How to Cook Rack of Lamb in a Steam Oven

Nothing beats roasting a lamb rack in a steam oven for fabulous flavor and texture. Follow these proven tips for the best results.

Roasting an expensive cut of meat can be intimidating, but there is a foolproof technique to ensure perfection. Even though this lean, tender roast has a good amount of fat, if it is cooked at too high a temperature, the edges of the meat will overcook and dry out. The solution? Cook the lamb at a low temperature and finish it with high heat. 

Suppose your steam oven features a low-temperature cooking mode, which is ideal for slow cooking. If your oven doesn't have that feature, use the combination Convection+Steam mode. The key is to keep the temperature below 200 F. Because the cooking will be finished with high heat, it is essential to cook the meat to a lower internal temperature than the desired finished temperature as the internal temperature will rise during the final high heat phase of the cooking.

For this recipe, I used a domestic (USA) rack of lamb that weighed 2 ⅓ lbs. The chops were meaty, and it took about 40 minutes for the meat to reach an internal temperature of 125 F. After the first cooking phase is complete, remove the lamb from the oven to let it rest and change the oven mode to Convection 450 F to finish the cooking. The second cooking phase will take approximately 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 rack of lamb approx 2 lbs (there are 8 chops per rack, so adjust the quantity as needed)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced

1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

PREPARATION

Combine the herbs, salt, and olive oil. Lightly score the fat, taking care not to cut into the meat, and spread the mixture evenly over the surface. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Heat the steam oven in the low-temperature cooking mode or Combination Convection Steam mode to 200 F. 

Low-temperature roasting is the way to go; try Prime Rib, cooked in the steam oven!

Place the roast on a shallow-rimmed baking sheet and slide it into the oven. If your oven has a meat probe, insert it and program the internal temperature to 120 - 125 F, depending on your preference. If your oven doesn’t have a probe, set the timer for 30 (for less meaty chops) to 40 minutes and check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer to determine the degree of doneness.

Remove the roast from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 10 minutes.  Change the oven mode to Convection 450 F, and when heated, cook the lamb for approximately 10 minutes until the crust is golden.  Allow the lamb to rest for a few minutes before carving.

Serves 4 people with two chops per person