Dinner
Roast Rack of Lamb with Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce
Strawberries roast beside the lamb, then break down into a savory pan sauce with broth, rosemary and balsamic vinegar. Keep a few berry halves aside for the plate and whisk in butter to finish.
- Servings
- 4
- Cuisine
- Contemporary
Bring it to the table
Build the sauce in the roasting skillet
The browned bits in the pan are the start of the sauce. Add broth and scrape them loose, then mash the roasted berries as the liquid reduces. Remove the pan from the heat before whisking in the butter.
At the table
Carve the rested rack between the bones. Spoon sauce over the chops and finish with mint and the reserved strawberries.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients.
Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.
See the ingredient checklist
- 1 rack lamb — about 1 1/2 lb for the base batch
- kosher salt — to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 oz strawberries — hulled and halved
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp rosemary — finely chopped
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper — freshly cracked, plus more to season lamb
- 2 tbsp salted butter — cut into pieces
- mint leaves — to serve
A few useful notes.
Use a thermometer rather than color alone. The lamb should reach at least 145°F and rest for at least 3 minutes before carving.
The roasting time depends on the size and shape of the rack. The temperature is the finishing guide.
The skillet handle stays hot after roasting; use oven mitts while making the sauce.
The cooking plan
How to make Roast Rack of Lamb with Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce.
Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle. Season the lamb all over with salt and some of the extra black pepper.
Warm the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb on all sides, turning as needed, for about 6–8 minutes. Add the halved strawberries around it and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, reaches at least 145°F. Begin checking after 15 minutes; continue as needed rather than relying on the clock. Move the lamb to a board and rest at least 3 minutes before carving, or while you finish the sauce.
Set aside a few roasted strawberry halves for serving. Carefully pour excess fat from the skillet into a heatproof container. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the broth, rosemary, balsamic vinegar and measured cracked pepper.
Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits and pressing the remaining strawberries into the liquid. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until reduced by roughly half and mostly smooth.
Take the pan off the heat. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until the sauce comes together. Taste and adjust the salt. Carve the rested lamb into chops, add the sauce and finish with mint and the reserved berries.
Let’s cook
The full recipe.
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.
Roast Rack of Lamb with Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 rack lamb about 1 1/2 lb for the base batch
kosher salt to taste- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 oz strawberries hulled and halved
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp rosemary finely chopped
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, plus more to season lamb
- 2 tbsp salted butter cut into pieces
- mint leaves to serve
Equipment
Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle. Season the lamb all over with salt and some of the extra black pepper.
- Warm the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb on all sides, turning as needed, for about 6–8 minutes. Add the halved strawberries around it and transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, reaches at least 145°F. Begin checking after 15 minutes; continue as needed rather than relying on the clock. Move the lamb to a board and rest at least 3 minutes before carving, or while you finish the sauce.
- Set aside a few roasted strawberry halves for serving. Carefully pour excess fat from the skillet into a heatproof container. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the broth, rosemary, balsamic vinegar and measured cracked pepper.
- Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits and pressing the remaining strawberries into the liquid. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until reduced by roughly half and mostly smooth.
- Take the pan off the heat. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until the sauce comes together. Taste and adjust the salt. Carve the rested lamb into chops, add the sauce and finish with mint and the reserved berries.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!A couple of useful answers.
Why add the butter off the heat?
Whisking the butter into the reduced sauce off the heat helps it blend into the liquid. Taste after adding it, since the butter is salted.
How long should the lamb rest?
After reaching at least 145°F, rest it for at least 3 minutes before slicing. Making the sauce is a useful pause while it rests.
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