Have you just invested a significant chunk of your food budget on a rack of lamb for that special event dinner entrée and now you are a little nervous about how to prepare it? Let us help you out! We are excited to share our recipe for Sous Vide Rack of Lamb.
The sous vide cooking method is easy and gives perfect results every time! We have coated the rack of lamb with a mash of garlic and chopped fresh rosemary which adds incredible flavor to this succulent, juicy lamb. Cooked in the water bath to precise doneness, this entrée is ideal for your next special occasion dinner.
This is a great way to cook a rack of lamb and you may also like to try our recipes for Sous Vide Filet Mignon, for impeccable results as well as our Sous Vide Tomahawk Steak or our Sous Vide Wild Turkey Breast.
What is the Sous Vide Cooking Method?
This method of cooking was developed in France in the early 1970’s, It is used worldwide by professional chefs in many high-end restaurants. The sous vide method of cooking has recently become available for home kitchens.
Sous-vide involves cooking a vacuum-sealed item for an extended period of time in a circulating water bath that has been set at a precise temperature. The food cooks to that precise temperature that you set the water bath control unit.
Why You Will Love This Sous Vide Recipe:
- Setting the unit to the exact temperature you desire gives you perfect results maintaining a juicy, succulent flavor to the lamb.
- The rack of lamb can be cooked in advance and held at that temperature for several hours without worry of over cooking.
- Frees up your time to prepare additional dinner sides like this crisp Sugar Snap Pea Salad or these easy Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and a pan of perfectly Roasted Asparagus .
The Ingredients:
The shopping list for our sous vide rack of lamb is short. Only a few ingredients are used to enhance the flavors in this recipe, allowing the lamb to shine. You don’t need many additions when you cook a lamb with such immaculate results.
- Frenched 8-bone rack of lamb
- Garlic, minced or grated
- Fresh rosemary
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Equipment Needed:
- A sous vide immersion circulator
- Cast iron skillet
- Large pot or food container to heat the water in.
How to Cook The Best Lamb:
This is a quick overview of how easy it is to make sous vide rack of lamb. Please scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe card, which includes all the instructions, details, and notes.
- Mix the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper together.
- Rub the garlic mixture over the lamb, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Fill the sous vide container with water, place the sous vide unit in the water temperature to your desired doneness (see the temperature chart below).
- Place the rack of lamb in a food grade bag. Remove the air and seal the bag.
- Place the lamb into the water and cook for the specified amount of time (see the chart below).
- Transfer the lamb to a plate and pat it dry.
- Heat a cast iron skillet and sear the lamb on each side to a golden brown.
- Transfer to a cutting board, slice between the bones and serve.
If you like this recipe, I’m sure you will love our lamb Osso Bucco casserole.
Temperature Chart for Sous Vide Rack of Lamb:
| Desired Doneness | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Very rare | 115°F to 120°F |
| Rare | 120°F to 129°F |
| Medium-rare | 130°F to 134°F |
| Medium | 135°F to 144°F |
| Medium-well | 145°F to 154°F |
| Well-done | 155°F and up |
*For food safety concerns, if you cook at a temperature of 130 degrees or less, the lamb should not be left in the water bath for more than 2-1/2 hours.
Tips For Success:
- Lightly score the fat cap of the lamb so more flavor from the rub can infuse into the meat.
- Choose Australian or New Zealand lamb. American lamb often has a stronger lamb flavor. Plus it is usually more expensive.
- A rack of lamb may already be Frenched, if not, ask your butcher to do it for you.
- The garlic-rosemary coated lamb can be refrigerated up to 8 hours in advance.
- The ends of the bones are sharp and should be covered with foil to prevent puncturing the sous vide bag.
- Use a high-heat oil such as grapeseed, avocado or canola when searing the lamb.
Frequently Asked Questions
The timing will depend on how well done you like your lamb. Refer to the chart for temperature and time. For food safety reasons, if you cook at a temperature of 130-degrees or less, the lamb should not stay in the water bath for longer than 2 ½ hours.
That depends on how you like your lamb cooked. Refer to the chart above and keep the following references in mind: 125°F will be red and vibrant inside. 132° will cook the meat to a bright pink and it will be tender and juicy. At 140°F it will have a very light pink color and the meat will be much firmer but still retain some juiciness. At temperatures above 149°F, you won’t see any pinkness and the meat begins to get quite firm.
A rack of lamb is a cut made up of seven or eight ribs. Sometimes the bones get separated and sold as individual chops, but full racks make a stunning display.
One rack usually serves between two to three people. Since each rib is small, you should estimate approximately 3 ribs per person. To be honest, two ribs make a sufficient serving for me.
Yes. You will need to increase the time in the water bath by one hour. For the best flavor, we recommend starting the rack of lamb from a thawed state. Frozen meat will not have time to absorb the flavors from the garlic and rosemary rub.
Some Other Recipes You Will Love:
- Pan Seared Lamb Chops: Serve these juicy, tender lamb chop for your next date-nite dinner. The garlic marinade cooks into an amazingly delicious pan sauce to spoon over the chops.
- Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb: A whole roasted leg of lamb is an impressive masterpiece that will serve a large crowd of dinner guests. This succulent, buttery herb roasted leg of lamb is tender and juicy. It is the perfect This is entrée for your next special event.
- Instant Pot Lamb Shanks: These lamb shanks cook in record-time when you use your instant pot. We served these fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shanks in a rich, self-making gravy!
- Persian lamb shanks: The lamb shanks cook with warm Persian spices like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, turmeric, and dried rosebuds.
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Sous Vide Garlic-Rosemary Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
- 1 rack of lamb (8-bones, Frenched), 1-1/2 pound (see notes)
- 4 clove garlic minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Lamb:
- Use a sharp knife to lightly score the fat cap on the meaty top side of the rack. Make diagonal slits about 1-inch apart. Do not cut into the meat.
For the Garlic-Rosemary Mix:
- Add the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a small dish and blend together, mashing with the back of a tablespoon.
- Spoon the mixture onto the scored lamb and rub it into the slits and crevices.
- Place the lamb on a plate, cover lightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (you can leave it in the fridge overnight for more flavor infusion).
Prepare the Sous Vide and Cook the Lamb:
- Fill the sous vide container with water. Place the sous vide unit in the water and set it for your desired doneness (see temperature table below).
- Remove the rack of lamb from the refrigerator. Wrap strips of foil around the tips of the bones to keep them from puncturing the bag. Place it into a sous vide bag or plastic zipper-type bag. Remove the air either with a vacuum sealer or the water displacement method.
- When the water reaches the selected temperature place the bagged lamb into the water and cook for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 4 hours (see the timing chart below).
To finish the Lamb:
- Remove the lamb from the water bath, open the bag and transfer the lamb to a plate. Remove and discard the foil from the bones. Pat the lamb with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the pan is smoking hot, sear it for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until it is golden brown.
To serve:
- Transfer to a cutting board and slice the lamb between the bones and serve 2 to 4 chops per person.
Notes
- We suggest buying either Australian or New Zealand lamb. American lamb often has a stronger flavor.
- A rack of lamb will generally already be Frenched, if not, ask your butcher to do it for you.
- The herb-coated lamb can be refrigerated longer than 30 minutes and up to 8 hours in advance.
- The ends of the bones are sharp and should be covered with foil to prevent puncturing the sous vide bag.
- When searing the lamb we suggest using a high-heat oil such as grapeseed, avocado, or canola.
- Be sure to turn on the stove fan/vent and open the doors as the searing creates a lot of smoke.
Temperature and Times for Sous Vide Rack of Lamb
- Very rare to rare: 115°F to 124° = 1 to 2-1/2 hours
- Medium-rare: 125°F to 134°F = 1 to 4 hours (2-1/2 hours max if under 130°F
- Medium: 135°F to 144°F = 1 to 4 hours
- Well-done: 155°F = 1 to 4 hours
angiesrecipes
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
So perfectly juicy and tender!
Dahn Boquist
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
Thanks Angie