Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Seared, crusted with garlic and soft herbs, roasted to medium-rare.

Serves 4
  1. Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot, at least 2 minutes.
  2. Pat the racks dry and rub them all over with 1½ tsp (4.2 g) of the salt and ¾ tsp (1.5 g) of the pepper. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet and sear the racks, in two batches if needed, until browned on all sides but not the ends, about 10 minutes per batch. Move them to a small roasting pan.
  3. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
  4. Stir together the garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, olive oil, and the remaining ½ tsp (1.4 g) salt and ½ tsp (1 g) pepper. Coat the meaty side of each rack with the herb mixture, pressing it on. Roast 15 to 25 minutes, until a thermometer inserted diagonally into the center reads 125°F (52°C). Tent loosely with foil after 15 minutes so the frenched bones do not burn.
  5. Rest, covered, 10 minutes; the temperature will carry to 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare. Cut each rack into 4 double chops.

Macros

Energy620 kcal
Protein45 g
Fat48 g
Carbohydrate1 g
Sodium700 mg

Per serving of two double chops, estimated. The dominant variable is how thin the fat cap is trimmed, which can swing the fat figure by 15 g per serving either way; bone weight is excluded. The rub goes on before the sear, so a good deal of that salt ends up in the pan. Salt the racks an hour ahead and pat them dry before searing if you want the seasoning to land more predictably.