What the hell is wrong with this country? No, I do not mean the psychosis of our political and cultural wars, though outrage about that would be justified. I mean why is only one percent of U.S. meat consumption lamb? One damn percent of a delicious, varied and versatile meat. Do we really prefer chicken? Honestly.
Sheep are seasonal animals, typically born in late winter. That’s why spring lamb—like veal from very young animals—is prized for its mild flavor and tenderness. But most lamb we get is between a few months and about a year and has that singular lightly gamey and sweet red meat flavor. (Sheep older than a year are labeled mutton, valued by some for its more advanced gaminess and texture.)
Cuts vary, as with any beast, and each has favored preparations. Ground lamb makes a tasty burger, especially with tzatziki. Shoulder and neck can be braised low and slow with tomatoes for pasta sauce. A roasted leg makes a great centerpiece for a crowd. But for elegance, deliciousness and ease of prep, it’s hard to beat rack of lamb.
Great Ways to Prepare Rack of Lamb
It’s essentially the whole tenderloin on the bone. Ask the butcher for a rack, not individual chops, Frenched—meaning with the webbing of meat between the ribs removed. The method is straightforward, with lots of variations: Season it with whatever appeals to you and roast quickly. Use a thermometer to check doneness, carve the chops to show off their rosy interiors and eat.
One classic coating is mustard, rosemary and breadcrumbs. But you can go lighter with olive oil and herbes de Provence, or head further east in the Mediterranean and use oregano or za’atar. Garlic is always good with lamb, but be careful; unlike the leg, this is a fairly delicate cut and will be overwhelmed by too much.
I am giving two recipes and calling this a Tale of Two Kellers: Thomas Keller, American fine dining chef of French Laundry, Per Se and others gives a classic preparation; Hubert Keller, one of the first wave of French chefs to embrace inclusive California cuisine and formerly of Fleur de Lys and others in San Francisco, is a bit more creative with an aromatic marinade and a pan sauce. (Between us, I don’t think a great rack of lamb needs or even benefits from a sauce though this version is interesting and representative.)
Partly there are two recipes so that you have options, but also to box the compass as far as technique and timing. Rack of lamb cooks quickly, and the doneness window is somewhat narrow. Notice that the cook times and doneness temperatures differ slightly between the recipes. There could be a number of reasons for this, but for our purposes, there is one key goal: Do not overcook it. Use a thermometer, and keep in mind that the rack will continue to cook a little while resting out of the oven.
Serve it with a gratin Dauphinoise, a salad and a bottle of Rhône red. When you carve the rack at the table, your guests will be so in awe that you will silence any discussion—political or otherwise.
Which Wines Pair Well with Rack of Lamb?
Well, it depends which recipe you choose, but let’s ask: What wine would go with either? The dish is going to have aromatic or herbaceous accents on the sweet and lightly gamey meat. You have options, but the first that pop into my head are red Rhône varieties—Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and more—and blends. These wines can have gamey notes and wild herb and spice aromas. Just for kicks, I would choose a California Rhône-style red as a nod to the chefs’ adopted homes.
Our Editors’ Recommended California Rhône Red Wine Pairings
• A vibrant, deftly balanced blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, the Calcareous Tres Violet Paso Robles 2023 (95 points, $65) mixes mocha, wild thyme, kirsch and stone notes into a core of blackberry and damson plum fruit. The finish is long, plush and filled with berry flavors.
• Decidedly savory, the Brewer-Clifton Syrah Sta. Rita Hills Perilune 2023 (92, $55) offers a bouquet of matcha, white pepper and briny olive notes that swirl into the compact core of cherry paste and plum, with dried herb and mineral details on the finish.
• A youthful and quaffable red, the Margerum M5 Santa Barbara County 2024 (91, $32) offers abundant floral and spice notes, plus bright, juicy, orange peel–laced raspberry and cherry flavors, with a hint of black tea on the refined finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Cinsault.
Recipe: How to Make Hubert Keller's Rack of Lamb with Toasted Coriander
The chef of the late, legendary Fleur de Lys in San Francisco shares a delicious recipe that would be at home on any holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 rack of lamb
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- •1 tablespoon butter
- Mint sprigs for garnish
Directions
1. In a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, add coriander and cumin seeds. Toast 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and golden; keep moving the pan to prevent seeds from burning. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, trim the lamb of any excess fat and, if not done by the butcher, scrape the bones clean. If desired, wrap each bone in foil to prevent burning.
3. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on a clean surface and place lamb rack in the middle, meaty side down. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil with 2 tablespoons of the coriander and cumin mixture and 2 tablespoons of the mint. Pour and rub in half the seasoning mix on one side of the rack of lamb. Turn the lamb over and do the same with the other side. Wrap the lamb in the plastic and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 400° F. Unwrap the lamb and scrape off most of the marinade. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over high heat until very hot. Add remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the lamb, meaty side down. Sear for 1 to 2 minutes or until browned, then flip over and brown the second side for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Put the pan into the oven and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until it reaches the desired doneness (130° F to 135° F for medium-rare). Remove the lamb to a platter, cover with foil and set aside.
6. Pour out the fat from the skillet but leave any bits on the bottom. Put over medium-high heat. Add the honey and remaining coriander and cumin seeds. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until honey becomes golden. Add the red wine and remaining mint. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until reduced by one-half, with a thick, syrupy consistency.
7. Add beef broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in butter. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and keep warm. Carve the lamb into chops and place on a serving platter. Sauce the lamb, then garnish with mint sprigs. Serves 2.
Recipe: How to Make Thomas Keller’s Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Recipe adapted from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home: Family-Style Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 frenched, 8-bone racks of lamb (2 to 2 1/4 pounds each)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Canola oil
- Garlic confit (instructions below)
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 to 5 anchovy fillets, rinsed, dried and minced
- 11/2 cups ground panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
- Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Directions
1. Score the fat covering the lamb in a cross-hatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. Season the racks on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Put one rack fat-side down in the pan and sear until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; carefully move the lamb as it sears to brown as much of the fat as possible. Transfer the lamb to the roasting rack, meat side up. Drain the fat, and reheat the pan, adding fresh oil. Repeat with the remaining rack.
3. To make garlic confit: Peel 1 cup of garlic cloves. and place them in a saucepan. Cover them completely with canola oil, and cook gently over medium-low heat (no bubbles should break the surface) for 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the cloves are completely tender when pierced by a knife. This works best with a heat diffuser, or move the pan partially off the heat to keep oil from boiling. Allow the garlic to cool in the oil. Unused confit may be refrigerated in the oil up to 1 week.
4. Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl; set aside. Combine the butter, 4 cloves garlic confit and anchovies in a small food processor and puree until smooth.
5. Transfer the puree to a medium bowl, and stir in the bread crumbs, parsley and rosemary to combine. Do not overmix.
6. Brush the mustard mixture over the fat and meat, but not the underside of the racks. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the racks, pressing gently and patting them so the crumbs adhere. (The lamb can be refrigerated on the rack in the roasting pan for up to 6 hours, but remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.)
7. Position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
8. Put the lamb in the oven, meat side toward the back, and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, until the temperature in the center of the meat registers 128° F to 130° F. Let the racks rest on the rack in a warm place for 20 minutes for medium-rare.
9. Carve each rack into four 2-bone chops, and arrange them on a platter. Sprinkle with gray salt or sea salt and serve. Serves 8.
