Smoked Rack of Lamb on a Traeger

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Want to know how to smoke a rack of lamb like a true pitmaster?

Lamb rack is a expensive cut, so you don’t want to mess it up! Lucky I have a tried and tested recipe below! 

The combination of smoky goodness and succulent lamb will have your family and friends drooling.

What You Need for Smoked Lamb Rack

Lamb Rack
Rosemary
Sea salt
Pepper
Garlic

Should You Go For Frenched or Plain Lamb Rack

A rack of lamb is the section of ribs taken between the shoulder and the loin.

A standard rack contains anywhere between 6-8 ribs, depending on how it’s cut.

You’ll find most cuts frenched or plain.

Frenching means all the fat and meat is removed off the bone, giving a nice clean ‘handle’.

For those occasions when you want to jazz it up a little.

Racks of ribs are much smaller and leaner, so cook time is much faster than a whole leg lamb roast.

How to Trim the Rack of Lamb

When you buy a rack of lamb it will come in one of three ways.

Untrimmed lamb still has the fat cap in place, covering all the bones.

Semi-frenched is the most common, with some of the fat removed and rib bones visible.

Frenched means most of the fat has been removed and the exposed bones are clear and visible.

Ask your butcher to trim the rack of ribs, if you prefer the frenched version. 

This will save you a lot of time and headaches when you get home.

Once the fat is trimmed to a standard you prefer, it’s time to marinade and season ready for the smoker.

Seasonings and Marinades for Lamb

When we think of lamb, we tend to think of fresh rosemary and garlic cloves for flavor.

But there are many other ways to infuse flavors into your lamb rack. 

Blend fresh herbs and aromatic spices for a fragrant lamb seasoning.

Keep the seasonings simple, to avoid overpowering the natural flavor of the lamb. 

A simple mix of olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, chopped rosemary, and diced garlic are perfect flavors for lamb.

Or try your favorite barbecue rubs for a more earthy smokey flavor. 

Turkish and Middle Eastern seasonings also work well with lamb for a more exotic flavor.

Avoid any seasonings with a sugar base, as the sugar tends to burn with high heat.

Or, you can use a marinade for a bolder dimension of flavor. 

Leave it to soak for at least two hours, or overnight.https://www.simplymeatsmoking.com/recipes/smoked-rack-of-lamb/ https://www.simplymeatsmoking.com/recipes/smoked-garlic-bread-on-a-traeger/

Looking For Lamb Recipes?

Lamb is one of my favorite meat to coo,. That means I have a lot of recipes you can try

Smoked Lamb Chops

Smoked Lamb Shoulder

Smoked Leg of Lamb

Lamb Burgers

Set the smoker temp to 275°F – 300°F  and load the hopper with wood pellets. 

How To Smoke The Rack of Lamb

After marinating and seasoning, it’s time to put the rack of lamb in the smoker.

Set the smoker temp to 275°F – 300°F  and load the hopper with wood pellets. 

Place the lamb on the smoker grill grates in indirect heat, and leave to cook for about 45 minutes. 

A rack of lamb is one of the more delicate, lean cuts of lamb so it won’t need as much time to cook.

You want the internal temperature of the lamb to reach 120°F if you want to reverse sear.

What Temperature to Smoke Lamb Rack At?

You want to smoke lamb rack at 275°- 300°F. 

Lamb is a more delicate cut compared to something like a lamb chop.

To avoid drying it out, it will need some care and attention when on the wood pellet grill.

How Long Will It Take to Smoke a Rack of Lamb?

A rack of lamb will take around 45 minutes to an hour to cook the lamb, but this is only an estimate.

You are better off keeping an eye on the internal temps to check for doneness.

Lamb will continue cooking after it’s removed from the heat. 

So take this into account if you want to reverse sear before serving.  

Reverse Searing

If you plan to reserve sear (this is when you smoke the meat first, then sear at the end) remove it from the grill and increase the smoker temperature to its hottest temperature or use a cast iron skillet on the stove. 

Place the lamb ribs back on and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side to form a nice bark crust.

The internal temps after searing should sit around 135-145°F.

Take off the grill and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes before serving. 

This allows the juices to settle and redistribute to give a lovely juicy cut.

Cut the lamb between the bones to serve.

Best Wood Chips to Use?

One of the great things about lamb is that it’s works well with a range of wood.

Subtle wood chips like cherry and apple work well with the natural beautiful flavors of lamb.

But lamb will hold up equally as well with chips with a strong flavor profile like mesquite and hickory.

Lamb is in for a short amount of cook time in the pellet smoker.

You don’t need to worry about the stronger bold flavor of smoking chips overpowering the meat.

Meth for My Smoked Rack of Lamb Recipe

Step 1 – Prepare the Rack of Lamb

Place the pre-trimmed rack of lamb on a flat work surface.

Generously coat in mustard.

Brush lamb rack with oil, then apply your rosemary seasoning.

Step 2 – Sear the Lamb Rack

First, sear the lamb with fat side down.

Place it over the hottest part of your grill for 5-10 minutes.

Step 3 – Cook the Lamb Racks

Then flip the rack fat side up and place it away from the heat source for the rest of the cook.

Place a meat probe inside to check the temperature until medium rare, 135F.

Step 4 – Reverse Searing The Lamb 

You only need to go this if you didn’t sear at the start.

Increase the grill temp to 400°F.

Place the lamb back on the grill grates on direct heat.

Sear for about 3-5 minutes.

Internal temps should now reach 130-140°F.

Step 5 – Resting and Serving

Remove the racks from the grill and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

Slice up between bones to serve.

Enjoy!

Next time you want to impress at your next barbecue, try a rack of lamb. 

This recipe is sure to give you hero status at your next cookout! 

A few snippets of wisdom will see you well on the way to the perfect lamb lollipops!

What to Serve With Smoked Rack of Lamb

Smoked Mash Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Carrots in Brown Butter

Smoke On!

Charlie

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