, roast lamb in a roasting pan in middle of a 425°F oven about 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into meat registers 128°F for medium-rare.) Transfer lamb to a cutting board. Halve and seed lemon. Squeeze juice over lamb and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes. Cut lamb into slices and serve with any juices that have accumulated on cutting board.

Bone-in Leg: Because of its impressive presentation, the bone-in-leg is perfect for any holiday celebration or special occasion. The bone adds both flavor and richness to the meat. Place on rack in center of roasting pan and place in preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes at 450°F and then lower heat to 350°F for rest of cooking time of 1 1/4 hours (or, alternatively, lower heat immediately and cook at 325°F for adjusted cooking time). Remove from oven and test with instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of leg; consider lamb done at 118-123°F (temperature will rise about 5 degrees out of oven). Cover with aluminum foil and let rest 10-15 minutes. Slice into thin slices and serve.

Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast: In a small bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, and pepper. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Rub the herb seasoning rub mixture all over the outside of the lamb. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the room-temperature boneless leg of lamb dry with paper towels or napkins. Using your hands, rub the outside of the lamb roast with olive oil or with the herb seasoning rub. Place the lamb roast on a roasting rack in a heavy stainless-steel pan or other metal roasting pan. Sear the lamb roast for 15 minutes at the higher oven temperature (450 degrees F.), then turn the oven to the lower temperature (325 degrees F.) for the rest of the cooking time. Do not cover the roast. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of lamb (not resting in fat). Cook until the lamb roast reaches an internal temperature of 118 degrees F. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit approximately 15 to 20 minutes. About 1/2 hour before the estimated end of the roasting time, begin checking the internal temperature. Place the cooked lamb roast on a large meat cutting board with a well at one end to hold the juice. Using a sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into whatever thickness you prefer.