Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Rack of lamb is one of those things that sounds much more technically demanding than it actually is. The crust does most of the work — it protects the meat, basts it as it roasts, and delivers an enormous amount of flavour in a short cooking time.
I have made this for dinner parties and for Tuesday nights. It works for both. The key is the sear before the oven — without it the crust goes on raw meat and you lose the flavour foundation that makes everything else better.
Use a meat thermometer the first time you make this. Once you have seen what 57°C looks like when you cut into it, you will not need it again. Medium-rare lamb is something genuinely special.
How to Make Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Two-stage cooking: a hard sear on the stovetop, then a fast roast in a very hot oven. The rest does the rest.
All Ingredients
1. 1. Prepare the Lamb
- 1
Take lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking — this is not optional, cold meat seizes in a hot pan
- 2
Pat completely dry with paper towels. Season heavily all over with salt and pepper
- 3
Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F)
2. 2. Sear
- 1
Heat a thin film of oil in an oven-safe skillet over high heat until smoking
- 2
Sear fat-side down for 2–3 minutes until deep golden brown
- 3
Sear each remaining side for 1 minute, then transfer to a plate to cool for 5 minutes
3. 3. Crust & Roast
- 1
Mix breadcrumbs, garlic, rosemary, parsley, and olive oil until the crumbs are evenly moistened
- 2
Brush the seared lamb with Dijon mustard, then press the herb crust firmly over the mustardy surface
- 3
Roast 20–22 minutes for medium-rare, 25 minutes for medium. Rest 8–10 minutes before carving
How to Serve
Slice between each bone into individual cutlets and arrange crust-side up on a warm platter. Do not lay them flat — standing them up or leaning them keeps the crust from getting soggy against the plate.
Creamy mashed potato or white bean puree underneath is ideal. Roasted asparagus or broccolini alongside. A simple red wine jus or a mint gremolata if you want to go the extra step.
The Recipe
Prep20 min
Cook25 min
Total45 min
Serves4
DifficultyMedium
Ingredients
for 4 serves
Instructions
Remove the lamb racks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F). Pat the lamb completely dry with paper towels and season generously all over with salt and pepper.
Heat a thin film of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over high heat until smoking. Sear the lamb racks fat-side down for 2–3 minutes until deep golden-brown, then sear each side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
While the lamb cools, combine the breadcrumbs, minced garlic, rosemary, parsley, and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl. Mix well until the breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Brush the fat-side and meaty side of each rack generously with Dijon mustard. Press the herb-breadcrumb mixture firmly all over the mustardy surface, creating an even crust about 5mm thick.
Stand the racks upright in a roasting tin with the bones interlocked to support each other (or lay them flat on a rack). Roast in the preheated oven for 20–22 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature 57–60°C / 135–140°F), or 25 minutes for medium.
Rest the lamb loosely tented with foil for 8–10 minutes before carving. Slice between each bone into individual cutlets and serve immediately, crust-side up, alongside roasted vegetables or creamy mashed potatoes.
Tips & Notes
Rest the lamb. This is not negotiable. Cutting into it too early sends all the juices onto the board instead of staying in the meat. 8 minutes minimum under loose foil.
The internal temperature you are aiming for: 57–60°C (135–140°F) for medium-rare. Pull it from the oven at 55°C — it will carry-cook to the right temperature while resting.
Fresh breadcrumbs from day-old sourdough make a noticeably better crust than dried packaged breadcrumbs. Pulse the bread in a food processor — it takes 20 seconds and makes a real difference to the texture.
Ask your butcher to french-trim the bones. It costs nothing extra and makes the presentation completely different. The cleaned white bones look stunning on the plate.
If the crust is browning too fast before the meat is cooked, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Total Fat
- 35 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 320 mg
Values are estimates. Actual nutrition may vary.
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