This easy Grilled Rack of Lamb recipe is perfect for your next BBQ. Rich, smoky grilled lamb that’s so tender & juicy! Marinated in a tasty blend of rosemary and garlic. It’s a delicious, quick and easy dinner that’s sure to impress.
I’m all about a great grilled lamb recipe. Take these Grilled Lamb Chops with Peanut Sauce, Lamb Kebab Recipe with Sesame Sauce, and Marinated Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic for instance.
Today, I’m sticking with that trend and making a Grilled Rack of Lamb.
This delicious recipe is so flavorful!!! Plus, it’s one of the easiest grilled lamb recipes you can prepare and is sure to become a staple at summer BBQs.
The frenched bones make this elegant dish “finger food” because you can just pick up each piece by its “handle” and eat away. Gnawing away at meat has never been so classy…
Of course, you could also serve this lamb with a fork and knife on the side, but I highly suggest throwing caution to the wind and just being totally casual with this dish.
It would even work for tailgating. You’d definitely have the most popular spot in the parking lot!
Keep the traditional barbecue flavors alive with some potato salad and a glass of pinot noir on the side. Or, try one of these easy sides for BBQ.
First things first…
What is a Rack of Lamb?
Rack of lamb is a rib cut and it’s perfect for serving at dinner parties since it’s easy to estimate that you’ll want 3-4 rib chops per person. You’ll want a frenched rack of lamb, meaning that the rib bones are exposed. Most racks of lamb will already come this way, but you can also ask your butcher to do this for you.
Why Marinade?
Rack of lamb is tender and lean on its own and doesn’t always need to be marinated. However, a simple mixture of oil, lemon juice and zest, fresh rosemary, and garlic give each bite layers of earthy and vibrant flavors. It also helps to produce an extra tender, juicy, and delicious lamb chop!
I recommend marinating lamb chops for 4 to 5 hours for the best results. 30 minutes will do in a pinch or you can leave the chops in the marinade overnight if you prefer to get a head start on this recipe.
Lamb Marinade Ingredients
You only need 5-simple ingredients to make this lamb marinade:
- Olive Oil
- Garlic – I add loads (6 cloves), feel free to adjust to your preference. You can also use garlic powder.
- Fresh Rosemary – dried will also work.
- Lemon Juice & Zest – This helps tenderize the meat and adds zesty flavor.
- Salt & Pepper
How to Grill a Rack of Lamb
- Make your marinade by combining the oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Place the racks of lamb in a baking dish or ziploc bag and pour the marinade over them. Cover or seal and let the lamb marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
- Season lamb with salt and pepper allow to come to room temperature (about 20-30 minutes) while you preheat your grill.
- Prepare grill for high heat (450°F).
- Cover the bones of the lamb with foil (to prevent charring) and place on grill, fat cap side down. Close grill and let cook for 7 minutes, flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare (or see below).
- Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into individual lamb lollipops.
Rack of Lamb Cooking Temperature
It’s best to check the temperature of the thickest part of the meat with a digital thermometer. It should register as follows:
- Rare: 120-130 degrees (very red inside)
- Medium-Rare: 130-140 degrees (bright pink inside)
- Medium: 140-145 degrees (light pink inside)
- Medium-Well: 145-150 degrees (barely any pink left)
- Well-Done: 150-160 degrees (no pink)
If You Don’t Have a Grill
If you don’t have a grill – don’t worry! You have options. You can also make a rack of lamb in the oven or even sous vide a rack of lamb.
To bake in the oven, preheat the oven to 450-degrees. Bake the lamb for 20-30 minutes until the desired temperature is reached.
Rack of Lamb Pro Tips
- Don’t over-marinate the lamb. If the lamb is left marinating for more than 24 hours, the citrus will cause the meat to break down too much.
- Be sure to let your lamb come to room temperature before placing it on your hot grill. This ensures that it will grill up evenly, without the inside of the lamb being too rare.
- Cover the bones of the lamb with a piece of aluminum foil. This prevents charring.
- Use a meat thermometer! It’s much easier than eyeballing it. When the internal temperature reaches 130ºF, the lamb will be a nice medium rare.
- Leaving the grilled chops to rest for 10 minutes is necessary to seal in the delicious juices and flavor.
Sauce It Up!
- Arugula Pesto – The green color is just fantastic and I think it makes such a stunning presentation with the lamb.
- Basil Tahini Sauce – Creamy, packed with fresh basil and so delicious!
- Spicy Peanut Sauce – Satay-style sauce that’s absolutely drool-worthy.
- Mint Mustard Sauce – A classic sauce for lamb.
- Gremolata Sauce – Packed with lemon zest, garlic & fresh herbs. A flavor explosion!
- Tzatziki Sauce – Cooling & refreshing.
- More → must try sauces for lamb.
Or, try this Pistachio Basil Pesto:
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup shelled pistachios
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
How to Make It:
Place garlic in blender or food processor and pulse until chopped. Add pistachios, basil, lemon juice and salt and pulse until pistachios are finely chopped. Slowly stream in olive oil and process until combined. Add cheese and pulse briefly to just combine.
FAQ
Plan on 3-4 ribs per person. The timing of this recipe will work the same, regardless of the size of your rack of lamb.
Both. Start by cooking your lamb fat side down, then flip it to the meaty side about halfway through.
It will take about 12-minutes to grill a rack of lamb over high heat (450-degrees).
I prefer to cut the rack of lamb after grilling. This ensures optimal juiciness. After grilling the whole rack of lamb, let it rest for 10-minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Then slice it into individual ribs.
You want a hot grill for this rack of lamb. 450-degrees is the ideal temperature.
Yes. Lamb ribs are the separated pieces of a rack of lamb, which is located behind the shoulder and in front of the loin, or midsection.
Most racks of lamb already come pre-trimmed. However, if the fat on your lamb is over 2 cm thick, you will want to trim it down a bit to ensure that the fat renders properly.
Place your knife in between each bone and slice. Here’s some great info on how to get those perfect cuts.
For the perfect rack of lamb, medium-rare is the preferred doneness. For medium rare, remove it from the grill when the thickest part of the lamb reaches 130-degrees. It will continue to cook a bit as it rests.
You’ll find racks of lamb typically with eight ribs, but your butcher can cut them into smaller pieces if you’re serving less people.
To tell if lamb is done without a thermometer, make a small cut into the lamb and touch the knife to your wrist. If the knife is cold, the meat is still raw. If it’s similar to your body temperature, it’s medium rare. If it’s warm, it’s medium. And if it’s hot, it’s well done.
Wine Pairings for Grilled Rack of Lamb
- Cabernet is an always an excellent pairing with lamb.
- Petite Sirah is another great match for this grilled lamb. Its flavors of plum, berries and black pepper pair wonderfully with stronger flavored meats.
- Malbec with medium body and smooth tannins makes an excellent pairing for the rich lamb chops.
- MORE —-> my 8 favorite lamb wine pairings
What Goes With Grilled Rack of Lamb?
- Potato Salad
- Sauteed Zucchini & Squash
- Blistered Shishito Peppers
- Vinegar Slaw
- Cherry Tomato Salad
- Thai Cucumber Salad
- Arugula Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Cold Cucumber Soup
- Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
- MORE → my must try lamb side dishes
Did You Make This Grilled Rack of Lamb?
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More Grilling Recipes:
- Mango Lime Grilled Chicken
- Lamb Kebab Recipe
- Grilled Pork Medallions with Mojo Sauce
- Grilled Lamb Chops with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Grilled Rack of Lamb Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 racks of lamb (3-3 1/2 pounds total, rib bones frenched)
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (+ zest of 1 lemon )
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to season)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to season)
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt & pepper in a small bowl.
- Pour the mixture over the racks of lamb and let marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- When ready to grill, allow the lamb to come to room temperature (about 20-30 minutes) while you preheat your grill. Season the racks with salt and pepper.
- Prepare grill for high heat (450°F).
- Cover the bones of the lamb with foil (to prevent charring) and place on grill, fat side down. Close grill and let cook for 7 minutes, flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare (or see below).
- Remove from grill and let lamb rest 10 minutes. Cut into individual chops.
Notes
- Rare: 120-130 degrees (very red inside)
- Medium-Rare: 130-140 degrees (bright pink inside)
- Medium: 140-145 degrees (light pink inside)
- Medium-Well: 145-150 degrees (barely any pink left) Well-Done: 150-160 degrees (no pink)
Equipment
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2017. It was updated in 2022 to add new photographs and information. If you’re looking for the original Pistachio Basil Pesto sauce that accompanied this recipe, you’ll find it above.
I have been obsessed with pistachios lately (thanks mostly to my trying the Whole30 for a while), but I’ve only been munching on them in the shell – nothing so fancy as pistachio pesto. I’ll have to try this!
That first image made my mouth water instantly. It looks so damn delicious! I can’t wait to try it, I’m saving the recipe right now =)
Thanks Sean – I hope you enjoy!
Wow, these look beautiful and tasty! I’ve only cooked lamb once and it didn’t go so well so I’ve been hesitant ever since. I think I’ll have to give it a go again. These look to go to pass up.
Unfortunately, I have been grilling LESS this summer, but gonna change that by making some burgers today. This dish, however, looks beautiful. Great photos.
Thanks so much Ben. This weekend will definitely be a grilling weekend for me!!! Summer is going by so fast, I need to get out there and grill more for sure.