Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
A rack of lamb is a delicious, simple, and quick way to serve lamb to a crowd. Have you ever considered turning those racks into a showstopping crown of lamb? It’s called a «crown» for the circular shape it takes once assembled. This stunning dish is much easier to prepare than you may realize—you only need a sharp knife, string or butcher’s twine, a can, and aluminum foil.
The racks of lamb will need to be french trimmed, cutting away excess fat on the exposed rib bones and scraping off any meat. The process is done mainly for aesthetic reasons, but you may want to ask your butcher to take care of it for you.
For the ultimate success with this dish, use fresh spring lamb not frozen.
«It looks so impressive but this crown of lamb roast is actually quite simple and easy to make. The red wine pan sauce is delicious, especially with a pinch of truffle salt.» —Danielle Centoni
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
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2 (1-pound) lamb racks, French trimmed
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1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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2 teaspoons sea salt
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1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2 sprigs fresh rosemary
For the Gravy:
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1/2 cup good red wine
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1 cup beef, lamb, or chicken stock
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1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
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Sea salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garish
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Roasted potatoes, for serving, optional
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Roasted vegetables, for serving, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 40 minutes (it will be difficult to cut and shape the lamb if it is too cold).
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Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425 F. Flip the lamb over so that the bones are facing you. Using a sharp boning knife or chef’s knife, make a 1-inch incision between the bottom of each bone on both racks.
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Turn the lamb so the bones are facing away from you. Slice under the bones (no more than 1/2-inch) along the entire length of the rack. This incision is where you will be tying kitchen twine to form a circular "crown" shape. Be extra careful not to cut too deep or the meat will separate from the bone and possibly tear when you shape it.
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Lay the racks fat-side up, on a work surface in front of you. Rub the fat side of a rack with half the olive oil, and half of the salt and pepper. Gently rub and press the salt and pepper into the fat to help it stick. Repeat with the second rack and remaining ingredients.
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Stand the racks up, resting the bones on the work surface, and gently bend each into a semi-circle with the fat/meat side toward the inside. Press the racks together to form a circle.
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Measure the diameter of the inside of the crown (you don’t need to be too precise, you just need an approximate size) and find a can or jar to fit comfortably in the middle. Cover the can or jar with aluminum foil. The covered jar will help to support the lamb while you tie the twine.
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With a length of kitchen twine long enough to tie around the racks twice, slip the twine into the sliced space under the bones. Pull firmly—but not too tightly or you'll cut into the meat—and secure with a knot.
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With another double length of twine, tie twice around the center of the crown, pull firmly, and secure with a knot. Remove the can or jar. The crown will stand up very nicely all by itself.
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Place the lamb onto a rack in a roasting pan, lightly scrunch up the foil you used to cover the can, and pop this into the center of the crown (the heat reflected by the foil helps to cook the lamb). Wrap each of the exposed bones with a small piece of foil to prevent them from burning during roasting. Slip the sprigs of rosemary into twine around the crown to infuse the lamb with wonderful flavor and aroma.
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Roast to your preferred doneness. Using a temperature probe will give you a precise guide by measuring the internal temperature of the meat.Rare: 115 to 120 F; medium-rare: 120 to 125 F; medium: 130 to 135 F; medium-well: 140 to 145 F; well-done: 150 to 155 F. If you don’t have a probe, roast 30 to 35 minutes for medium, reducing or adding 5 minutes each way for more or less doneness.
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Once cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and transfer the lamb to a cutting board, leaving the roasting juices behind in the pan. Tent the lamb with foil and let rest for 15 minutes while you make the gravy. The internal temperature of the lamb will rise about 5 degrees more as the lamb rests. This is known as carryover cooking.
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Place the roasting pan with the juices on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once the juices start to bubble, add the red wine, stir and scrape up any browned bits stuck on the pan with a wooden spoon.
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Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and let the sauce reduce by one-third.
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Combine the flour and butter in a bowl to form a thick paste.
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Once the sauce has reduced, turn the heat to high, add the flour paste, whisking until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Strain into a warmed gravy pitcher. Gently remove the rosemary sprigs and kitchen twine from the lamb. Serve the lamb on a platter garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs, hot gravy, roast potatoes, and vegetables, if desired.
Tips
- The crown in this recipe is unstuffed. There are delicious recipes for stuffed versions, which make a complete dish by themselves. Filling the center of the crown with a stuffing makes judging the correct internal temperature a little tricky, so you may opt to cook the stuffing separately, filling the crown before serving, or serve it as a side.
- Our all-time favorite potato dish to serve with a crown roast of lamb is gratin dauphinoise, a classic accompaniment which can be baked in the oven once the lamb is removed.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 to 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 549 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 39g | 50% |
| Saturated Fat 18g | 90% |
| Cholesterol 143mg | 48% |
| Sodium 993mg | 43% |
| Total Carbohydrate 3g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 44g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 3% |
| Calcium 36mg | 3% |
| Iron 4mg | 22% |
| Potassium 558mg | 12% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
