We love lamb and especially enjoy a nicely done rack of this tasty meat. This recipe for Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb is a good way to get a flavorful crust on a lamb rack without making it too heavy or bready. It is a delicate crust, but that is part of what we enjoy!
Picking out a Rack of Lamb
Can you choose any rack of lamb?? Sure, but we prefer the taste of lamb that is raised in Australia or New Zealand to lamb raised in Europe or the United States. The flavor is a bit more delicate and less assertive, but this is personal preference. If that lamby flavor isn't quite your thing, try to look for lamb from down under (Australia or New Zealand) instead.
Flavors that Pair with Lamb
There are three items worth talking about that pair perfectly with a roasted rack of lamb. The first two are classic and might be obvious – mint and mustard. These are classic flavor pairings with lamb but are often served as an either/or. But mustard and mint pair well and really make this dish shine.
We tried several mustard options for this dish. We found that smooth Dijon mustard is the best choice for making the crust work while also providing the best flavor without being overpowering.
The Sauce
The third item that pairs nicely here is a bit different for lamb, but it is spectacular! The sauce is essentially a mint beurre blanc (or white butter) sauce of French origin. In fact, we make many versions of butter sauces, and they usually start with some sort of wine. Here, a dry or semi-dry wine works best. Our preference for this dish is a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. The wine has a bit of citrusy sweetness without really being “sweet.”
A beurre blanc with lamb, though? Does it seem crazy that we’d pair a sauce most often associated with chicken or fish with a roasted rack of lamb?? Most often, lamb gets a deep, rich sauce or a creamy yogurt sauce, but we love how this sauce brightens the dish overall making it a bit less heavy and rich. It tastes great and works, so gimme! We hope you enjoy it as well!
Enjoy!
We hope you enjoy this recipe for Mustard Crusted Lamb with Mint Beurre Blanc! If you give it a try, leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine!
Looking for more recipes like this? Check these out:
- Caffè Mocha Lamb Lollipops
- Habanero Honey Soy Rack of Lamb cooked Sous Vide
- Elevated Pork Chops and Fennel Applesauce
- Peppercorn Crusted Steak with Brandy Cream Sauce
📖 Recipe
Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
For the Lamb
- 1 Rack of Lamb (approx 2-3 lbs)
- ⅓ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt – divided
- ¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 5 tablespoon clarified butter
For the Sauce
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot – finely chopped
- ¾ cup white wine
- ⅛ teaspoon (pinch) kosher salt
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped mint
Instructions
Crust the Lamb
- Trim the lamb of excess fat and French the bones if desired. Dry the lamb as much as you can and set aside on a wire rack over a small pan or sheet tray. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, black pepper, 2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and the finely chopped mint leaves.
- Coat the lamb with the mustard mixture. Let the lamb rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to several hours on your wire rack. After the lamb has rested, in a separate bowl combine the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and the breadcrumbs. Gently coat the lamb with the breadcrumbs and set aside.
Cook the Lamb
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- In an oven proof pan (cast iron works the best) heat the clarified butter over medium heat. Gently place the rack of lamb bone side down in the pan. Baste the sides and top of the lamb with the hot clarified butter. Do not flip the lamb as the coating is delicate and may stick to the pan, which will cause the coating to come off the meat.
- Once you’ve basted your lamb for a few minutes, remove from the stove and pour off excess clarified butter. Put the cast iron with the lamb into the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 120-125°F (see note). The roasting should take between 18 and 22 minutes, so temp your roast at about the 16-minute mark so you have an idea of how much longer you’ll need.
- When done, remove the lamb from the oven and place on a cutting board. Tent the roast with aluminum foil (not tightly) and let the meat rest for 10-12 minutes before cutting.
Prepare the sauce
- This can be done while the lamb roasts. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the peppercorns and toast them, moving the pan often, for about a minute to release the oils and intensify the flavor. Remove the peppercorns to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same saucepan, add the oil and heat over medium. Add the shallots and sweat them until they are translucent. Cook the shallot until the edges start to show some brown color. Once they do, add back the peppercorns, and carefully pour the wine in. Simmer the wine until there is about a quarter cup of liquid left.
- Strain the sauce, reserving the liquid and pressing on the solids to remove all juices. Discard the solids and add the liquid back to the pan. Add the kosher salt and reduce until there is about a tablespoon of liquid remaining. Leave this on low until your lamb is out of the oven.
- Once the lamb is out of the oven and resting, remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Once three tablespoons of butter have been incorporated, add the mint, and stir it in. Continue to add the butter until completely incorporated. If the sauce cools off too much to melt the butter, put the pan back over low heat to warm it up. Do not ever bring the sauce back to a boil or it will break. Taste and adjust for seasoning if necessary.
Serve
- Slice the lamb into double or single chops. Serve with the mint butter sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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