Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb

 This recipe goes back to when Ed and I lived in Cambridge and shopped for meat for special occasions at Savenor’s Market . The mustard coating  is based on a recipe (Gigot a la Moutarde/Herbal Mustard Coating for Roast Lamb) for a 6-pound leg of lamb in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961 edition) . The cooking instructions are mine and for rare lamb. Mastering the Art of French Cooking cooking instructions are for medium rare 145 to 150 degrees F (or for those who prefer well done 160 to 165 degrees F max). When we cooked this in Cambridge and got the lamb from Jack Savenor, Julia Child’s butcher, he recommended boneless leg of lamb or lamb tenderloin for this recipe. These days I cook rack of lamb when I can find it locally.  Adjust the amount of marinade (this is really a paste) for the amount of meat (I just do the top surface of the rack of lamb). Half of the recipe below is enough for one rack of lamb.

Marinade:

½ c [grainy] Dijon-type prepared mustard
2 T soy sauce
1 clove garlic, mashed [IF clove is quite large I use 1, otherwise 2]
1 t ground rosemary or thyme [I use about 2 t crushed rosemary]
¼ t powdered ginger [I use ½ t]
2 T olive oil [I use 1 T]

Remove almost all fat from the lamb. Paint the lamb with marinade and set it on the rack of a roasting pan. The meat will pick up more flavor if it is coated several hours before roasting. If you do this, refrigerate until the last hour before cooking.

To cook rack of lamb: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook lamb for approximately 20 minutes (~15 minutes for convection) for rare (135 degrees F), 25 minutes for medium rare (140 degrees F). If oven thermometer is not automatic, check temperature 5 minutes before done time. I set thermometer for 130 degrees F. When thermometer registers 130 degrees F, I remove lamb from the oven and check the temperature in several places. If lamb is consistently 130 degrees F or above, I let it sit 5 minutes then slice chops apart and serve. Lamb will be rare.

If it is below 130 degrees F in one or more places, I return to oven until thermometer registers 135 degrees F. Again, I let the lamb sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Slice and served topped with any extra marinade from the pan.
Top with fresh Rosemary sprigs.

Reviewed 10/1/2017

Revised 3/31/2023

Revised 12/16/2023

Revised 1/4/2025