Equipment
Ingredients
Glaze
- 240 ml pomegranate syrup
- 341 g honey
- 1 cinnamon, whole stick
- 3 allspice berries
- 1 garlic, crushed
- 1 rosemary, fresh sprig
- 15 ml lemon juice
Lamb
- 1 rack of lamb
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 664 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 85 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 80 g
- Sodium
- 618 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 124 mg
- Potassium
- 740 mg
- Calcium
- 42 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 51 mg
- Phosphorus
- 392 mg
- Zinc
- 4.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.40 mg
- Niacin
- 10.6 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 163 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the roasting pan inside the oven and preheat to 230°C (450°F).
In a small saucepan, combine the pomegranate syrup, honey, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, crushed garlic, and rosemary sprig.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, pour the glaze through a strainer to remove solids, and stir in the lemon juice.
Coat the rack of lamb with olive oil and apply a generous amount of salt and pepper to all sides.
Set the lamb in the hot roasting pan with the fat side facing down and roast for 10 minutes at 230°C (450°F).
Take the pan out of the oven, brush the glaze over the lamb, flip the meat over, and apply glaze to the other side.
Return the lamb to the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 52°C (125°F) for medium-rare.
Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing between the ribs.
Chef's Notes
- Frenched racks of lamb (where the bone is cleaned of fat) provide a cleaner presentation.
- The residual heat will cause the temperature to rise about 3-5°C while resting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store glaze and lamb separately if possible.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze lamb tightly wrapped; glaze in airtight container.
Reheating: Warm lamb gently in a 150°C (300°F) oven until just heated through to avoid overcooking.
Troubleshooting
Glaze is too thin and runs off the meat
Cause: The glaze was not simmered long enough to reduce.
Fix: Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes before basting.
Prevention: Ensure the glaze simmers for the full 20 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
Lamb is tough or overcooked
Cause: The lamb was left in the oven too long or not rested.
Fix: Cannot be fixed; serve with extra glaze to add moisture.
Prevention: Use a meat thermometer to pull the lamb at exactly 52°C (125°F).
Cultural Context
Rack of lamb, particularly with fruit-based glazes, is a celebratory dish often found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Pomegranate, a symbol of fertility and abundance, is frequently used in both sweet and savory dishes during special occasions and holidays, reflecting the region's rich agricultural heritage.
