This rack of lamb with traditional English mint sauce is sure to impress your dinner guests. It’s simple to make and starts with fresh ingredients: a garlic and Dijon coating, a crust of fresh breadcrumbs and chopped mint, and a quick sauce of vinegar, sugar, and even more mint. This is the kind of Sunday dinner your grandmother used to make, and the trip down memory lane will bring a delicious smile to everyone’s face.
It also makes a stylish turkey alternative for a smaller Thanksgiving or Christmas table, since two racks feed six and roast in about 25 minutes. Pro tip: Serve a minty julep cocktail when guests arrive. We love this Cheater Mint Julep, made with a maple mint syrup that’s just sweet enough. For a seasonal twist, try our Pomegranate Mint Julep.
Lamb has been part of culinary traditions for millennia, going back to when people in ancient Mesopotamia first domesticated sheep. Because lamb was one of the first fresh meats available after the long winter, it became a centerpiece for spring feasts like Passover and Easter. In Britain, roast lamb and mint sauce became a fixture of the Sunday roast.
How is English mint sauce different from mint jelly?
American mint jelly is sweet, bright green, and set like jam. English mint sauce is thin, sharp, and fresh: chopped mint steeped in vinegar sweetened with a little sugar. The acidity cuts through the richness of lamb fat the way a squeeze of lemon brightens fish. This version uses malt vinegar for a mellow, slightly toasty tang.
Make the sauce first so it has time to cool and the mint has time to infuse, and pass it at the table so guests can spoon on as much as they like. If you’re in a rush, a jarred English mint sauce makes an acceptable substitute.
How long do you cook a rack of lamb?
At 425 degrees, two 1½-pound frenched racks take about 20 to 25 minutes. Time is only a guide, so rely on an instant-read or probe thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, not touching bone. Pull the lamb at 125 degrees for rare, 130 to 135 degrees for medium-rare (the restaurant favorite), or 145 degrees for medium, which is the USDA’s recommended minimum.
The temperature will climb a few degrees as it rests. Tent the racks loosely with foil for 10 to 15 minutes before carving so the juices settle back into the meat. If your oven has an automatic roast-probe setting, set the probe to your target temperature and let the oven alert you.
Can I use dried mint instead of fresh?
Fresh mint makes the brightest sauce and crust, and it’s worth seeking out. In a pinch, use three to four tablespoons of dried mint in the sauce, steeping it in the hot vinegar for at least 30 minutes so it softens and releases its flavor, then taste and add a little more sugar if needed. For the crust, swap the fresh mint for one tablespoon of dried mint plus two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley for color.
How do I make rack of lamb gluten-free?
Gluten-free: Replace the fresh white breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko, and replace the malt vinegar, which is made from barley, with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar in the mint sauce. Most Dijon mustards are gluten-free, but check the label to be sure.
Tips for success
- Ask your butcher to french the racks. That means scraping the rib bones clean. Ask them to trim the fat cap to about ⅛ inch, too.
- Let the lamb sit out. Thirty minutes at room temperature before roasting helps it cook evenly.
- Pat it dry. The mustard sticks better to dry meat.
- Press the crumbs on firmly. Use your palms; loose crumbs fall off in the oven. If the exposed bones darken too quickly, wrap the tips in foil.
- Carve with a sharp knife. Cut between the bones into single or double chops.
- Make the sauce ahead. The mint sauce keeps, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week.
What can I serve with rack of lamb?
Lamb loves potatoes: roast them with rosemary, mash them with butter, or make crisp crosshatched potatoes like the ones in our Beef Wellington. Add buttered peas, glazed carrots, or a bitter green salad to balance the richness. For wine, reach for a Syrah, a Rioja, or a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Hungry for more lamb? Try our Lamb Loin with Green Chile Harissa and Burgundy Braised Lamb Shanks with Gribiche, or dig into 8 Lamb Recipes to Celebrate 35 Years of The Silence of the Lambs.
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Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Traditional English Mint Sauce
- Total Time: 1 hour (includes resting)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Frenched racks of lamb coated in garlic-Dijon mustard and a fresh mint breadcrumb crust, roasted until rosy, and served with a traditional English mint sauce.
Ingredients
For the English mint sauce
- ⅔ cup malt vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup fresh mint, finely chopped (from about 2 large bunches)
For the rack of lamb
- 2 racks of lamb (about 1½ lb each), trimmed and frenched
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
Instructions
For the English mint sauce
1. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the ⅔ cup mint, and cool to room temperature.
For the rack of lamb
1. Let the lamb sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the center. Pat the lamb dry and season both sides with pepper.
2. Finely chop the garlic with the salt, pressing down with the side of the knife from time to time, until a paste forms. In a small bowl, stir the paste into the mustard. Spread evenly over both racks.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the ¼ cup mint. Press the crumbs firmly onto the lamb, coating all the meaty surfaces.
4. Set the racks crust side up in a roasting pan. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of one rack, not touching bone. Roast 20-25 minutes, until the thermometer reads 130-135 degrees for medium-rare or 145 degrees for medium.
5. Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil 10-15 minutes. Cut between the bones into chops and serve with the mint sauce on the side.
Notes
Shortcut: Use a jarred traditional English mint sauce, such as Duerr’s.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and swap the malt vinegar for white wine or apple cider vinegar.
Dried mint: Use 3-4 tbsp in the sauce and steep at least 30 minutes.
Make ahead: Refrigerate the mint sauce, covered, up to 1 week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 chops with sauce
- Calories: 480 per serving
About the Recipe Developer
Justin Matase is publisher and co-owner of TABLE Magazine and TABLE Media, where he leads business strategy, advertising, partnerships, and audience development across print, digital, and events. He acquired TABLE in January 2020 alongside Editor in Chief Keith Recker and has steered its expansion into TABLE Magazine New Mexico. He was previously associate publisher of the Pittsburgh City Paper and is the founder of Yellow Bridge Digital. Read Justin’s articles or follow him on LinkedIn.
Photo Courtesy of Hudspeth River Ranch
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