Rack of Lamb: Tips, Techniques & Sauces

[CherieV]

I'm cooking my first crown rack of lamb tomorrow. Is there any common mistakes that I should watch out for? From the recipes I've read it seems pretty simple to cook. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance for the help.

[KatieLoeb]

Cherie:

Don't forget to cover the ends of the bones in foil so they don't char or burn. Then you can put those goofy little paper crowns on them and it'll look magazine perfect!

[Jan Primus]

Do you remove the silver skin and fat when prepping a rack of lamb? I've had trouble getting it off without taking some meat with it. TIA.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I sacrifice meat to get the silver skin off -- better to bite into great meat than to have to eat around the grizzle that silver skin becomes.

[Prawncrackers]

Do you remove the silver skin and fat when prepping a rack of lamb? I've had trouble getting it off without taking some meat with it. TIA.

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I've just cooked a rack of lamb this evening (see the 'Dinner' thread)!! Personally i like to leave a thin even layer of fat on the lamb as it helps with the flavour. Also if you are making a crust, scoring the fat helps to stick it on. You do have to trim any silver skin off though as it will go gristly. The key to removing silver skin on any meat - sharp knife.

[Jan Primus]

Thanks for the replies....I will be taking it off from now on, just need practice. It was your pic Prawncracker that made me think to ask this question.

[Qwerty]

Always remove silver skin. Fat is fine, leave it on, but silver skin has to go. Remember, when removing silver skin to cut from thin parts to thick parts and cut with the grain. If you do it right (and with a lot of practice) you won't really lost too much meat.

There is also something called the "fell" which is a thin, tough tissue like skin that should come off too. Usually its above a thick fat layer so it's easy to trim.

But yeah, that stuff is nasty.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Qwerty (log)

[budrichard]

Most shops either have the fell removed for them or do it before sale. You will rarely find the fell anymore but if you do, you will know it. Always remove the silver skin but the fat is up to you. I remove it to allow any seasonings/charcoal grilling flavor to get into the meat and it makes a nicer presentation.

To minimise meat loss in trimming, you need a truly sharp knife. Make a start under the silver skin and then you should be able to grasp the skin and pull towards you with tension while the knife slide along the skin/meat interface. A dull knife will cost you meat, it takes practise and time but you should end up with a nice looking product. Good luck! -Dick

[WiscoNole]

So I'm making 2 Frenched racks of lamb tonight for the family and a couple guests. I need a recipe for a sauce that is somewhat conservative, as in one that everyone will be 100% sure to like. We plan on eating at around 7 central, or 9 hours from now. What sauce can I make in that time?

[Busboy]

Last week my wife and I made a honey-mustard glaze that was quite tasty -- there are dozens of variations on the theme if you google "lamb," "mustard" and "honey."

We also made a simple rosemary/garlic compound butter.

In either case, you're talking minutes, not hours.

Good luck.

[Reefpimp]

I think a compound butter would be your best bet; or a simple pan gravy. Nothin' wrong with that, is there?

[jackal10]

Cumberland:

melted red currant jelly, port, mustard, orange rind and juice, ginger, shallots. Lots of recipes online.

Be careful not to get it on your fingers, or you will want to eat them as well...

[hummingbirdkiss]

heat a jar of red current jam (jelly if you can not find the jam is ok)

add a half cup of gin ...bring to a bit of a boil just to get the edge off the gin ..then add 1/4 cup of dijon

some fresh cracked pepper and a bit of salt

that is it...

use sparingly this is very intense..and very nice

Edited July 10, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[rockdoggydog]

I recently mixed together harissa, honey, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper, made a wonderful glaze and sauce.

Rocky

[WiscoNole]

I think a compound butter would be your best bet; or a simple pan gravy.  Nothin' wrong with that, is there?

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Will the short amount of time that the racks are in the oven produce enough drippings for gravy? I suppose I could use the little bit that will be produced by the searing of the fat side before they go in the oven...thoughts?

[Busboy]

I think a compound butter would be your best bet; or a simple pan gravy.  Nothin' wrong with that, is there?

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Will the short amount of time that the racks are in the oven produce enough drippings for gravy?

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I wouldn't bet on it.

[WiscoNole]

Ok I decided to go with the Cumberland sauce. I headed to the store and picked up everything neccessary. I'll let you guys know how everything turned out...maybe even with pics.

[APPS411]

I like to heat up a little cream, thin it w/ stock then add some dijon mustard and fresh taragon. Very versatile.

[rooftop1000]

My husband like a cold yogurt dill sauce with his,...I am addicted to a cherry jam, sherry vin glaze I have been doing on duck and lamb

tracey

[WiscoNole]

Holy cow! That Cumberland sauce will be made again very, very soon.

[Peter the eater]

I don't buy lamb racks very often. This has to change.

I found a local rack and took it home, looked up Julia Child's recipe, then spent 20 minutes "Frenching" it.

Coated it with a Dijon/rosemary/oil mixture:

Seared at 500F for 10 minutes, then another 20 at 400F with bread crumbs added:

Rested and sliced rare:

Served with roast potatoes, steamed carrots, peas and tart mint sauce:

[kingudaroad]

Looks fantastic!!

[BarbaraY]

Beautiful presentation. I can almost taste it.

[Peter the eater]

Beautiful presentation. I can almost taste it.

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My four year old kids liked it -- particularly the mint sauce.

I just wish this cut wasn't so pricey. We'll have lamb at home at least twice a month, almost always it's a leg. To me, flavor is more important than tenderness when it comes to red meat. To get both takes time and/or money.

[Peter the eater]

Six months since the last lamb rack, where does the time go?

This 8-bone cut was seven dollars, frozen and from New Zealand. Chopped into four pairs and coated with olive oil, garlic, rosemary and salt, followed by a layer of crushed corn flakes -- I thought I had bread crumbs in the freezer, oh well, it worked out really well. Served with roasted beets and cauliflower, steamed wavy-cut carrots, and basmati rice.

We should all cook more with breakfast cereal.