Reverse-Seared Rack of Lamb with Minty Salsa Verde - Whole30, Paleo
This Reverse-Seared Rack of Lamb is juicy, tender, cooked to perfection and bursting with flavour. Enjoy it alongside some Minty Salsa Verde and Crispy Smashed Potatoes for the ultimate Sunday Roast.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the Reverse-Seared Rack of Lamb
- 1 rack of lamb 8 to 10 bones
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly-cracked pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, plus 2 cloves lightly smashed with the skin left on
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped, plus 2 whole sprigs
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped, plus 2 whole sprigs
- 2 tabelspoons butter substitute ghee or beef tallow
For the Minty Salsa Verde
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 2 tabelspoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 8-10 finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1 red finger chili pepper thinly sliced, substitute serrano, jalapeño or Anaheim pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- juice of half a lemon plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup optional; omit for Whole30
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For the Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- 1.5 pounds creamer potatoes substitute baby potatoes
- kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons beef tallow substitute extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee or butter
- freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves substitute finely chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
For the Reverse-Seared Rack of Lamb
- Pat the rack of lamb dry with paper towel. Drizzle with olive oil and liberally season all sides with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice, chopped garlic, chopped rosemary and chopped thyme. Massage everything to coat, cover and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
- Preheat oven or Traeger Grill to 225F.
- Place the rack of lamb bone-side down on a wire rack set on a sheet pan. Transfer the lamb to the oven or Traeger and roast until the thickest part of the meat registers 125F, between 30 and 45 minutes. Note that cooking times will vary depending on thickness of rack of lamb and the efficiency of your oven.
- Preheat a cast-iron or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and smashed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes or until the herbs are fragrant. Carefully place the rack of lamb in the pan, fat-side down first, and cook until a deep crust has formed, around 3 minutes. Flip and sear the bottom side of the chops, 2 to 3 more minutes. Using a spoon, carefully baste the lamb with the melted butter as it sears. Transfer the lamb to a board and let rest 8 to 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the Minty Salsa Verde and crispy smashed potatoes.
For the Minty Salsa Verde
- In a bowl, combine all of the salsa verde ingredients and stir to incorporate. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired. Cover and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve. If making well in advance, you can refrigerate the salsa verde and remove it 20 minutes prior to serving.
For the Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Preheat your oven or Traeger grill to 450F.
- Fill a sauce pan with water, add the potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set over high heat, bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until just fork-tender, around 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them dry fully.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Add the beef tallow, salt and pepper to taste, and thyme. Toss everything to coat. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or small bowl, gently smash each potato down to 1/4"-thick discs. Space each potatoe apart so none overlap and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, around 45 minutes total, flipping halfway. Serve with the reverse-seared rack of lamb and Minty Salsa Verde.