The idea of cooking a rack of lamb may be very intimidating to some. But the truth is, it’s really simple to make. This piece of protein is the perfect showstopper for any occasion. Holiday’s to dinner parties, everyone is always impressed with this centerpiece dish. Lamb is a tender, lean cut that is full of mouthwatering flavors. With summer entertaining in full swing, I made a grilled rack of lamb. Yes, it’s OK to enjoy this dish all year round. I made a refreshing yogurt based sauce that is perfect for dipping the single sliced lamb lollipops.
How to properly prep a rack of lamb
First, you will need to clean up the ribs if you purchased a rack of lamb with the fat around the bones. This is for presentation purposes only. It’s very simple to achieve this elegant look. With a trimming knife, slide down the side of the rib until you reach the loin. Next, cut across until you reach the adjacent rib and repeat that the downward cut on the other side. Once the ribs are fully visible, trim off any access fat on the front of the ribs and by the loin.
Keep the seasoning simple with salt, pepper and garlic powder only. I used Feges Beef rub which is a pre-made mixture with all the above spices. Lamb is very flavorful by itself, you do not want to take away from the natural taste of this protein. Just a slight enhancement is all it needs. Before seasoning, coat the loin slightly with olive oil. This will work as a binder for your seasoning.
How to grill the perfect rack of lamb.
Get the grill nice and hot at 450 degrees. Start with searing the rack of lamb on direct heat and then move it over to indirect heat until the lamb reaches 125 degrees internal temperature.
Remove the grilled rack of lamb off the grill, and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into single serve lollipops.
Homemade mint and garlic sauce.
While the lamb is on the grill, time to prep the sauce. Since it’s summer, I wanted to keep the sauce light and fresh. The creaminess of the greek yogurt is the perfect base for the sauce. The freshness of the mint and the spiciness of the garlic is the perfect compliment to the grilled rack of lamb.
For the sauce, I used plain greek yogurt, mint, garlic cloves, freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. Blend all the ingredients together until you get a thick liquified sauce.
Serve the sauce along side the sliced lamb lollipops and enjoy!
Printer Friendly Recipe:
Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
Lamb Ingredients
- 2 lbs Rack of lamb
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Rosemary
- 1/2 cup Chopped parsley
Instructions
Grilling Rack of Lamb
- With a trimming knife, slide down the side of the rib until you reach the loin. Next, cut across until you reach the adjacent rib and repeat that the downward cut on that side. Once the ribs are fully visible, trim off any access fat on the front of the ribs as well as the loin.
- Next, chop all the herbs which include rosemary, parsley and garlic.
- In a foodbag, crush up the shelled pistachio's and mix them in with the herbs.
- Finally, add some pepper for another layer of flavor.
- Spread the dry ingredients on a tray and roll the rack of lamb in it. Make sure to cover all the meaty sides.
- Get the grill nice and hot at 450 degrees.
- Start with searing the rack of lamb on direct heat and then move it over to indirect until the lamb reaches 125 degrees internal temperature.
- Remove off the grill and let the lamb rest for 10 minutes
Be sure to visit the Recipes page for other tasty ideas.
