Sous Vide Rack of Lamb

This Sous Vide Rack of Lamb recipe is juicy, tender and delicious. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare. It’s perfect for the holidays.

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When you want a recipe in your arsenal that makes a showstopper of a dinner entree suitable for any dinner party, but also want a recipe that can be on your dinner table in a hurry with little fuss, this is the recipe for you – sous vide rack of lamb

This would be the perfect dish for Thanksgiving. As written, the recipe yields two racks of lamb, about 8 ribs each, and is perfect for a family of 4-6. 

Rack of lamb sliced into chops and laid out on tray next to fresh herbs.

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 rack of lamb that has been frenched, 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.

I purchased my rack on lamb online from Capra Foods and found the quality of their lamb to be fantastic.

Equipment needed

This cooking technique requires a gadget or two. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

  • Racks of Lamb – I use two 8-bone racks of lamb, which is about 2 pounds. This serves four people.
  • Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme – Or, use your favorite herbs like oregano, sage, etc.
  • Salt + Pepper
  • Oil + Butter – For browning the finished racks of lamb.

How to sous vide rack of lamb

Set the sous vide to your desired temperature according to the chart below. I prefer 131-degrees for a perfect medium-rare.

lamb in sous vide water bath.

Season the lamb with black pepper and top with sliced garlic and rosemary sprigs.

Vacuum seal the lamb using either a vacuum sealer, or the water displacement method.

Vacuum sealed rack of lamb

Cook the lamb for 1 hour, up to four hours (see cooking time notes below).

Remove lamb, discard garlic and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Lamb seasoned with salt and pepper.

Preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Working one rack at a time, add oil, butter, rosemary and thyme. Sear lamb for one-minute per side, tilting skillet and spooning butter over it as it browns.

Remove to a cutting board and repeat with remaining lamb rack, oil, butter, and herbs.

Slice each rack into 4 double chops and serve.

Rack of lamb cooking temperatures

  • Rare: 115-124 degrees (very red inside)
  • Medium-Rare: 125-135 degrees (bright pink inside)
  • Medium: 135-144 degrees (light pink inside)
  • Medium-Well: 145-154 degrees (barely any pink left)
  • Well-Done: 155 degrees + (no pink)

How long does it take to sous vide a rack of lamb?

  • The lamb should spend at least one hour, and up to four hours in the water bath. One exception to this is if you are cooking your lamb to rare. For food safety reasons, when cooking at a temperature of 130-degrees or less, your food should spend a maximum of 2 ½ hours in the water bath. 
Seared rack of lamb in skillet.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best temperature for sous vide a rack of lamb?

For a tender, medium-rare rack of lamb, I prefer to cook at 131-degrees. See the temperature chart above for more options.

Can you overcook lamb in the sous vide?

It’s virtually impossible to overcook in the sous vide. However, I wouldn’t recommend cooking the lamb for any longer than four hours. It may become too tender and a bit mushy.

Can you sous vide a frozen rack of lamb?

Yes! You can sous vide from frozen. Simply increase the time in the water bath by 1 hour. 

How much rack of lamb per person?

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. 

What to serve with it

Wine pairings

  • Cabernet is an excellent pairing with the rich lamb.
  • Petite Sirah is another great match for this 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 rack of lamb.
  • MORE —-> my 8 favorite wine pairings with lamb.
Rack of lamb sliced into chops and laid out on tray next to fresh herbs.

More sous vide main dish recipes

More lamb recipes

Did you try this sous vide lamb rack?

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Rack of lamb sliced into chops and laid out on tray next to fresh herbs.

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb

This Sous Vide Rack of Lamb recipe is juicy, tender and delicious. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

For finishing:

Instructions

  • Set the sous vide to your desired temperature according to the chart below (I prefer 131-degrees for medium-rare).
  • Season lamb with black pepper and top with garlic and sprigs of rosemary.
  • Vacuum seal the lamb using your preferred method. 1 rack per bag.
  • Cook for 1 hour, up to four hours***.
  • Remove lamb, discard garlic and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Working 1 rack at a time, add 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. butter, 1 sprig rosemary and 1 sprig thyme. Sear lamb 1-minute per side, tilting skillet and spooning butter over it as it browns. Remove to a cutting board and repeat with remaining lamb rack, oil, butter, and herbs. Slice each rack into 4 double chops and serve.

Notes

Rare: 115-124 degrees (very red inside)
Medium-Rare: 125-135 degrees (bright pink inside)
Medium: 135-144 degrees (light pink inside)
Medium-Well: 145-154 degrees (barely any pink left)
Well-Done: 155 degrees + (no pink)
***For food safety reasons, when cooking at a temperature of 130-degrees or less, your food should spend a maximum of 2 ½ hours in the water bath. 
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 36mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg

This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2022 to add new information. The sous vide lamb rack recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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