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Home » RECIPE » Dinner » Lamb » Roasted Rack of Lamb

Roasted Rack of Lamb

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By: Shinee Published: 11/10/2016Updated: 6/08/2021

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Effortlessly impressive to serve on special occasions, yet simple to prepare for everyday meal, you’ll never go wrong with this roasted rack of lamb infused with rosemary and garlic.

How to Roast a Perfect Rack of Lamb... Effortlessly impressive to serve on special occasions, yet simple to prepare for everyday meal, you'll never go wrong with this roasted rack of lamb infused with rosemary and garlic.

When you’re planning a menu for a special occasion, say New Year’s Eve, do you go with something elaborate, like lasagna? Or something quick and simple – and preferably make ahead – but still festive enough for celebration?

It’s no brainer for me. I always go with something quick and easy, but still special enough for holiday table.

That’s probably why, roasted rack of lamb has been our traditional New Year’s Eve dinner for the last 4 years. I mean it’s as simple as 1-2-3. Defrost. Marinade. Roast. And you get all the time to work on your fabulous dessert table, which is way more important, right?

How to Roast a Perfect Rack of Lamb... Effortlessly impressive to serve on special occasions, yet simple to prepare for everyday meal, you'll never go wrong with this roasted rack of lamb infused with rosemary and garlic.

The distinctive lamb taste (you know, the kind of game-y flavors) doesn’t require heavy seasoning. In fact, the simpler, the better. You don’t want to mask that amazing unique flavor of lamb with too much spices.

Out of many variations I’ve tried, I keep coming back to fresh rosemary and garlic with a touch of nutmeg and cayenne pepper. The flavors compliment each other well and add a nice kick to juicy tender lamb.

How to Roast a Perfect Rack of Lamb, step by step photos

Good news: you practically can’t mess up this recipe. Well, unless you overcook it. Don’t overcook it! Medium rare is usually best for rack of lamb.

How to Roast a Perfect Rack of Lamb... Effortlessly impressive to serve on special occasions, yet simple to prepare for everyday meal, you'll never go wrong with this roasted rack of lamb infused with rosemary and garlic.

I promise, you won’t be disappointed with this meal on a special occasion. Give it a try!

Thanks for reading.

How to Roast a Perfect Rack of Lamb

Effortlessly impressive to serve on special occasions, yet simple to prepare for everyday meal.
5 from 10 votes
serves: 4 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total : 1 hour 30 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs frenched rack of lambs about 2 racks with about 8 ribs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

  • In a small dish, combine salt and spices. Sprinkle seasoning evenly all over the lamb.
  • Add olive oil and minced garlic in a large zip lock bag and spread it evenly inside the bag.
  • Put the racks of lamb into the bag and place the rosemary on each side.
  • Squeeze out the air and zip the bag. Massage it slightly so that olive oil, garlic and all other spices are evenly distributed.
  • Marinate the lamb for at least an hour, or overnight. Bring it to room temperature before cooking.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Place the lamb racks on a baking sheet lined with foil.
  • Roast for 20-30 minutes depending how you like it done. The internal temperature should reach at least 130-140°F for medium rare. Broil for 2-3 minutes to add a little char before taking it out.
  • Cover with foil and rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 687kcal (34%) Carbohydrates: 2g (1%) Protein: 24g (48%) Fat: 64g (98%) Saturated Fat: 26g (163%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Monounsaturated Fat: 29g Cholesterol: 126mg (42%) Sodium: 675mg (29%) Potassium: 341mg (10%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 109IU (2%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 35mg (4%) Iron: 2mg (11%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Author: Shinee
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:American
Diet:Gluten Free
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
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This recipe was originally published on January 28th, 2014.

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  1. Morgan says

    Posted on 26 December 2021 at 4:13 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for posting this! Have always seared then put in oven to finish. Lots of smoke the old way, not your way. Lamb came out perfect medium rare and was a hit for Christmas. Thanks again, happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 27 December 2021 at 5:39 pm

      So happy to hear that, Morgan! Thank you for sharing your feedback!

      Reply
  2. Kathleen says

    Posted on 15 May 2021 at 11:10 pm

    20-30 minutes at 350? I don’t think so. My lamb was still baa-ing when it came out of the oven. Next time I’ll do 400′ for 40 mins minimum. Other wise, marinade was great.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 16 May 2021 at 7:03 pm

      Hi, Kathleen. Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you liked the marinade and you’ve found the perfect time and temp for your oven.

      Reply
  3. Renee says

    Posted on 2 January 2021 at 11:29 am

    5 stars
    I don’t care for lamb but my husband does. I made this for his New Year Day supper. He said it is the best!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 2 January 2021 at 2:47 pm

      Yay, so happy your husband enjoyed it. Thank you for your feedback, Renee!!

      Reply
  4. Jen says

    Posted on 25 February 2020 at 8:45 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this the first time. Thank you! My 3 1/2 year old loved it as well 🙂 Making for the second time tonight!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 26 February 2020 at 5:38 pm

      AWESOME! Thank you so much for your feedback, Jen!

      Reply
  5. Leslie Harrington says

    Posted on 7 July 2019 at 6:42 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight. Marinated overnight. It was delicious. Cooked it for about 40 minutes for medium and it was SO tender. Flavor was great. I made a Rosemary mustard sauce to go with it. We will def make it again.

    Reply
  6. Tasha says

    Posted on 17 June 2018 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    PERFECTION!! I made this for my husband for Father’s Day dinner. And he said verbatim, “this is a perfectly cooked rack of lamb”. He absolutely loved it!! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 19 June 2018 at 6:14 am

      Yay, so happy you and your husband loved it!! Thank you for your feedback, Tasha!

      Reply
  7. Bernadette Batchelor says

    Posted on 1 April 2018 at 3:21 pm

    5 stars
    Awesome awesome awesome will definitely be making it again!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 2 April 2018 at 2:11 pm

      Yay, thank you for your feedback, Bernadette! Glad you enjoyed the lamp chops. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Janice says

    Posted on 26 February 2018 at 12:31 pm

    5 stars
    Two thumbs up! The herbs & seasonings complimented each other!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 26 February 2018 at 10:18 pm

      Yay, so glad you enjoyed it, Janice. Thank you for your feedback!

      Reply
  9. Josh says

    Posted on 30 January 2018 at 2:47 pm

    Looking forward to trying this! If I want to add a crust by searing before roasting, any additional instructions you’d recommend? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 1 February 2018 at 9:59 pm

      Hey, Josh. Do you mean you want to sear the roast before putting it in the oven? If so, I don’t recommend it. The whole point is to roast at low temp first and then sear at the end. I promise, you’ll get a great crust at the end.

      Reply
      • Josh says

        Posted on 22 February 2018 at 9:38 pm

        I followed your recommendation and did the roast + sear and it turned out AMAZING. My specs for a single rack: roast for 24 minutes at 375 + 4 minutes broil on high made for a perfect medium rare with an excellent crust.

        Thanks Shinee!

        Reply
        • Shinee says

          Posted on 24 February 2018 at 9:58 am

          Awesome! Thanks for your feedback, Josh!

  10. Heather says

    Posted on 12 January 2018 at 10:09 am

    5 stars
    Made this the other day for my hubs and I after the kiddies went to bed and it was Delicious! perfectly seasoned and super tender! definitely going to keep this recipe for future use. 🙂

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 20 January 2018 at 2:56 pm

      Hi, Heather. So happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your feedback.

      Reply
  11. Firewolf1960 says

    Posted on 31 December 2017 at 9:08 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I couldn’t find fresh rosemary so I just rubbed into the meat dried rosemary and it came out perfect. Cooked it for 30 minutes and it was right at 130F Everyone totally enjoyed it and will make it again. My first time making a rack of lamb. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  12. Thomas K says

    Posted on 13 September 2017 at 3:51 pm

    Defrost?!?! Never, ever defrost.. That defeats the whole purpose of good food… 

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 13 September 2017 at 9:33 pm

      Hi, Thomas. So are you suggesting to cook it frozen?

      Reply
      • Thomas Kaarup says

        Posted on 14 September 2017 at 8:01 am

        🙂 No absolutely not 

        Things are just so much better when they’re fresh. We all know that. 

        You have so great produce in America and when cooking for as you say, a special occasion, we need to start of with the better alternative. 

        Go to a local butcher or a supermarket where they have fresh produce. The taste are so much better when the meat, the fibers, haven’t been frozen. 

        Reply
        • Shinee says

          Posted on 14 September 2017 at 11:26 am

          Oh, I see. Thanks for clarification, Thomas. 🙂 Unfortunately, some of us live in a rural area where you can’t always get the best fresh meat. And as we butcher our own beef, we have to freeze them to properly store the meat, and I have to say it’s totally fine.

  13. Cheegii says

    Posted on 3 February 2014 at 9:29 pm

    Sain uu Shinee yamar goy jor tavia ve nuhur ohin 2-too hiij ugnuu.bi urgelj chinii blogoor zochilj shine joriig chin dagaj hiih durtai.Ih bayarlalaa 🙂

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 3 February 2014 at 11:13 pm

      Sain, sain bn uu Cheegii! Minii blogoor zochilj bdagt mash ih bayarlalaa, mun minii joruud taalgdaj bgaad mash ih bayartai bn. Setgegdelee uldeesend bayarlalaa! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Ali @ Inspiralized says

    Posted on 29 January 2014 at 1:00 pm

    I just found your site through FoodGawker and I love this recipe! I’ve been looking for a good rack of lamb recipe and I’m so happy you popped up! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 29 January 2014 at 10:55 pm

      Hi, Ali! I’m so glad you found what you were looking for on my blog! 🙂 I do love this recipe, so effortless, yet delicious. Good luck!

      Reply

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