How to Grill Rack of Lamb
A charcoal-grilled rack of lamb is full of flavor and makes an elegant presentation — and it’s really very simple to prepare. Follow these easy steps, and you’ll be sure to wow your family and friends — let’s get started!
What You’ll Need
Before starting, make sure you have everything on this list. We recommend Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets. And don’t skip the digital meat thermometer — it’s the best way to make sure your rack of lamb is done.
- Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets
- Kingsford® Chimney Starter (Optional)
- Preferred Ignition Aid (Fire Starters, Kindling or Lighter Fluid)
- Digital Meat Thermometer
- Aluminum Foil
- Tongs
- Sharp Knife
- Paper Towels
- Rack of Lamb
- Olive OIl
- Cooking Oil
- Seasoning to Taste: Rub or Herb Seasoning or Fresh Herbs (Thyme or Mint Work Well)
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Prep
- If your lamb racks aren’t pre-trimmed, you can use a sharp paring knife to cut away the meat and fat between the bones to expose about 2” of bone from the rack.
- Then, use your paring knife to scrape excess meat and fat from the surface of the bones.
- Finally, trim the fat cap off the top of the rack. If you like, you can also remove the silver skin surrounding the eye of the rack by inserting a knife between the meat and the silver skin to slice it off in strips.
- The exposed bones that make your rack of lamb look so appetizing will also catch on fire while grilling, so it’s important to shield them. Take strips of foil and wrap the exposed bones until they’re fully covered.
- After the bones are foiled, drizzle the lamb with olive oil and season the meat with your favorite rub or herb seasoning. A simple rub of salt, pepper and fresh herbs like thyme or mint will work perfectly.
How to Prep
How to Build Your Fire
- Give your top grill grate a good brushing and set it aside. Pour Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets into a chimney — or pour them in a mound and light. Wait for coals to light fully.
- Once the charcoal turns gray with ash, arrange coals in a Two-Zone Method: coals on one side of the grill and a void on the other. Coals should be at High Heat — about 450°F. How to control the heat when grilling with charcoal.
- Add the grate and let it heat up.
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How to Gauge Grill Heat Without a Thermometer
Carefully hold your hand about 5” to 6” above the grate, and refer to the temperature settings below:
• High Heat (450° to 550°F):
2 to 4 seconds
• Medium Heat (350° to 450°F):
5 to 6 seconds
• Low Heat (250° to 350°F):
8 to 10 seconds
Make sure your clothing doesn’t touch the grate, and always move your hand away from the heat before you feel discomfort.
When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
- There are many types of charcoal grills that work well, such as a Kettle Grill or an Offset Smoker. You may also consider the convenience of a Pellet Grill where most models ignite with the press of a button. For more details, see How to Prep a Charcoal Grill.
- When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
How to Build Your Fire
Get Grilling
- Sear your rack of lamb directly over the coals. Make sure to flip the rack to get a nice brown color on all sides of the meat.
- Flare-ups will happen. Don’t worry!
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Here’s How to Handle a Flare-Up
Flare-ups happen to even the most skilled grill masters. Flare-ups are just fat rendering and dripping onto the coals. With a long-handled, metal spatula, simply move your food to the other side of the grate, shut the bottom dampers, and close the grill lid until the flames subside.
Credit: World Champion Pitmaster Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q.
- Once browned on both sides, move your rack of lamb over to the cooler side of the grate to finish cooking. Rack of lamb typically takes 15–20 minutes of total cooking time depending on its size, but you shouldn’t rely on the clock; use a digital meat thermometer to cook your lamb to the desired doneness.
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How Done Is My Lamb? Let’s Find Out! * USDA Safety Guidelines recommend cooking lamb to the well-done temp of 145°F to make sure any harmful bacteria are destroyed.
** Cooking times are approximate.
Get Grilling
The Finish
- Once at your desired doneness, remove your rack of lamb from the grill and let it rest tented loosely with foil, for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This resting period is essential to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- With a sharp knife, slice down between the bones to make delicate little rib chops and serve.
For safe meat and other food preparation, reference the USDA website.
The Finish
