How to Grill a Rack of Lamb

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 3, 2019 References Tested

A rack of lamb is a delicious and elegant meal for any special occasion. If you’ve bought a rack of lamb, grilling it is a great way to make your lamb with a tasty seared flavor. To grill a rack of lamb, all you have to do is trim the fat, season the meat, and cook it on the grill for about 30-40 minutes.

Ingredients

Rack of lamb
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of mustard
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice
1 teaspoon (0.5 grams) of rosemary
1 teaspoon (5 grams) of salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) of pepper

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Trimming and Seasoning the Lamb

1
Mix your seasoning ingredients if you’re using a liquid seasoning. Many recipes for grilling lamb call for it to be seasoned with a mustard-based mixture for flavor, although this is technically optional. To make a mustard seasoning, mix 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of mustard, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon (0.5 grams) of rosemary in a shallow dish.^{[1]
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- Mustard or mustard-based mixes are the most common mixtures used to flavor racks of lamb.
- If you don’t want to make a mustard-based mixture, other possible seasonings for grilled lamb include olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce.
2
Use a sharp knife to trim any excess fat off of your rack of lamb. Place your rack of lamb on a cutting board and remove any fat, meat, or connective tissue that is still attached to the bones to give your rack of lamb a more attractive presentation. Cleaning the bones will also turn them into convenient handles for when you’re eating your grilled rack of lamb!^{[2]
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- If you buy your lamb from a butcher’s shop, you can ask the butcher to cut away the fat and connective tissue for you. The process of cutting meat off of bones is called “frenching.”
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3
Season the lamb with salt, pepper, and your mustard mixture. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of salt and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) of pepper over your rack of lamb, then pour your mustard mix on top of it. Rub the mustard all over the lamb so that it’s completely covered and the flavoring is equally distributed across the rack.^{[3]
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- For a deeper flavor, place the rack of lamb inside a thick plastic bag and add the mustard to the bag. Then, leave the bag in the refrigerator overnight to allow the lamb to marinate.
4
Allow the lamb to rest for 20-30 minutes to come to room temperature. This will not only give your seasoning time to sink into the lamb, but will also bring your lamb to the ideal temperature for grilling. Meat that is grilled at room temperature comes out with a better sear, a crispier crust, and a more visually attractive browning.^{[4]
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- You don’t need to worry about getting the lamb to a specific temperature; it just needs to be lukewarm instead of cold.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Cooking the Rack of Lamb on the Grill

1
Preheat the grill to medium heat. The fire of your grill should be burning at around 350 °F (177 °C) to be considered medium heat. If you’re using charcoal, allow the coals to burn until they turn white, then push them over to the side of the grill.^{[5]
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- If necessary, clean your grill before preheating it to make sure it’s ready to cook your lamb.
2
Place the rack on the grill and cook it until it reaches 100 °F (38 °C). Position the rack of lamb so that the fat side is facing down and the lamb is directly over the burning charcoals. Use a thermometer to gauge when the lamb reaches 100 °F (38 °C). This process usually takes about 6 minutes.^{[6]
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- Cooking your lamb over direct heat will give the lamb a tasty sear once it’s finished.
- If you want to keep the bones from burning, cover them in tin foil before putting the rack on the grill. However, this isn’t strictly necessary; burned bones will have no impact on the flavor of your rack of lamb.
3
Flip the rack and baste it with liquid seasoning as necessary. After the lamb has reached 100 °F (38 °C), flip the rack so that the fat side is facing up instead of down. If you originally marinated the lamb with the mustard mixture, add any leftover mixture to the lamb before closing the grill lid.^{[7]
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4
Cook your lamb covered over indirect heat for 15-20 minutes. To put the rack of lamb over indirect heat, move it from the side of the grill with the charcoals to the opposite side. Put the lid of the grill down so that the lamb is covered.^{[8]
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- If you’d rather not move the lamb, you can also simply lower the grill temperature to low heat before closing the lid.
5
Remove the rack once it reaches your desired temperature. Cook the lamb to 130 °F (54 °C) to cook it rare or to 145 °F (63 °C) for medium rare. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat in order to gauge the temperature.^{[9]
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- If you want your lamb to be medium, cook it to 160 °F (71 °C). Well-done lamb should be cooked to 170 °F (77 °C).
6
Wrap the lamb in tin foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Wrapping the lamb in foil will allow it to continue to slightly cook after you’ve taken it off the grill. After you’ve let it rest for 10 minutes, use a sharp knife to cut the lamb into chops and serve.^{[10]
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- For the best results, cut the lamb into chops by slicing in between the bones.
- Store any leftover lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. The lamb should stay fresh for about 3-4 days.

Warnings

Do not eat lamb that has been cooked to any temperature lower than 135 °F (57 °C), as this can cause E. coli.

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