Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Lamb Recipes Roast Rack of Lamb This impressive entree is surprisingly easy to pull off. Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Servings: 2 Jump to recipe Martha's rack of lamb recipe features a fragrant, herby breadcrumb coating and juicy, gorgeously roasted meat. To bring big flavor to the crust, you'll combine fresh mint and parsley with garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, and breadcrumbs. Searing the meat before applying the coating caramelizes the exterior while contributing plenty of savory depth, which will continue to build as the meat roasts to perfection in the oven. Aside from resting time, the dish comes together in about an hour and makes an impressive, elegant meal. Cut the rack into individual chops for a succulent starter or serve it as an entrée for two. Either way, prepare to wow with this classic dish. 35 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes for Stress-Free Entertaining Credit: Jake Sternquist Buying Lamb for This Recipe When it comes to shopping for this dish, Martha has some key tips: Specify that you would like the rack cut from the loin end, which is the meatiest part of the rack of lamb, and where the "eye" (or tender meaty section) is the largest.Check that the meat is deep red in color with a firm texture and fine grain.Take a look at the fat as well: It should be pearly white, not yellowy or browned.Ask your butcher to remove the chine bone, which runs along the meaty side of the rack. If the bone is left on, it'll be extremely difficult to separate the chops after roasting. How to French a Rack of Lamb While not crucial, you may want to French the rack. Frenching means removing the meat between the bones before cooking. It gives the dish a much more attractive presentation. Watch the video for a demonstration from Martha, or follow these steps to get it done: Using a sharp paring or boning knife and starting at one end of the rack, slice downward along one rib bone, then angle your knife just before reaching the meat and cut upwards along the next bone to remove the thin strip of fat, gristle, and bit of meat that connects them.Next, make a shallow cut into the fat on the top side of the rack, just above where the meat and bones connect.Angle your knife slightly and slice toward the cut side of each bone to remove the fat. Since you'll be pulsing the herbs in a food processor to make the crumb mixture, you can use both the leaves and tender stems for this recipe, which makes your fresh herbs go further and helps cut down on food waste. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Remove lamb from refrigerator; make crumb mixture: Let lamb rest at room temperature 1 hour, covered with plastic wrap. Place parsley, breadcrumbs, mint leaves, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary; set aside. Preheat oven; trim fat from lamb and season: Heat oven to 400°F. Trim all but 1/4 inch fat from lamb, then pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper. Credit: Jake Sternquist Sear lamb: Heat a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan and heat until shimmering. Place lamb in pan fat side down, and sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove lamb from pan and let cool 10 minutes. Pour off excess fat from pan. Credit: Jake Sternquist Spread yogurt over fat side of lamb and top with breadcrumb mixture: Use an offset spatula to spread yogurt evenly over browned (fat) side only, then top with breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently with your fingertips to adhere. Return to pan, coated side up. Credit: Jake Sternquist Credit: Jake Sternquist Credit: Jake Sternquist Roast: Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 125°F (for medium-rare) when inserted through the eye (or midpoint of one side) of the rack, 18 to 24 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes to allow temperature to rise and juices to redistribute. Credit: Jake Sternquist Slice and serve: Slice rack between bones and serve with mint jelly if desired, and garnish with mint sprigs. How to Store Leftover Rack of Lamb If you're lucky enough to have leftover rack of lamb, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to four days. Enjoy the tasty nuggets of meat cold with a dab of mustard, or reheat the ribs, covered, in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven until warmed through. What to Serve With Roast Rack of Lamb Essential condiment: Whether you're serving this recipe as a starter or main, you can't go wrong pairing it with verdant mint jelly, a classic accompaniment, or our tangy fresh mint sauce. Sides: For a starchy side, consider some herby orzo or these roasted potatoes, which get a bright boost from oregano and lemon. Vegetables: A springy pick like asparagus would be an excellent addition to the spread. Try our sauteéd asparagus with lemon or simply boil some spears and serve them with a drizzle of creamy mustard sauce. Feeling peas instead? Check out these sweet peas with shallots and gem lettuce or have the best of both worlds with this nutty pea and asparagus salad. 5 More Lamb Recipes to Try Seared Lamb Loin Chops Roast Leg of Lamb With Garlic and Herbs Curry-Yogurt Marinated Lamb Kebabs Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops With Herb Aioli Lamb and White Beans With Rosemary Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.