Discussion of Key Cuts of Lamb

Rack of Lamb

Racks are generally considered to be the “Cadillac” of lamb cuts. When people think of lamb, they probably first think of rack of lamb. It is basically the ribeye of the lamb with the rib bones attached. The rack can come fully “fabricated” (i.e., trimmed) or simply as the “hotel rack” as it’s cut from the animal at the beginning of fabrication. By hotel rack, we mean both 8-rib sections of the rack as they are attached to the vertebrae—it has a horseshoe shape look. Maybe it is called the hotel rack because long ago, hotels probably bought these type racks and then fabricated them in their meat shops. (Most hotels today do not have the time or the personnel to do this type of fabrication so they buy racks that are trimmed more extensively before they receive them.) You begin fabricating a hotel rack by first splitting the two sides of the hotel rack down the vertebrae (with a band saw) resulting in two 8-rib racks. Each section can be further fabricated by frenching the bones (removing the fat and tissue from around the bones giving it a clean, elegant appearance). You can also remove the fat cap which gets you closer to the ribeye. You can remove the blade bone underneath the fat cap and also the feather bones near the vertebrae. If you desire, you can remove everything down to the ribeye and rib bones, which makes for an elegant (if expensive) plate presentation.

Summit Creek Natural Lamb (www.summitcreeklamb.com) makes some of the finest racks in the country. The reason is that they control their lambs from birth through fabrication. This means they control the quality at every step of the way. They even select the sizes of the carcasses to control the size of the racks (and the eye-size of the racks, which pleases chefs—they usually like racks with large eye-sizes). Summit Creek also trims their racks nicely so there is a minimum of fat.

The rack can be prepared in several different ways. Probably the best ways are roasting and grilling. It’s best to sear the rack at high heat initially to seal in the juices, and then finish it at lower heat. Always remember to cook the rack no more than medium rare (it will continue to cook a little after removed from the cooking source). This will insure maximum juiciness and tenderness. As far as seasonings and marinades are concerned, you can use your imagination. You will find that experimentation results in some great flavors, so feel free to do your own thing. You might try starting with a flavor combination of fresh garlic, lemon juice, fresh cracked pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and kosher salt. You could also try a Dijon mustard rub with cracked pepper.

So the next time you are throwing a big party (or for a wedding), impress your guests by serving an elegant rack of lamb. (Rack gift boxes delivered to your door are available at www.summitcreeklamb.com.) They will love it!

Rack of Lamb Gallery

Recipes

• Mustard and Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
• Southwest Rack of Lamb
• Crown Roast of Lamb