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    Home » Recipes » Lamb

    Pomegranate Molasses Lamb

    Published: Dec 14, 2020 Modified: Dec 14, 2020 by Candice This post may contain affiliate links.

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Pomegranate Molasses Lamb with Romanesco Cauliflower Basil Puree | Proportional Plate

    This recipe is actually a secret weapon of mine - Whenever I miss my sister, I bribe her to come over by making this Pomegranate Molasses Lamb with Romanesco Cauliflower Basil Puree. It’s a fantastic dish, and it takes next to no time to make. If you have 35 minutes to spare and want a delicious meal, this should be your go-to. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners, date nights, dinner parties, and bribing sisters!

    Rack of lamb on a plate with green puree.
    TABLE OF CONTENTS hide
    1 Why this Recipe Works
    2 Ingredients & Substitutions
    3 How to Roast Rack of Lamb
    4 Rack of Lamb FAQs
    5 What to Serve with Rack of Lamb
    6 More Delicious Lamb Recipes
    7 Pomegranate Molasses Lamb

    Why this Recipe Works

    The marinade for the lamb MAKES this dish. It’s composed of garlic, dijon, and pomegranate molasses. It’s the perfect savory-sweet marinade, and the pomegranate molasses gives the outside of the lamb the best texture as it cooks in the oven.

    The pomegranate molasses glazes the lamb in a sweet crust without burning, making it the perfect complement to the garlic and gaminess of the lamb.

    In our home we try to minimize the amount of salt we eat, so this lamb has no added salt. The herbes de provence is one of the seasonings I use that make it easy to skip out on the added ingredient. However, it you like saltier food, then you should consider adding some.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Lamb ingredients on a coutnertop.

    pomegranate molasses - If you can't find pomegranate molasses, you can buy pomegranate juice, and reduce it down until it is syrupy. Pomegranate molasses is not known to be sweet, but has an awesome tanginess that is tasty in stews, marinades, and even salad dressings.

    herbes de Provence - a spice blend that usually contains Provence spices like thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano and often a touch of lavender. If you cannot find it at your local store and are looking for a simple substitution, dried rosemary works great in this recipe.

    oil - you can use any flavorless oil or olive oil in this recipe.

    How to Roast Rack of Lamb

    You can cook this recipe two ways: cutting the chops into double chops, or leaving the rack whole. Both work great, but my preference is to cut the chops into pairs of two to get the most surface area seasoned and dressed.

    First, slice the lamb chops into pairs of two, lay out the lamb, and sprinkle each side with the Herbes de Provence, and optional salt.

    Next, blend, whisk, or mix in a food processor the garlic, dijon mustard, pomegranate molasses, and oil together to make the dressing. Spoon the vinaigrette dressing on just one side of the lamb.

    Raw pieces of rack of lamb on a broiling pan.

    Broil the lamb in the oven on high, until the top side is browned. This should take about 5 minutes. Then, flip the lamb over, and spoon the vinaigrette dressing on the other side of the lamb. Broil on the second side for 5 more minutes. Then turn the oven temperature to 350F and roast until the lamb’s internal temperature reads 135F. Pull from oven and let rest until internal temp reaches 145F (medium-rare). See note below for USDA internal temperature guidelines. You can do this with an instant-read thermometer.

    Note: The USDA recommends 145F minimum internal temperature for lamb with a 3-minute rest, 145F (medium-rare) or 160F (medium). I take the lamb out of the oven around 135F and rest it for up to 10 minutes to get up to USDA’s end temperature of 145F because I prefer it more rare. It does continue to cook slightly once removed from the oven.

    Cooked rack of lamb on a cutting board.

    Let the lamb rest an additional 5 minutes before serving.

    Rack of Lamb FAQs

    How do you know the lamb is cooked perfectly medium rare?

    Cook until the lamb’s internal temperature reads 135F. Pull from the heat source and let rest until internal temp reaches 145F (medium-rare).

    How many does a rack of lamb serve?

    A small rack will serve two and a large rack can serve up to 4. The average weight is 1.6-2.2 pounds, but you can find them anywhere from 1-3 lbs. 

    Why is rack of lamb so expensive?

    Rack of lamb is the most popular part of the animal, and the most popular for restaurants to buy. Because of the demand and lower production quantities of the animal, the rack can be very expensive.

    Rack of lamb chops on a plate.

    What to Serve with Rack of Lamb

    My favorite thing to serve with this recipe is a cauliflower basil puree. Here is how you make it:

    While the lamb cooking, bring the cauliflower florets (equivalent of one head of cauliflower) and 1 cup chicken stock to boil, covered. Steam 10-12 minutes until tender, but still firm. Add to a blender with the 4 cloves of garlic and 1 full handful of basil leaves. Blend until pureed. Add more stock (or water) if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Here are some other delicious things to serve with this lamb:

    • Grapefruit Fennel Salad with Cactus Pear Vinaigrette
    • Persian Steamed Rice - Saffron Optional
    • Roasted radicchio with persimmon.
      Roasted Radicchio & Persimmon Salad

    More Delicious Lamb Recipes

    As a part of a proportional diet, I try to have a higher ratio of vegetables to meat in my diet, and one of the reasons I do this is so that when I do buy and cook meat like lamb, I can put the time and effort into prioritizing locally sourced, high-quality meat. I want to be able to enjoy the best quality meat that I can and reducing the frequency that I eat it and portion size allows me to do that.

    • Rack of lamb standing upright on a plate.
      Garlic & Herb Rack of Lamb
    • Lamb Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Avocado Lime Sauce
    • Sesame Thyme Rack of Lamb
    • Sumac Roasted Lamb with Simple Salad

    I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

    Pomegranate Molasses Lamb with Romanesco Cauliflower Basil Puree | Proportional Plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Pomegranate Molasses Lamb

    This recipe is actually a secret weapon of mine - Whenever I miss my sister, I bribe her to come over by making this Pomegranate Molasses Lamb. If you have 25 minutes to spare and want a delicious meal, this should be your go-to.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Resting Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: American, Persian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 971kcal
    Author: Candice

    Equipment

    • Thermometer

    Ingredients

    Ingredients:

    • 2 lbs. rack of lamb
    • 2 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
    • 5 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
    • ¼ cup pomegranate molasses

    Instructions

    • Trim the fat on the lamb so there is only ~⅛″ of fat. We want to keep some fat because we aren’t using any oil.
    • Liberally sprinkle the Herbes de Provence on all sides of the lamb.
    • Blend or food process the garlic, dijon, oil, and pomegranate molasses. Spoon the vinaigrette on one side of the lamb.
    • Broil the lamb in the oven on high, until the top side is browned, ~5 minutes.
    • Flip the lamb. Spoon the vinaigrette on the other side of the lamb.
    • Broil on the second side for 5 more minutes. Then turn the oven temperature to 350F and roast until the lamb’s internal temperature reads 135F. Pull from oven and let rest until internal temp reaches 145F (medium-rare)*.
    • Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    If you are cooking this as a full rack, you can follow the same directions, and just make sure you cook until internal temperature reads 145 (medium rare), 160 (medium). It will take longer.
    You should trim most of the fat from the rack before cooking. The fat adds a great flavor, but if you leave it all it won't render down properly and you will be left with an unpleasant fat layer. Furthermore, if you are cooking it over fire or under a broiler, the fat can catch fire, which is dangerous. 
    The USDA recommends 145F minimum internal temperature for lamb with a 3-minute rest, 145F (medium-rare) or 160F (medium). I take the lamb out of the oven around 135F and rest it for up to 10 minutes to get up to USDA’s end temperature of 145F because I prefer it rarer. It does continue to cook slightly once removed from the oven.
    Depending on the size of the rack, a rack of lamb can serve anywhere from 2-4 people. The average weight is 1.6-2.2 pounds, but you can find them anywhere from 1-3 lbs. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 971kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 85g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 6mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.

    This post was originally published in January of 2019 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips in December of 2020.

    « Cardamom Ghee Molasses Cookies
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    1. Mark

      July 24, 2023 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favorite recipes. Everyone I make it for is blown away! This is a five star restaurant meal. I usually spritz the meat with oil and broil the meat with just the spices then baste with the sauce while baking. I'm sure it is good either way. I also add a little extra Dijon to the sauce now after a fortunate mistake. Once I tried the cauliflower basil puree. It was good and made it look fancy but I don't think it needs it.

      Reply
      • Candice

        July 25, 2023 at 8:25 am

        Thank you for taking the time to share, Mark! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Pomegranate molasses and Dijon are wonderful together... I'm going to have to try it that way next time. Enjoy, and thanks again!

        Reply
    2. Jerry Frasher

      May 09, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      I agree with you

      Reply

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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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