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A beautiful grilled rack of lamb on a white platter with rosemary sprigs and watermelon skewers.
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5 from 2 votes

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 Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner & Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled lamb, lamb chops, lamb recipes
Servings: 8
Calories: 495kcal

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.

Video

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