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–+ servings
4.91 stars (10 reviews)

Roast Lamb Racks with Lemon and Garlic

Thanh | Eat, Little Bird
Prep10 minutes
Cook30 minutes
Rest30 minutes
Total1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4
A quick and easy marinade for Roast Lamb Racks with Lemon and Garlic which takes just a few minutes, perfect for busy weeknights and entertaining. The lamb is first cooked on the stove and finished off in the oven for perfectly cooked and tender meat.
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • black pepper, freshly cracked
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 small lamb racks, approx 350g/12 oz each
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, extra

Instructions 

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, salt, pepper, lemon and garlic.
  2. Place the racks of lamb into a large ziplock freezer bag.
  3. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal the bag, and make sure that the racks of lamb are well coated in the marinade.
  4. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but overnight in the fridge is best. If your kitchen is quite cool, I would simply leave the bag on the kitchen counter to marinate. Otherwise, place it in the fridge.
  5. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (without fan).
  6. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking.
  7. Heat the extra oil in a large oven-proof saucepan which will fit both racks of lamb comfortably.
  8. On a medium-high heat, sear the racks of lamb on each side until they are nicely browned.
  9. Once both sides of the racks of lamb have been seared, quickly position them on the saucepan so that the bones are standing upwards.
  10. Place the saucepan into the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, depending on how well-cooked you like your meat. I test for doneness by prodding the meat gently, but a more accurate way of testing is to use a meat thermometer. Please see Notes below for temperatures.
  11. Allow the lamb to rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Kitchen Notes

  • MEAT TEMPERATURE
    If you are testing with a digital meat thermometer, the reading should be as follows:
    Rare 46°C/115°F 
    Medium-Rare 48°C/120°F 
    Medium 54°C/130°F 
    Medium-Well 60°C/140°F 
    Well-done 65°C/150°F 
  • VARIATIONS
    To add additional spices to this basic marinade, some suggestions are as follows:
    * 1 teaspoon dried mint
    * 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
    * for a Moroccan-inspired marinade: 1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin, ground coriander, and ground cardamom
  • MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
    * The lamb can be marinated the night before and kept in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
    * The lamb can be browned on the stove 1-2 hours before serving, and kept at room temperature until ready to roast. The meat may need some extra time in the oven to warm up.
  • OVEN & STOVE TEMPERATURES
    All recipes on this website have been tested on an induction stove and/or with a conventional oven (i.e. an oven without fan). All recipes on this website use temperatures for a conventional oven, unless otherwise mentioned. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are typically 20°C/70°F hotter than conventional ovens, but please check your manufacturer’s handbook.
  • CONVERSIONS
    To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Calories: 340kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.2g, Protein: 39.6g, Fat: 21.2g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 687mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 0.4g

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