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).

Lamb rack is best seared in a pan and finished in the oven – this gives you lots of control over your cooking temperatures but still gives you a nice caramelisation on the surface of the meat.

If you are cooking multiple racks (not a crown roast which is a different matter), lay them out separately on the pan, and you may need to increase the cooking time. The cooking time depends on how big your rack of lamb is, and how rare you want it cooked.

THE FINGER OR TONG TEST

Very soft = rare – bright red, raw centre. Soft = medium rare – pink inside with a red centre. Springy = medium – pink throughout. Firmer = well-done range – mostly brown inside.

Lower temp = more succulent meat – Tough cuts like lamb shoulder need slow-cooking to tenderise them. The lower the roasting temperature, the less total moisture evaporation and thus juicier meat.

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.

The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.

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.

Buy and use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature. 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.

Should you flip the rack of lamb? ›

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.

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.

Roast the rack of lamb in an oven preheated to 450 degrees F for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on how you like your meat cooked. For medium-well: An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

Before roasting lamb, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. A piece of meat at room temperature will roast more evenly. Use a roasting rack to ensure even browning and heat circulation around the meat.

Season lamb racks with salt and pepper and rub garlic-rosemary oil all over them. Set racks fat-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet and let stand for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast lamb in upper third of oven for 15 minutes. Turn racks and roast for 10 minutes longer for medium-rare meat.

Safest Temperature and Doneness To Eat Lamb. 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).

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.

Whether boneless or bone-in, the perfect leg of lamb should be either oven-roasted until blushing pink on the inside (with an internal temp around 130°F) or roasted long and slow for several hours until the meat is very tender and falls apart to internal temp around 175°F (I often use the slow cooker for that).