Last Updated April 14th, 2022 at 05:14 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...
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.
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PRO TIP: 1 hour before grilling, pull the lamb out of the refrigerator and add dry rub and wet marinade to both racks.
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.
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 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 meat thermometer. I use one from Thermoworks, it is super fast (3 seconds), accurate within plus or minus.
Easy to clean, and will last for many years! I have broken several thermometers in the last few years : ( and this one will stand the test of time due to its superior quality and design. Oh, and America's Test Kitchen rated it their top pick in digital thermometers.
Check the temperature throughout cooking, a wireless digital thermometer makes this really easy, I love my Thermopen from ThermoWorks.
It is the most accurate thermometer on the market according to America's Test Kitchen, and I use mine for everything from baking, frying, and roasting meat.
Lamb FAQ
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More Grilling Recipes
Easy, elegant Grilled Lamb Chops rubbed with seasoned mint salt, are served with sweet juicy Peaches, and topped with a fresh parmesan pesto. Serve with cool drinks and a salad, and it's a party everyone will remember.
The Gyro Grilled Lamb Kabobs are sublime with the cool veggies and tzatziki sauce all tucked in a pita.
Take a look at my entire Cookout Menu to keep you inspired all summer to try all kinds of new recipes. And finally my childhood favorite, Shish Kabobs, with an easy marinade and bright colorful vegetables.
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Cabernet-Rosemary Grilled Rack Of Lamb Recipe With Side Dishes
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
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°FMedium-rare: 120 to 125°F
Medium: 130 to 135°F
Medium-well: 140 to 145°F
Well-done: 150 to 155°F
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!
This looks wonderful, this will be great for our Easter dinner. Can’t wait to try it
Lamb, is a classic, and always elegant...happy cooking and Thanks for following along Shelli!
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!!