When it’s up to you to deliver a stunning centerpiece roast for a holiday feast, this will fit the bill perfectly.
This is truly one of those special occasion roasts. Serve it “cathedral style” or as individual chops, either way, your guests will be blown away. And just wait until they take that first bite. Serve alongside roasted balsamic potatoes for an unforgettable feast.
How To Make Roast Rack of Lamb Persillade
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The Ingredients You Will Need
You may need to order your rack of lamb ahead of time, so check with your local butcher, or order online. See below for more information on what you’ll need to have on hand:
Racks of lamb – Australian or domestic are both excellent. Ask for them to be Frenched, which means some of the meat and fat is cut away from the bones. We often order our racks from D’Artagnan.
Oil – Olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil.
Seasonings – Salt and pepper are all you need.
Mustard – We prefer any kind of Dijon mustard.
For the Persillade:
Bread crumbs – Panko are great. If using fresh, use a day, or two-day-old baguette, remove the crust, and pulverize in your food processor.
Shallot – Finely chopped.
Garlic – Minced.
Herbs – Fresh is best: Parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
Lemon – The zest from one whole lemon.
Butter – Unsalted, melted.
Stock – Chicken or vegetable.
Seasonings – Salt and pepper.
EXPERT TIP: You’ll want to roast the racks in a large roasting pan, fat-side up. Brush olive oil all over and then sprinkle generously with salt (Kosher is recommended) and freshly ground pepper. A digital thermometer ensures you reach the ideal internal temperature of 125°F for rare or 135°F for medium to medium-rare.
Tips for Perfect Roast Rack of Lame Persillade
Choose a High-Quality Rack of Lamb – Select a high-quality rack of lamb with a good fat cap for the best flavor and texture. This roast is all about the quality of the meat. Don’t skimp (this is a special occasion!).
Don’t Overpack the Persillade – Make sure the persillade has enough moisture (from the butter and stock) so it will easily compact and adhere to the rack. And don’t add too much, otherwise, it will slide off when you stand the racks upright.
Use a Meat Thermometer – Use a meat thermometer (preferably digital) to ensure the lamb is cooked to your desired level of doneness, whether it’s rare (125°F), medium-rare (130°F), or medium (135°F to 140°F), for a perfectly cooked and succulent roast.
Finish with Coarse Salt – After you’ve sliced the chops, sprinkle them each with a small amount of coarse sea salt (or finishing salt, such as Maldon). It elevates the flavor profile and is the perfect match for the buttery meat.
EXPERT TIP: After you’ve roasted the racks of lamb, you’ll want to liberally apply mustard to the tops of the fat caps. This deepens the flavor, but also helps to adhere the bread crumb mixture to the rack.
How To Serve
After you’ve placed the racks packed with persillade under the broiler for a short amount of time (keep an eye on them and don’t let it burn!), you’ll want to let the racks rest for about 15 minutes.
For an epic presentation, carefully place the two racks on a platter, with the bones pointing upwards. Loosely interlock the bones to create a “cathedral-style” presentation.
If you’d rather skip the cathedral presentation, go ahead and slice the chops and then place on a large platter. Two racks typically are sufficient per serving. Don’t forget a nice sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
EXPERT TIP: Use your hands to press the persillade into the tops of the racks. If the persillade feels too crumbly, melt a little more butter (1 to 2 tbsp) and stir it in. If when standing the racks upright some of the persillade falls off, simply pick up the pieces that fell off and press it back on the rack.
Other Incredible Holiday Roast Recipes to Try
No holiday feast would be the same without a glorious centerpiece roast. Here are some of our all-time favorites that you and your family will love, too:
Standing Prime Rib Roast
Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
Boneless Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs
Royal Crown Roast of Pork with Stuffing
Herb-Stuffed Pork Loin
Honey-Bourbon Glazed Ham
Perfect Roast Turkey
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Perfect Roast Chicken
Stuffed Acorn Squash
These are all amazing and truly drool-worthy. But, in the meantime, isn’t this catching your eye?
What To Serve With Roast Rack of Lamb
Obviously, the lamb is the star of this holiday feast. But, you’ll want to include scrumptious sides to accompany this show-stopper. Here are some great holiday side dishes:
Roasted Balsamic Potatoes with Herbs
Fondant Potatoes (Melting Potatoes)
Best-Ever Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes Dauphinoise (French Au Gratin Potatoes)
Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes
Maple-Glazed Carrots
Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Creamy Cauliflower Gratin
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Olives
Wild Rice Pilaf with Pecans and Cranberries
There is just something extra special about the holiday season. And serving an epic meal to loved ones adds to the joy so much. This dish does not disappoint.
Ready to make one of the most impressive holiday roasts of all time? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Roast Rack of Lamb
Equipment
- Roasting pan
- Meat thermometer preferably digital
Ingredients
- 2 racks lamb 1½ lb - 1¾ lbs, with 7 or 8 ribs, Frenched
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Persillade
- ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 tbsp thyme fresh, chopped
- 1 tbsp rosemary fresh, chopped
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tbsp chicken stock
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- coarse sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Brush olive oil all over the two racks and then sprinkle salt and pepper all over.2 racks lamb, 2 tbsp olive oil, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Place the racks of lamb, fat-side up in a roasting pan and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb (but not touching the bone) registers 125°F for rare or 135°F for medium rare, about 20 - 25 minutes.
- While the meat is roasting, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, rosemary, shallots, garlic, stock, melted butter, salt, and pepper. Stir to fully combine. The mixture should be moist and will stay together when pressed.¾ cup Panko bread crumbs, ⅓ cup parsley, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 small shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp chicken stock, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, ½ tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Remove the lamb from the oven. Brush the Dijon mustard liberally over the tops of the racks. Press the persillade mixture on the tops of each rack. Use your hands to help adhere the crumb mixture to the racks.¼ cup Dijon mustard
- Turn your broiler on to HIGH.
- Place the lamb under the broiler (about 4 inches) and broil until the topping is lightly browned, 2 - 3 minutes. Watch closely...don't let it burn!
- Remove from the oven and allow the racks to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- If desired, place the two racks on a platter, upright, with the bones interlocking to create a 'cathedral-style' presentation.
- Use a large knife to slice each lamb chop. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve at once.coarse sea salt
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This post was originally published in December 2016, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in December 2023!
Such beautiful photos! My husband won’t eat lamb, so this stunner is out of the question for me, sadly.
Loved it! Thank you!
Hi Sarah!! Awesome!! So glad you had such great success with the rack of lamb. That is fantastic!! And thank you so much for letting us know and for the great review! That means the world to us!! All the best, Kris & Wesley