When you want an elegant dinner for a special event, this succulent Roasted Rack of Lamb with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce delivers! With a rub of garlic and thyme this succulent rack of lamb roasts up moist and tender in just 15 minutes! Serve this impressive entrée with an easy pan sauce made of red wine, fresh (or frozen) cherries and herbs. Show When I asked my husband what he wanted for our 55th anniversary dinner, I was not at all surprised to hear him say…a rack of lamb! Lamb is his favorite. He devoured his fair share of this perfectly roasted rack of lamb. And that red wine cherry sauce is so good with the lamb! ♥️ What is the best lamb to buy, American, Australian or New Zealand?In Australia and New Zealand, there are restrictions that only animals under 12 months old, without incisors, can be labeled and sold as “lamb.” The United States does not have that age restriction on their American lamb. American lamb is the largest and meatiest of the three choices. Most American lamb is raised in Colorado and the midwestern states. The lambs feed on both grass and grain and harvested at different ages than Australian and New Zealand. American lamb tends to have a more lamb-y or gamey taste when prepared. Australian lamb is a medium size animal that are entirely grass-fed on open pasture and harvested at 7 to 11 months of age. They are leaner and have a more mild flavor than the American lamb. New Zealand lamb is the smallest breed of the three and is also entirely grass-fed on open pasture and harvested between 6 and 10 months of age. The meat is very tender and buttery when cooked. New Zealand lamb is less expensive than the American or Australian lamb. When purchasing a rack of lamb look for one that has already been Frenched or ask your butcher to French it for you. I Frenched this rack of lamb myself and it is an easy process. You simply remove the meat and fat between the ribs on the first few inches of the bone. It gives the rack of lamb a more elegant look but you can definitely skip this step. There are a couple of advantages to a “Frenched” rack of lamb. First, a french rack makes a nice presentation when served. Second, it removes unnecessary fat that smokes up the kitchen while roasting.
Another benefit of a Frenched rack of lamb is, those long bones make a nice handle if you are inclined to pick up the chop like a lollipop. How to Roast Rack of Lamb :We like our lamb roasted to medium-rare, which is 125°F on an instant-read thermometer. For this 1-1/2 pound, 8-rib rack of lamb roasting in a hot 450° oven, it will take 15 minutes to reach that target. Then it will take another 10 minutes of rest time before slicing and serving. That gives you plenty of time to prepare the red wine-cherry sauce and any additional sides. The following is a brief run-down of the process to roast the lamb and whip up the sauce. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe card with full instructions and tips: steps for making the recipe
Helpful tips
For the best results, use an instant-read meat thermometer and check the meat intermittently or use a leave-in meat thermometer so you don’t have to open the oven frequently. The above links are affiliate links from ThermoWorks . They make the best thermometers we have ever used and we highly recommend them. Prepare the Red Wine-Cherry Sauce:This is a slightly thickened sauce that really compliments the roasted lamb with enough to drizzle on mashed potatoes as well. It takes but a few minutes to put together.
There you have it! It is very doable and very delicious. What to Serve with Your Lamb Dinner:This entrée just begs for mashed potatoes and we whipped up a bowl of creamy ricotta mashed potatoes. A side of steamed green beans and a crisp green salad with mint, cantaloupe,e and blue cheese completed the dinner. What about dessert? Oh, yes! This vanilla panna cotta with strawberry sauce is rich and creamy plus it is a “ make-in-advance” dessert for a no-stress finale. More Recipes You Will Love:This lavender pistachio rack of lamb is seriously gourmet. You will feel like a five-star chef when you prepare this dinner. Our butterflied herb-roasted leg of lamb is easy to prepare and makes a great dinner for special events as well as a casual family dinner. These braised Greek lamb shanks slow roast until the meat falls off the bone. The meat makes a rich, savory sauce that goes perfectly with mashed potatoes. Connect With Savor the Best:Please follow us on our social media accounts Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest * Youtube * Twitter Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below. IngredientsFor the Rack of Lamb:
For the Red Wine-Cherry Sauce:
InstructionsPrepare the Rack of Lamb:
To Roast the Lamb:
Meanwhile as the lamb is roasting and resting, make the sauce:
To Carve and Serve:
Nutrition Information: Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 565Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 696mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 35g Nutrition information is a guideline only, is calculated automatically by third-party software, and absolute accuracy is not guaranteed. |