This juicy and delicious Grilled Rack of Lamb recipe will be a showstopper on your table! The lamb is marinaded in a punchy and earthy chermoula sauce and the char from the grill just gives it the most incredible flavor. This recipe is perfect for an elevated backyard bbq or for your Easter table!
Table of Contents
What is Chermoula?
Chermoula is a punchy and vibrant sauce/marinade from north Africa used in Moroccan cuisine. It’s made with a mixture of parsley and cilantro, garlic, olive oil, preserved lemon, cumin & coriander, and a bit of dried chile for heat. Typically it’s served with seafood, but the herby sauce goes SO well with the lamb, especially on the grill.
Most of the sauce goes into marinading the lamb, but I always save some to use on the side. I use urfa chile in my chermoula sauce which isn’t traditional (urfa is from Turkey), but the warm and earthy flavor really compliments the grilled rack of lamb!
Helpful Cooking Tools
Key Recipe Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Rack of lamb. I like to get my racks of lamb frenched from the butcher, meaning that the bones have been cleaned of fat and tissue. It’s not necessary but it does make for a beautiful presentation!
- Cilantro. Use only the tender leaves and stems here and make sure to pack the cup full.
- Parsley. Only use the leaves here, the stems are often too tough for the sauce.
- Preserved lemon. When using preserved lemon, discard the pulp and only use the rind. In a pinch, you could swap in some lemon zest but it won’t have the same flavor.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic makes the sauce extra punchy!
- Cumin & coriander. Make sure to toast the spices before blending.
- Olive Oil. Use any good olive oil here.
- Urfa chile. This is my new favorite chili pepper and it adds an earthy, sweet spice. You could swap in crushed red pepper flakes if necessary.
How to Cook Chermoula Grilled Rack of Lamb
- Make the chermoula sauce. The sauce is rather thick, so make sure to use a strong blender that can handle making the sauce very smooth.
- Prep the lamb. I always ask my butcher to french the lamb racks for me! This means removing fat from the bones and makes a beautiful presentation. If the fat cap is really thick, I trim it down to be about 1/8th of an inch. Make sure to season the lamb really well all over with salt and pepper.
- Marinate the racks of lamb. Coat the meat really well and use your hands to massage the chermoula sauce into the meat. Marinate for at least 4 hours before grilling.
- Grill the lamb. After preheating the grill and clearing it of any debris, turn off the burners on one side. Sear the lamb over the direct heat, then move it to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking. I think the lamb is best cooked to medium and you can use the table below for approximate cooking times.
Suggested Lamb Cooking Temperatures
Below is my simple guide that will have you cooking lamb like an absolute pro! Grilling is simple once you know the rules and I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about making grilled rack of lamb.
- Weight of the rack of lamb: Typically a rack of lamb is between 1 – 1 1/2 lbs and these proposed cooking times are based on that weight. If your lamb weighs more, you’ll have to adjust the cooking times accordingly.
- Direct and indirect heat: I found that the best way to grill a rack of lamb to use zone cooking. Get the grill’s temperature up to 450 F° with the burners lit on only one side of the grill. Sear the lamb on the hot side of the grill, then move it to the cooler side to finish cooking.
- Carry-over cooking: Due to carry-over heat, your meat will continue to cook even after you take it off the grill. This is why we allow the meat to rest before slicing it, so it can finish cooking and so the juices can redistribute. It will rise about 5 degrees after you pull it from the grill, so keep that in mind!
- Instant-read thermometer: Because grilling can be technical, a digital meat thermometer will be your best ally! Rather than relying on time, I always use a thermometer to determine doneness while grilling.
Below, I’ve included a table showing approximate temperatures and cooking times you should aim for to achieve your ideal level of doneness. Remember, the approximate grilling time listed refers to the lamb’s total cooking time, including the initial sear. Keep in mind, these are just approximate times and they may differ depending on the size of your lamb racks and the type of grill being used. Because of carry over cooking, plan to pull your lamb 5 degrees shy of what you want the finished temperature to be.
| Level of Doneness | Approx. Total Cooking Time | Finishing Temperature (F°) |
|---|---|---|
| Medium-Rare | 17-19 minutes | 130-135 F° |
| Medium | 20-22 minutes | 140-145 F° |
| Medium-Well | 23-25 minutes | 150-155 F° |
What to Serve with Grilled Rack of Lamb
Because this dish is so fresh and summery, I like to serve it with lighter sides like fattoush salad, grilled asparagus, or a simple cucumber-tomato salad.
In terms of carbs on the side, I love serving grilled rack of lamb with Lemon dill rice or my lentil rice pilaf, grilled vegetable pasta salad, or my lemon-dill potato salad if I’m going for backyard BBQ vibes. My creamy tomato orzo would also pair perfectly with the lamb!
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Lamb Recipes to Try
- Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint-Pistachio Sauce
- Greek Smash Burger Tacos
- Colcannon Shepherd’s Pie
- White Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
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Juicy Grilled Rack of Lamb with Chermoula
Ingredients
- 2 frenched racks of lamb, about 1.5 lbs each
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
- ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley and tender stems
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons toasted coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons minced preserved lemon, rind only
- 1 teaspoon urfa chile
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Pat the racks of lamb dry and trim away any excess fat from the fat cap. Season them all over with salt and freshly cracked pepper, set them in a large baking dish, and set aside.
- Make the chermoula sauce. In a high-powered blender, combine the chopped cilantro, parsley, garlic, toasted cumin & coriander, preserved lemon, and urfa and top with the olive oil. Blend on high until very smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Marinate the lamb. Pour 2/3 of the marinade over the racks of lamb and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat. Cover, and refrigerate for 4-8 hours. Store the rest of the marinade in an airtight container in the fridge to be served with the lamb.
- Prep the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill over medium heat to 450 F. Let the grill preheat for a full 15 minutes. Make sure the grates are cleaned of any debris and lightly grease them with oil or nonstick cooking spray. After the grill is preheated, turn off one side of the grill. If you're using a charcoal grill, make sure the lit charcoal are arranged only on one side of the grill.
- Grill the lamb. Place the racks of lamb over the direct heat portion of the grill, fat cap side down, cover, and sear for 5 minutes. After the initial sear, flip the racks over and transfer them to the cooler side of the grill for about 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads about 135 F (for medium). Transfer the racks of lamb to a plate, loosely tent with foil, and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve. Cut the racks of lamb into chops, sprinkle them with flaky sea salt, and serve with more chermoula sauce on the side.
Nutrition
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