Rack of lamb

I've tried half a dozen recipes for rack of lamb. For some reason or other, most of them come out way too rare and I have to stretch the time by about 50%. And I do like my lamb medium rare!

Some of them are cooked in a hot oven for 15 minutes, others in a medium oven for 25 minutes (or whatever the writer decides is a good number on the thermometer).

Who has a recipe that will get a crusty fat-side and a medium rare center, without having to delay everything else? (I have found that the hot-oven recipes come closer to the mark for me.)

Rack of lamb comes in a range of sizes, depending on the age of the lamb. But one suggestion is to make sure you take the rack out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before roasting.

I season just with olive oil and S&P. I put onto a shallow metal pan and put into a preheated 375 F oven. I check after about 15 minutes, at which point it should be starting to sizzle. I cut a sliver into the end with a sharp knife to see how it is cooking. I might leave in another 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness.

If you wnat it crusty, finish it fat side up in the broiler for 1-2 minutes while it is still rare.

Thanks. It gives me another data point.
I agree about various sizes, and I'll be looking for a smallish one, because my mother doesn't eat very much.
I'll probably put a sprig of rosemary in the pan alongside the rack. It seems I spend half my life whacking rosemary off and chucking it in the recycle bin. It feels good to use it sometimes!

[Jenise]

John,

The hot oven approach works well. So does pan-searing the topside of the rack for color and then inverting the meat, and moving it to an oven set at round 400 to finish the meat--typically about 20 minutes. Lamb racks can vary quite a bit in thickness, so you have to make adjustments as Bernie mentioned to get each one exactly right. Do you use an instant-read meat thermometer? For medium-rare, pull the meat at about 125 and let it rest about ten minutes before serving.

Another way to get a good crust is to spread dijon mustard on the meat and then press it into a tray of panko bread crumbs. The crumbs crisp up nicely--you can chop and mix your fresh rosemary with the crumbs, too. [/u]

Most of the lambs that are in the market are about the same age. For the most part the breed is the determining factor.