One of our favorite meats is grilled, marinated rack of lamb or Rack-o as it is called around here. And now that we can barbecue again, we leaped on the opportunity to enjoy one. As you can see, we like our Rack-o on the rare side of medium rare. But it is delicious whether it is rare, medium rare or well done. Simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients
1 rack of lamb (8 lamb chops)
The Rub:
1 t black peppercorns, cooked until smoking then ground in a spice grinder
3-4 T sweet-hot honey mustard
Raw Vegetable Pasta Salad:
6 oz Rotini pasta
1 package asparagus, top 2” of tips used, remainder discarded
½ package cherry tomatoes left whole
3 oz of Kalamata olives from a deli, cut in halves
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
Feta cheese crumbles to taste
3 T extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 2 small lemons
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese at table
The Marinade:
1 T soy sauce
1 T sweet-hot honey mustard
1/8 C balsamic vinegar
1/8 C red wine (we use Burgundy)
3 large garlic cloves, minced fine
Preparation
1. Make the marinade and the rub in two separate containers.
2. Before marinating, remove fat and silver skin from the meat side of the rack. By removing the fat you prevent flare-ups from the grill plus the mustard and black pepper rub is applied directly onto the meat. After removing the fat take a very sharp, thin bladed knife and make a slice between each of the chops on the underside.
3. Marinate the ribs in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but preferably several hours before cooking. Baste several times during the marinating process, making sure you get the marinade on both sides and in between each chop.
4. Remove the meat from the marinade and apply the honey mustard and black pepper rub all over it. Throw the used marinade away. Let the rack stand for 30 minutes before cooking while it warms to room temperature.
5. Cover the end of the ribs with aluminum foil so they won’t char and spray the cooking rack with oil so the lamb doesn’t stick. Heat the grill to 350*F (medium) and place the lamb on the grill, bone side down.
6. Cook for about 10 minutes then flip it over and cook for about 5-7 minutes more or until it is slightly charred. Flip it over again and cook until cooking time reaches 20 minutes or an internal temperature of 140*F for medium rare, 150*F for medium well or 160*F for well done.
7. PREPARATION for the Pasta Salad:
8. Boil Rotini in salted and oiled water for 11 minutes or until al dente. Then drain, rinse and shake dry.
9. In a suitable bowl, mix pasta with oil until thoroughly coated.
10. Mix in all the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate for at least an hour so that flavors mingle.
11. Remove from refrigerator and let warn to room temperature before serving. Serve with grated Parmesan.
Credit: Foodista