Sous Vide Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
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2 (8-bone) Racks of Lamb, about 2 pounds (900g) total
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Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
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Aromatics, such as fresh Thyme or Rosemary Sprigs and sliced Garlic
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2 tablespoons Vegetable or Canola Oil
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2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
If I'm out at dinner and I see Lamb on the menu it's a good bet that I am going to order it. I love eating lamb but I never enjoyed cooking it at home. It's a very lean cut of meat that can be unforgiving if you accidentally cook it to long. Cooking the lamb Sous Vide is an excellent way to ensure it comes out perfect every time.
The first step in preparing any dish is make sure you use quality ingredients. Most lamb you find in the store will be from New Zealand. You may occasionally come across lamb from America. New Zealand lamb has a more pronounced flavor and less marbleization. It is also usually a smaller portion than American lamb. American lamb tends to have more marbleization and a more mellow lamb flavor. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with either cut as long as it's fresh.
Step 1:
Set Sous Vide 138 degrees. This is 3 degrees above the desired cooking temperature of 135. I do this because the meat usually lowers the water bath temp regardless if it has been brought to room temperature. Once the lamb is placed in the water bath I dial down the temperature to 135 and leave it there for the entire cook.
Step 2:
Season both sides of the lamb with salt, pepper, fresh minced rosemary and thyme.
Step 3:
Vacuum seal the lamb with 4 garlic cloves and 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary. If you don't own a vacuum sealer its ok. You can seal the lamb in a ziploc bag with the Water Displacement Method
Step 4:
Once the lamb cooked for 1 - 3 hours in the water bath remove it.
Step 5:
Remove the lamb from the bag and pat it dry. You want to make sure the lamb is completely dry so you can achieve a nice sear.
Step 6:
Heat a cast iron pan (if you have one) with butter and a couple of fresh rosemary sprigs. You want the pan hot enough to sear the meat. The lamb was already cooked from the Sous Vide bath we just want to get some color on it and render down the fat. If your pan is hot enough this should take no more than 1 minute per side. If you don't own a cast iron pan it's ok. I suggest you invest in one but it's not a necessity.
Step 7:
Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before carving.
Step 8:
Enjoy the lamb with your family and friends. I made this recipe on Fox 5 DC for a sports segment when the Redskins played the Rams.
