Crown Roast of Lamb

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2008

Show: Good EatsEpisode: The Alton Crown Affair

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (6)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(6)

Cook Time:
30 min
Level:
Expert
Yield:
6 to 8 servings, 2 chops per person

Times:

Prep: 45 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 30 min
Total:: 1 hr 15 min

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Ingredients

2 racks lamb, 6 to 8 ribs each, approximately 1 1/2 to 2-pounds each
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To french the racks of lamb:

Make a cut on the fat side of the ribs, perpendicular to them, about 2 1/2-inches down from the rib ends. Cut through the fat down to the rib bones.

Turn the rack on end, with the bones facing up and push a knife through the flesh between each rib, using the initial cut as a guide for the knife. Cut down the side of each rib to remove the excess fat in between each rib. Using strong kitchen twine, wrap the twine around each rib at the base, nearest the meat and pull to remove all of the remaining fat and sinew from the rib bone.

Bend each rack into a semicircle (meat side in and fat side out) and using kitchen twine tie them together at the base and center, in order to hold the racks together. The rib ends should be pushed outward to create the look of a crown.

Rub the lamb with the olive oil. Combine the salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and coriander and press all over the lamb. Place the roast in a Bundt pan with the center of the pan coming up through the middle of the roast.

Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. This is approximately 8 to 12 minutes per pound. Remove from the oven, transfer the roast to a rack, cover with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for 20 minutes. While the meat is resting add the sherry vinegar, mustard and rosemary to the juices that accumulated in the Bundt pan while cooking. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. Cut the string away from the roast and place cooked stuffing, rice or barley in the center if desired. Serve the warm sauce with the roast.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Crown Roast of Lamb
christopher willimantic, CT 02-14-2009
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great recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The combination of seasonings was great! i adapted this recipe to a single rack of lamb but it still came out... great. definitely use a meat thermometer though, my rack only weighed in at 2.48 pounds total, and 30 minutes at 375 left the inside just about half cooked. i also pulled the rack out about halfway through, and sprinkled it with bread crumbs and it gave the outside a great coating and texture, looked five star restaurant quality! at just under 13 bucks a pound my single rack also cost me 35 bucks, so for a 3-4 pound full crown roast prepare to pay 39-48 bucks. many stores also sell pre-frenched racks, but they're pretty fatty, i'd say more fat than actual lamb meat.Read more
recipe Crown Roast of Lamb
M m, MA 02-07-2009
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Amazing
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Wow - this is the way to cook and eat lamb! Had to make a few small substitutions with the spices and kind of vinegar, but... it came out great. I'm looking forward to making this again and again.Read more
recipe Crown Roast of Lamb
null null, null 12-26-2008
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They tried to suck the marrow from the bones
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I prepared this Crown Roast of Lamb yesterday for Christmas dinner. Talk about oooos and ahhs. My family tried to suck every... bit of flavor from those bones. When I make it again I think I will give everybody a crown to wear at dinner. Thanks Alton Brown. Fredia RaineyRead more
recipe Crown Roast of Lamb
Tom Chelmsford, MA 12-25-2008
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Wonderful!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is not a cheap dish, with the crown roast (already frenched) at $30, but boy is it tasty! I would cook the meat just a... bit more, and there was very little fat or juice to create a sauce or even a glaze without some cornstarch and water with a little chicken broth as well. But the result is some of the most tender and juicy lamb I have ever had!Read more
recipe Crown Roast of Lamb
Anonymous 05-23-2008
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Fantastic - Need I say more
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My family can't get enough of this. It may be expensive, but well worth it.
recipe Crown Roast of Lamb
Tai Elkhart, IA 04-13-2008
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Perfection
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe was absoloutely wonderful. The herbs, dijon, and sherry vinegar produced a beautiful and very flavorful crust on... the outside. I cannot change anything about the recipe as it was absoloute perfection to us. Thanks Alton for a wonderful, elegant and pretty easy addition to our Sunday and Holiday dinners. I am making it again.Read more