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Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Pan-seared then roasted with a parsley-forward Dijon-herb crust. Pulled at 125–128°F for medium rare. Served with mint jelly.

15 min prep · 17 min cook · 32 min total · 3 people
Family favourite

Adapted from Claude

Ingredients

people
  • 1 rack of lamb (8 ribs), frenched if possible
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.66 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 0.25 cup fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (light hand — see notes)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2.5 tbsp olive oil (1 for searing, 1.5 for the crust)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (generous, to taste) (to taste)
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper (to taste) (to taste)
  • 1 mint jelly, to serve (to taste)

Steps

  1. Bring lamb to room temp for 20–30 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels. Season generously all over with salt and pepper. Score the fat lightly if it’s thick — don’t cut into the meat.
  2. Sear. Heat an oven-safe pan (cast iron ideal) over medium-high with about 1 tbsp olive oil. Sear the rack fat-side down first for 2–3 minutes until golden. Sear the other side 1–2 minutes.
  3. Cool briefly. Move the rack off the heat and let it cool for 2–3 minutes. If it’s too hot when you apply the Dijon, the mustard slides off and the crust won’t stick.
  4. Brush with Dijon. Coat the meaty side (not the bones) with Dijon mustard.
  5. Make and press the crust. Combine the chopped parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and the remaining olive oil. Press the herb mixture firmly onto the Dijon-coated side.
  6. Roast at 425°F / 220°C. Transfer the whole pan to the oven. Start checking the temp at 10 minutes — total time is usually 10–15 minutes for an 8-rib rack (lean shorter, since the sear already gave you colour). Pull at 125–128°F for medium rare after the rest.
  7. Rest 10 minutes. Tent loosely with foil. The internal temp will rise ~5°F. Skipping this step is the difference between juicy and dry.
  8. Slice into individual chops. Serve with mint jelly on the side.

Notes

  • Temperature is everything. With a thin cut like this and no buffer for error, an instant-read thermometer turns this from a guess into a sure thing. Reference points (pull temp, before rest):
    • 120°F → rare
    • 125–128°F → medium rare (your sweet spot)
    • 130°F → medium
  • Parsley-forward crust plays better with mint jelly than the classic rosemary-heavy version — rosemary and mint compete for the same piney note. Use a light hand on the rosemary and let the jelly carry that flavour.
  • Fat cap thick? Render it longer during the sear (push to 4 min on the fat side).
  • Thinner / smaller rack → closer to 10–12 min in oven. Meatier / larger → up to 15. The thermometer is the real answer either way.

Variations (from the original source — keeping them noted in case of a change of mood):

  • Simple: skip the herb crust, finish with a squeeze of lemon.
  • Mediterranean: add lemon zest + oregano to the crust.
  • Bistro: serve with a quick pan sauce — deglaze with red wine after pulling the lamb, finish with a knob of butter.

My Notes

(your own tweaks go here)

lambdinnerholidayone-pan