Grilled Rack of Lamb with Fresh Herb Wet Rub

A grilled Rack of Lamb is one of the most flavorful meats you can cook. Follow this recipe for a rack of lamb with a fresh herb wet rub cooked on a charcoal grill.

The racks of lamb are coated in a fresh herb wet rub; then, they sear over direct heat, creating a flavorful crust. The grill temperature is brought down to finish cooking them indirectly to a perfect medium-rare. 

This grilled lamb recipe is excellent for the holidays because it’s not an all-day event on the grill by no means. You can prep ahead, and the cook only takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Let us show you how!

What Is Rack Of Lamb?

A rack of lamb is the cut of lamb that comes from the rib section. A whole lamb rack usually contains 8-9 ribs per rack.

For this recipe, you need two racks of lamb with the bones “Frenched.” Frenching refers to cutting the excess meat, fat, and silver skin away from the bones, exposing them so you can grab them easily. Not to mention it makes for a jaw-dropping presentation.

Learn more about Frenching Lamb HERE.

Wet Rub Vs. Dry Rub

For this recipe, we marinate and cook the lamb with a fresh herb wet rub. This is the first time we have used a wet rub in a long while. We use dry rubs for almost everything. It was a nice change and a way to get creative on the grill. 

A wet rub is different from a dry rub in that it usually contains oil or some other type of liquid, whereas a dry rub uses only the meat’s moisture to adhere. 

• Wet rubs work best for slow-cooking internally and charring the outside.
• A wet rub acts as a marinade to flavor and tenderize the meat and keeps it from drying out.

Sear First or Reverse Sear?

We usually like to reverse-sear meat, but that is not the case for the lamb. A reverse sear is when you slow cook a piece of meat, stoke up the grill, and sear the cooked meat over direct flame. Reverse searing is better for thicker cuts of meat like beef tenderloin or tri-tip because it gives you consistency and color, whereas lamb chops are thin in comparison and don’t need to be cooked very long. 

We seared the lamb first to lock the delicious wet rub onto the meat. Not only does the wet rub flavor the meat, but it also locks juices into the meat. 

Whether you sear at the beginning or the end of the cook, you’ll still have to put the meat on the grill and take it back off to get the grill’s temperature, where you need it, so that you won’t overcook the meat.  

Ingredients Needed to Make the Wet Rub

• Parsley: Italian flat-leaf parsley has a robust flavor.
• Rosemary: Fresh rosemary is best, but you can substitute it with two teaspoons of dried rosemary if you don’t have it.
• Thyme: Fresh, stems removed, and slightly minced. You can use one teaspoon of dried thyme if you don’t have fresh. If you don’t have thyme, use oregano or marjoram as a substitute.
• Sage: Fresh sage is aromatic. However, the robust flavor of the lamb can handle it. Substitute with ½ teaspoon of dried sage. 
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic and whole cloves of garlic. The fresh garlic becomes sweet as it cooks and doesn’t compare to garlic powder, but you can use two tablespoons of garlic powder if you don’t have any fresh cloves.
• Shallot: Shallots have a mild, sweet onion taste. Substitute with onion, but if you do, use a sweet variety.
• Dijon Mustard: Not only does it help to emulsify the rub, but it also helps to tenderize the meat. 
• Oil: extra virgin olive oil works best because it has a higher smoke point.
• Seasoning: Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

How To Prepare the Lamb for the Wet Rub

The wet rub can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance if appropriately sealed in an airtight container until needed. We do not recommend making it further in advance as the fresh herbs lose their potency. 

1. Rinse the lamb chops under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Trim off any excess fat and silver skin from the meat and bones.
3. Roughly chop the herbs, garlic, and shallots and pulse in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in the mustard and slowly blend in the olive oil until it forms a thick paste.
4. Apply the fresh herb wet rub generously to both sides of the racks of lamb.
5. Allow the lamb to sit with the rub for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before firing up the grill. 

How To Grill Rack of Lamb on a Weber Charcoal Grill

For this cook, David uses his Weber Performer kettle-style grill. The grill is set up for direct high heat for searing the lamb. Once the lamb is seared it is removed, and the grill is cooled down to finish off the cook.

Searing the Lamb

1. Prepare the grill for the direct high heat of 400+ degrees F.
2. Lay each rack of lamb directly over the hot coals and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side. Once they sear on both sides, remove the lamb from the grill to set up for indirect heat.

The rub will more than likely make the lamb flame up. Use the lid of the grill to help snuff out the fire.

Grilling the Lamb with a Little Smoke

When cooking the lamb indirectly, you can add a piece or two of cherry wood chunks to the coals for extra flavor. This is a quick cook, and the smoke flavor is very mild. 

Lamb can take on a variety of different woods very well. Fruit woods such as cherry, apple, and pecan work nicely, and more robust wood smoke flavors like oak, hickory, and mesquite.

Allow the grill to cool and prepare it for an indirect medium-high heat of 350-375 degrees F. To do this, you need a cool side and a hot side of the grill so that the meat sits on the cooler side and doesn’t overcook.

While waiting for the grill to cool, interlock the bones of each rack together to support each other so that the bones are pointing up. This is not necessary but makes for an excellent presentation. You could easily lay them flat on the grate also.

How Long Does Lamb Take to Grill?

Grill the lamb indirectly (on the cooler side of the grill) until the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 135 degrees F, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remember, the temperature is more important than the amount of time. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to help monitor the temperature. 

At What Temperature Is Grilled Rack Of Lamb Done?

Lamb is very toothy and not tender at all, less than 130 degrees F. We highly recommend that you grill to an internal temperature of at least 130-135 degrees F.

Use the temperature chart below to help determine when to pull the meat off the grill for the desired doneness. 

Lamb Temperature Cooking Chart

Preferred Doneness	Pull Temp	Target Temp After Rest
Medium rare (recommended)	130-135°F	140-145°F
Medium	150°F	155-160°F
Well done	160°F	165-170°F

Rest The Lamb Before Carving

Carefully remove the racks from the grill and place them on a cutting board tented with foil to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. 

Serving

Use a sharp knife to slice in between the bones. Serve in single ribs or pairs.

Tips

• If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender to prepare the fresh herb wet rub. 
• Save time! The wet rub can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance if appropriately sealed in an airtight container until needed. 
• Use aluminum foil to protect the ends of the bones so they keep fingers clean and will not become brittle and crack.
• Racks of lamb can be found already Frenched all year round.

We hope this grilled lamb rack will appear on your holiday table.

If it does, please let us know how this grilled rack of lamb recipe turns out for you in the comments! Your feedback keeps us going, and we always want to hear your thoughts about our recipes.

Happy Holidays!