Rack of Lamb Questions

[Fat Guy]

I bought one of those cute little cryovac-packed Australian racks of lamb the other day and it was great, but I'm looking to refine my technique. Two questions:

1) How the heck do you get the package open without puncturing the meat?

2) What kinds of procedures, temperatures, etc., do you all use when cooking a small rack of lamb (approximately 1 pound, these are)?

[vengroff]

1) How the heck do you get the package open without puncturing the meat?

It's a total pain, isn't it? It's only slightly less impenetrable than the hard plastic that screwdrivers and other tools come in. I put the package bone-side down on a board, then use a small very sharp knive to cut right along the seam on the the meat end. It's where meat, bone, and plastic meet. I then carefully extend the cut along the seam at each end of the rack, back towards the bones. Usually this requires hanging the curving bones off the end of the board. This usually enables me to pull back enough plastic to get the rack out.

2) What kinds of procedures, temperatures, etc., do you all use when cooking a small rack of lamb (approximately 1 pound, these are)?

Compared to getting the package open, this is the easy part. I just roast 20-25 min at 375, until it feels medium rare. 5-10 minutes rest, then slice it into chops.

[britcook]

Not sure what state of trim they come in over there, but the best way is French trimmed, chined and with all the skin and fat removed. Brown in a hot skillet, about two minutes in total then roast on a rack in a pre-heated oven 400 (200 C) for 15 minutes. Remove, wrap loosely in foil for at least 15 minutes, unwrap slice into small cutlets and serve. You can also cut the "eye" out of the meat and treat it in similar fashion. Most recipes I have seen cook the meat for too long and don't rest it for long enough.

Edited May 14, 2003 by britcook (log)

[nervousnelli]

I buy those frequently and after wrestling with the wrapping (a kitchen scissors usually does the trick) I marinate it in fresh lemon juice, a bit of olive oil, minced onion, garlic and rosemary for a few hours or overnight. I've had great success grilling it outdoors (about 20 minutes total time) or roasting it in the oven at 350 degrees until a meat thermometer registers about 125 degrees. I always cook it very rare because the meat is very delicate. One rack serves two or three people depending on size of appetites.

[Jinmyo]

I'm with britcook on the old sear and bung in the oven except I find 10 minutes in the oven, 20 to rest.

Many different marinades are possible. A nice one is chile oil, minced garlic, ponzu, and to throw some lemon peel and coriander stems into the pan before it goes into the oven.

[tissue]

Can you tell me why you take all the fat off?

I leave some of it on.

Edited May 14, 2003 by tissue (log)

[britcook]

I take all the fat off because I like this particular cut that way, but no other reason. With Jinmyo's times they are probably closer to the ones I actually use, but 15/15 gives you a good start point.

[Fat Guy]

Not sure what state of trim they come in over there, but the best way is French trimmed, chined and with all the skin and fat removed.

This is the standard-issue "Southern Cross" Australian product one gets in the US at, for example, the Costco meat department:

http://www.scmeat.com/product3a.html

It is Frenched and ready to cook and eat.

[Adam Balic]

1) Puncture plastic with skewer etc, then cut with kitchen sissors.

2) What Britcook said.

[scamhi]

Not sure what state of trim they come in over there, but the best way is French trimmed, chined and with all the skin and fat removed. Brown in a hot skillet, about two minutes in total then roast on a rack in a pre-heated oven 400 (200 C) for 15 minutes. Remove, wrap loosely in foil for at least 15 minutes, unwrap slice into small cutlets and serve. You can also cut the "eye" out of the meat and treat it in similar fashion. Most recipes I have seen cook the meat for too long and don't rest it for long enough.

I am also in the sear and roast school. trim all fat, french bones, sear in an oven proof pan lightly coated w/ EVOO

After searing, I smear the meat with dijon mustard and then fresh breadcrumbs with finely chopped parsley, thyme, and garlic moisten this mixture with EVOO and pat on top of the dijon coated meat.

Depending on the size of the rack 10-12 minutes in a hot 425?oven. Let rest.

[Dave the Cook]

It is Frenched and ready to cook and eat.

Also cheap, compared to supermarket lamb.

Last time I paid US$6/lb. At Kroger or Publix, (when they have racks, as opposed to the usual lonely pair of 1/2-inch-thick loin chops) they start at nine or ten bucks.

[Jinmyo]

In Ottawa there is a great deal of fresh Ontario lamb available. The frozen all seems to be from New Zealand.

[Really Nice!]

1) How the heck do you get the package open without puncturing the meat?

2) What kinds of procedures, temperatures, etc., do you all use when cooking a small rack of lamb (approximately 1 pound, these are)?

1) Take a scissors and cut between ribs 1 & 2 and 7 & 8. Then cut across from one slit to the other. Do it over the sink because there will be a lot of liquid pouring out.

2) Preheat oven to 425F, sear it in an oven proof skillet, then roast it for 11 minutes per pound. For me, this is a foolproof method.

Here's a recipe I used in August 2001 when I served a bottle of 1979 Penfolds Grange.

Rack of lamb

Australian lamb from Costco ($7.99 lb)

2 slices of bread

Rosemary, fresh

Garlic, fresh

Basil, fresh

Mint, fresh

Preheat oven to 425F.

Place bread and herbs in a food processor. Process until bread crumbs form and are of uniform shape.

Rub olive oil on fat side of ribs.

Place a skillet on the stove over high heat. Add a small amount of oil. Wait for oil to get near smoke point. Place lamb in skillet, fat side down and sear for two minutes.

Turn lamb over, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and drizzle olive oil over crumbs.

Wrap foil around bones and place in oven. Cook for about 11 minutes per pound. These were about 1.45 lbs so I cooked them for 16 minutes.

Remove from oven, lightly cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. They came out a perfect medium-rare.

[Adam Balic]

Interesting to see Australian lamb mentioned. About four (?) years ago the US gov. placed heavy protectionist restrictions on the importation of Australian lamb. A small but vocal lobby group in the US had argued the case that their industry needed protection. The impression that I got was that US lamb was quite inferior to either Australian or New Zealand lamb and now that I think of it, when I think of the USA sheep farming isn't something that springs to mind. Is US lamb of poor quality in general and what percentage of meat eaten in the US (middleclass restricted) would be lamb? I was raised in a farming area and my family were sheep farmers so I ate lamb/hogget/mutton as ~90% of my red meat intake till the age of 18.

[Nick]

I always cook it very rare because the meat is very delicate. 

I completely agree with that. Lamb should never be cooked past very rare.

The best rack I've had was one that my friend with the slaughterhouse/meatshop had boned and given to me because he thought it might be too old for the retail trade (it wasn't.) I rubbed it with garlic (might have inserted a few slivers of garlic) and cooked at 350 for a very short while, then let rest - though not as long as some here recommend. It was the best lamb I've ever had.

[Fat Guy]

Is US lamb of poor quality in general and what percentage of meat eaten in the US (middleclass restricted) would be lamb?

The percentage is very low. You can read all the statistics here.

As for quality, there's a range. Jameson Farm lamb is excellent, as is a lot of the product out of Colorado. Most high-end restaurants in the US pick those products when serving lamb. But at the consumer level there's no competing with the Aussies in terms of providing plentiful, reliable, high-quality, cheap lamb.

[Dave the Cook]

...at the consumer level there's no competing with the Aussies in terms of providing plentiful, reliable, high-quality, cheap lamb.

Overall, New Zealand exports about 25% more lamb than Australia. More and more of it goes to Europe, so Americans still see a lot of Aussie meat.

The American lamb I've had has been at least as good, if not better, than any imported product. But since most Australian lamb is consumed at home (only 35% is exported; the rest is shipped directly to Adam's relatives), presumably we don't see the best of the lot very often.

Interesting factoid: China grows more lamb and mutton than anybody, by far.

[rickster]

I know a number of Americans who will not buy Australian lamb, claiming it has a stronger, more muttony taste than American lamb.

[Kim WB]

Lately, instead of the rack, I've been buying the boneless loin...a favorite recipe is with a Moroccan spice rub..and the loin gives me no waste, quick cooking, and lots of surface area to work with. This is a favorite summer recipe, with a raita like cucumber side dish...so grilling is preferred..but I will broil them on low, about 5 min on one side, about 3 minutes the second side, for rare.

[Marlene]

Here is Really Nice!'s recipe for Rack of Lamb

[WHT]

I find that a box opener or safety razor work well on Cryovac.

[Life in the kitchen]

Sorry but I believe our Rosen lamb from Colorado is some of the finest on earth.

I much prefere it's size,marbling and taste over New Zealand Lamb.

I only serve New Zealand chops as Lollipop HDO's

Domestic rack also offer you the ability to prepare a great stock from the belly flap (if not Frenched).

I say when it comes to meat "Buy American"

[pixelchef]

Is anyone able to make an educated judgement on how Ontario lamb compares to the rest of the crop? I've ONLY had Ontario lamb, and I'm wondering what exactly I'm missing. I personally find it quite delicious.

Jin, do you feel comfortable making a comparison?

[Dave the Cook]

Sorry but I believe our Rosen lamb from Colorado is some of the finest on earth.

Life in the Kitchen, don't apologize. Just send each thread participant a rack to sample, so that we can make a fair comparison. Better make it two, just to be sure.

Seriously, do you know if Rosen is distributed nationally?

[Life in the kitchen]

Dave,

I buy mine through Debragga and Masters in New York.

Many butcher shops also deal with Rosen.

Pixel, I have had excellent Canadian lamb,although we most often recieve it frozen.

I stand by domestic lamb though...Sonoma also produces some fine spring lamb (very tender legs when spit roasted)

Edited May 14, 2003 by Life in the kitchen (log)