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    Home » Recipes » Easy Dinner Recipe Ideas

    Cabernet Rosemary Grilled Rack Of Lamb

    Published: April 9, 2022 | Last Updated: June 15, 2023 | Lisa 4 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Grilled racks of lamb with grilled watermelon skewers.

    Last Updated June 15th, 2023 at 08:55 pm by Lisa

    Grilled rack of lamb paired with refreshing watermelon skewers is an elegant special occasion recipe ready in just 45 minutes. The racks are seasoned with a dry rub and then slathered with a Cabernet wine and rosemary marinade.

    There are also lots of inspiring sides to serve with these incredible petite lamb chops. These are perfect for a traditional Easter meal or a fancy dinner party...

    Pin

    Grilled Rack of Lamb

    • 2 racks of grass-fed lamb
    • watermelon  (2 " cubes on skewers)

    dry seasoning rub

    • 2 tablespoons of sea salt
    • 1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder

    cabernet rosemary wet marinade

    • 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 2 shallots chopped
    • 2 tablespoons  Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons Cabernet Sauvignon red wine
    • 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

    First, preheat your grill to 450-500 degrees.

    PRO TIP: 1 hour before grilling, pull the lamb out of the refrigerator and add dry rub and wet marinade to both racks.

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    Prepare Grilled Rack Of Lamb

    Step 1: make seasoning rub

    Mix sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub on top of the meat all over both racks.

    Step 2: make lamb chop marinade 

    Mix rosemary, garlic, shallots, Dijon, Cabernet sauvignon, and olive oil in a mini food processor, or chop ingredients finely, and mix in a bowl.

    Using a small silicone brush, spread the lamb meat herb marinade all over the racks leaving a nice thick coating, and rest on a baking tray for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before grilling.

    Pin

    Step 3: Grill your rack of lamb & watermelon skewers

    Heat grill to 450-500. Grill for 3-4 minutes on the grill rack on each side. Then cook indirect high heat for about 15-18 more minutes. This will all depend on the heat of your grill at home.

    (On a Big Green Egg, pull out the rack, and put on deflector shield, then add grill back down to cook indirectly.)

    Grill the watermelon for just a couple of minutes per side until grill marks appear.

    How To Serve

    Rest the chops about 5 minutes before slicing.

    Slice the rack in between the individual rib bones for lamb chops, and serve with watermelon skewers or any sides you choose on a warm serving platter.

    How To Grill Medium Rare

    Finish grilling the meat until the internal temperature is 135 degrees for medium-rare, or more well done if you prefer.  

    How To Test Temperature

    One of the best ways to test temperature is to use a professional-grade thermometer. I love these digital meat thermometers, they are easy to use, very affordable, and make a great gift!

    Pin

    Lamb FAQ

    How To Marinade Lamb?

    Place your lamb and marinade in a zip-lock bag and remove all air before sealing. Gently massage the meat for a couple of minutes to work the marinade into the meat.

    Then let the marinade work its magic. A good time rule is 1 hour for thin cuts; 6 to 8 hours for thick cuts; and overnight for roasting cuts like shoulders and legs of lamb.

    How To Carve Juicy Lamb Chops?

    Resting – It’s a chef’s trick to let the meat rest between cooking and slicing. Once off the heat, the meat relaxes and starts to reabsorb the juices.

    Give lamb chops 5 to 10 minutes, and you’ll be thrilled with the juicier results.

    How To Grill Lamb?


    Bring lamb up to room temperature – For a good exterior sear and a more even interior temperature take your lamb out of the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking or grilling.

    What Temperature For Lamb?


    Rare: 115 to 120°F
    Medium-rare: 120 to 125°F
    Medium: 130 to 135°F
    Medium-well: 140 to 145°F
    Well-done: 150 to 155°F


    Test in the thickest part of the meat.

    Pin

    What To Serve With Rack of Lamb?

    Grilled watermelon skewers are amazing paired with these rosemary lamb chops. The best part of this recipe is the prep just takes minutes, and you have a fancy delicious dish to serve your friends and family for any special occasion.

    These side dishes are all great to serve on your dinner table with this rack of lamb recipe. Grilled Peaches bring a burst of flavor and Grilled Butter Corn is one of the best sides ever, and there are 3 flavors to try. Or try spring vegetables like Roasted Cabbage Steaks, a vegetable salad, or regular potatoes roasted on a sheet pan like these Smashed Potatoes.

    To cool things down, serve a chilled Wedge Salad with an avocado pistachio dressing. Yum! Another great side is a Mango Jicama slaw, it's clean, light and so refreshing next to the grilled lamb.

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    CRAVING MORE?

    Did you love this recipe? We would love to hear from you! If you make this recipe and love it, give it a 5-star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ with a comment. THANK YOU!! Follow Delicious Table with my free newsletter and share this recipe with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

    A beautiful grilled rack of lamb on a white platter with rosemary sprigs and watermelon skewers.Pin
    Print Pin Recipe

    Cabernet-Rosemary Grilled Rack Of Lamb Recipe With Side Dishes

    Grilled rack of lamb paired with refreshing watermelon skewers is an elegant special occasion recipe ready in just 45 minutes. The lamb is seasoned with a dry rub and then slathered with a Cabernet wine and rosemary marinade.
    There are also lots of inspiring sides to serve with these incredible chops. These are perfect for a traditional Easter meal or a fancy dinner party...
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes minutes
    Servings 8
    Calories 495kcal
    Author Lisa Hatfield

    Equipment

    Mini Food Processor
    Mini Basting Brush
    Chef Knife
    Epicurean Non-Slip Cutting Board
    Digital Meat Thermometer

    Ingredients

    • 2 racks of lamb grass fed prefered
    • 1 small watermelon cut into 2" cubes on skewers

    lamb chop seasoning dry rub:

    • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder

    cabernet rosemary wet marinade:

    • 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 2 shallots chopped
    • 2 tablespoons  Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons cabernet sauvignon red wine
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
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    Instructions

    • Preheat your grill for direct heat at 450-500 degrees.
    • 30 minutes before grilling, pull the lamb out of the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.

    rack of lamb seasoning rub

    • Mix sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
    • Rub all over both racks of lamb on each side.

    cabernet rosemary lamb wet marinade

    • Mix rosemary, garlic, shallots, Dijon mustard, Cabernet sauvignon wine, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or chop ingredients finely, and mix in a bowl.
    • Using a small brush, brush the wet marinade all over the racks leaving a nice thick coating, rest on a tray for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before grilling.

    grilling lamb chops:

    • Heat grill to 450-500. Grill 3-4 minutes on grill rack on each side. (On BGE, pull out rack, and put on deflector shield, then add grill back down) Finish grilling lamb 22 more minutes on indirect heat or until internal temperature is 135 degrees for medium rare, or more well done if you prefer.  
    • Grill the watermelon just a couple minutes per side until grill marks appear.

    Notes

    grilling tips

    Bring lamb chops up to room temperature – For a good exterior sear and a more even interior temperature, take your lamb chops out of the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking or grilling.
    It’s a chef’s trick to let the meat rest between cooking and slicing. Once off the heat, the meat relaxes and starts to reabsorb the juices. Give lamb chops 5 to 10 minutes, and you’ll be thrilled with the juicier results.

    temperature doneness

    Rare: 115 to 120°F
    Medium-rare: 120 to 125°F
    Medium: 130 to 135°F
    Medium-well: 140 to 145°F
    Well-done: 150 to 155°F

    Nutrition

    Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1857mg | Potassium: 288mg | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let's see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
    Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Embeya says

      November 25, 2019 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      Woooow.....Homemade!!! It’s the only thing that taste good! And so easy to do…

      I think I will look for these and try your recipe this weekend. Thank you for sharing!

      Dang Thai from Embeya!

      Reply
    2. Shelli says

      April 07, 2019 at 4:26 pm

      This looks wonderful, this will be great for our Easter dinner. Can’t wait to try it

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        April 09, 2019 at 9:25 pm

        Lamb, is a classic, and always elegant...happy cooking and Thanks for following along Shelli!

        Reply
    3. Katie says

      March 21, 2018 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      I fired up the grill a bit early to try this one! I saw some racks of lamb at Trader Joe's and remembered seeing this recipe on your site, so I snagged them and came back here to search for it. They turned out so well!!

      Reply

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