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Grilled Rack of Lamb with Sweet Mustard Glaze on a Gas Grill

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 19, 2011

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Sweet Mustard Glaze on a Gas Grill

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)2 racks of lamb (1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds each), rib bones frenched, meat trimmed of all excess fat (see note, illustrations below)Salt and ground black pepper

Before You Begin

We prefer the milder taste and bigger size of domestic lamb, but you may substitute imported lamb from New Zealand and Australia. Since imported racks are generally smaller, follow the shorter cooking times given in the recipe. While most lamb is sold frenched (meaning part of each rib bone is exposed), chances are there will still be some extra fat between the bones. Remove the majority of this fat (see illustrations, below), leaving an inch at the top of the small eye of meat. Also, make sure that the chine bone (along the bottom of the rack) has been removed to ensure that it will be easy to cut between the ribs after cooking. Ask the butcher to do it; it’s very hard to cut off at home.

Instructions

  1. Turn all burners to high and heat grill with lid down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush.
  2. Combine 3 teaspoons oil, mustard, honey, lemon zest, thyme, and garlic in small bowl; set aside. Rub lamb with remaining teaspoon oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Leaving primary burner on high, turn off other burner(s). Place racks bone-side up on cooler center of grill over aluminum pan with meaty side of racks very close to, but not quite over, primary burner. Cover and grill until meat is lightly browned, faint grill marks appear, and fat has begun to render, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Flip racks over, bone-side down, and move to hotter parts of grill. With the lid down, grill, without moving, until well-browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush racks with mustard glaze, reserving 2 tablespoons. Flip racks so bone-side is up and continue to grill with lid down over hotter parts of grill until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stand racks up and lean them against each other; continue to grill over one hotter side of grill with lid down until bottom is well-browned and instant-read thermometer inserted from side of rack into center, but away from any bone, registers 120 degrees for medium-rare or 125 degrees for medium, 3 to 8 minutes longer.
  4. Remove lamb from grill and brush with reserved glaze. Allow to rest, tented with foil, 15 minutes (racks will continue to cook while resting). Cut between ribs to separate chops and serve immediately.
Grilled Rack of Lamb with Sweet Mustard Glaze on a Gas Grill

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Sweet Mustard Glaze on a Gas Grill

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 racks of lamb (1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds each), rib bones frenched, meat trimmed of all excess fat (see note, illustrations below)
Salt and ground black pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 racks of lamb (1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds each), rib bones frenched, meat trimmed of all excess fat (see note, illustrations below)
Salt and ground black pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 racks of lamb (1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds each), rib bones frenched, meat trimmed of all excess fat (see note, illustrations below)
Salt and ground black pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Before You Begin

We prefer the milder taste and bigger size of domestic lamb, but you may substitute imported lamb from New Zealand and Australia. Since imported racks are generally smaller, follow the shorter cooking times given in the recipe. While most lamb is sold frenched (meaning part of each rib bone is exposed), chances are there will still be some extra fat between the bones. Remove the majority of this fat (see illustrations, below), leaving an inch at the top of the small eye of meat. Also, make sure that the chine bone (along the bottom of the rack) has been removed to ensure that it will be easy to cut between the ribs after cooking. Ask the butcher to do it; it’s very hard to cut off at home.

Instructions

  1. Turn all burners to high and heat grill with lid down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush.
  2. Combine 3 teaspoons oil, mustard, honey, lemon zest, thyme, and garlic in small bowl; set aside. Rub lamb with remaining teaspoon oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Leaving primary burner on high, turn off other burner(s). Place racks bone-side up on cooler center of grill over aluminum pan with meaty side of racks very close to, but not quite over, primary burner. Cover and grill until meat is lightly browned, faint grill marks appear, and fat has begun to render, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Flip racks over, bone-side down, and move to hotter parts of grill. With the lid down, grill, without moving, until well-browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush racks with mustard glaze, reserving 2 tablespoons. Flip racks so bone-side is up and continue to grill with lid down over hotter parts of grill until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stand racks up and lean them against each other; continue to grill over one hotter side of grill with lid down until bottom is well-browned and instant-read thermometer inserted from side of rack into center, but away from any bone, registers 120 degrees for medium-rare or 125 degrees for medium, 3 to 8 minutes longer.
  4. Remove lamb from grill and brush with reserved glaze. Allow to rest, tented with foil, 15 minutes (racks will continue to cook while resting). Cut between ribs to separate chops and serve immediately.

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