Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best temperature to eat rack of lamb? ›

A high-heated oven (450 degrees F) is recommended for roast lamb rack. And it will take somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes to cook. This part of the lamb is typically served pink--rare (internal temperature of 125 degrees F) or medium-rare (internal temperature 135 degrees F).

Roast leaner cuts of lamb in a hotter oven (450°F) to get a lovely brown crust and a well-cooked center; cook fattier cuts of lamb low and slow (325°F) to render all the fat and allow the lamb to cook in its juices. Due to residual heat, your lamb will continue to cook even after you pull it out of the oven.

Cook the lamb.

Arrange the lamb with the ribs pointing down. Cook for 15 minutes at 450ºF, then flip over and cook for another 10 minutes until the lamb has an internal temperature of 130ºF.

In retail, it is commonly sold as a 'single' rack, which means it is sawn longitudinally and includes the 8 ribs on one side only. However, it may also be sold as a "double rack of lamb," with ribs on both sides.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.

Fattier cuts of lamb should be roasted long and slow at a low temperature, while leaner cuts of meat should be cooked at a high temperature for the first several minutes and then at a lower temperature the rest of the time. Braising is a popular technique for cooking less-tender cuts of lamb.

BASIC COOKING GUIDE

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place lamb in a roasting dish fat side up and season well. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes per 500g basting occasionally or until internal temperature is 55°C for rare, 60°C for medium rare or 65°C for medium.

Cook all raw lamb steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F (62.8° C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

Roast lamb should be served pink in the middle. If overcooked, it is dry, chewy and unpleasant. To decrease the cooking time, you can ask your butcher to remove the bone running down the middle of the leg, a technique known as butterflying.

Look for about 125-130 degrees as a final internal temperate of the center of the meat. The outer edges will be done more, but the center should be medium-rare. Take it out the pan at about 120 degrees. Tent it foil and let it rest a good 10 minutes — the temperature will continue to rise.

Do you rinse rack of lamb before cooking? ›

Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.

Arrange the oven rack, so the lamb will be in the middle of the oven. Score the fat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap bones in foil, place in pan fat side up: Score the fat, by making sharp shallow cuts through the fat, spaced about an inch apart. Rub the rack all over with more salt and pepper.

If we look at fatty acids, like CLA and omega-3's, lamb comes out victorious and can be seen as marginally healthier. If we look at vitamins, like B12 and zinc, beef comes out victorious. The bottom line is both are excellent and both should be eaten with abundance!

In our experience, we found most lamb cuts, whether a rack of lamb or lamb loin chops, taste best when served medium rare. So, the meat's internal temperature should reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius). It will have a nice, juicy pink center, and seared exterior.

Cook all raw lamb steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F (62.8° C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

Cooking Temperature for Lamb

Here are the cooking temperatures to help you NOT overcook your precious meat: Rare 135 degrees F. Medium Rare 140-150 degrees F. Medium 160 degrees F.

Doneness temp for leg of lamb

Though doneness is a matter of taste, I usually like my leg of lamb cooked to about medium. With that in mind, we opted for a pull temp of 135°F (57°C). If you like your lamb to be pinker, lop off a few degrees and shoot for medium rare, 130–134°F (54–56°C).