![\"BBQ](\"https:\/\/www.jameswhelanbutchers.com\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/BBQ-Lamb-Cutlets.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOne of the greatest secrets to excellent food is the old and familiar adage, \u201ckeep it simple!\u201d \u00a0If you are really clever you will also have twigged that sometimes the ingredients of any dish can do the talking for you. \u00a0A good quality, flavoursome piece of meat and the freshest vegetables you can find are often all you need to have them cheering in the aisles and marvelling at your culinary skills. \u00a0The difficulty is that somewhere along the line simplicity was traded for the smoke and mirrors antics of the professional and celebrity chef. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The idea that some things can never be reproduced in a domestic kitchen to any great degree of competency is, in my opinion, nonsense.<\/p>\n
Now before I insult all my good friends in the industry, I don\u2019t deny the talent, craft, skill and dedication of the professional, but it depends on an entirely different set of criteria to that of your average family cook. \u00a0My thesis is that while Joe and Josephine Blogs will always marvel at the labour intensive \u2018handmade, truffle filled, star shaped ravioli with a little butter and mushroom jus\u2019 on their occasional visit to a restaurant, it doesn\u2019t mean that the rest of the time at home means bland food hell. \u00a0We eat every day!\u00a0<\/p>\n
What we sometimes need is a sense of adventure; a desire to try something new but not necessarily anything too complicated. \u00a0\u00a0For example at this time of year why not cook a rack of lamb? \u00a0This is something that is often seen as only perfected by the professional. \u00a0I disagree. \u00a0The key to this is buying the best lamb you can get your hands on and then following the traditional rules of cooking it. \u00a0With a little preparation, the meat itself and the oven do all the work! \u00a0The same theory applies to the accompaniments. \u00a0Two excellently chosen sides will trump quantity or variety any day.<\/p>\n
So why are people so afraid of rack of lamb? \u00a0I suppose it is considered a luxurious dish, probably stemming from the fact that it is the most tender part of the lamb and therefore considered quite exclusive. It also has a regal look about it and that\u2019s why sometimes you see those little \u2018chef hats\u2019 covering the ribs. \u00a0Preparing the rack involves cleaning the fat of those \u2018sticky out\u2019 bones, (this technique is called \u2018frenching\u2019) however, if you go to a good butcher they will do that for you. \u00a0I would suggest three to four cutlets per person. \u00a0![\"Rack](\"https:\/\/www.jameswhelanbutchers.com\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/Rack-of-Lamb-with-Black-Pudding-and-Red-Wine-Jus.jpg\")
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Take your time when preparing the lamb. \u00a0I like to coat it in a little oil mixture that I make using olive oil, chopped fresh rosemary, two garlic cloves (chopped) and a pinch of mustard powder. \u00a0I lightly coat the rack with this mixture and then I heat some oil in an oven proof pan and sear the meat. \u00a0Do not put the meat into the pan until it is good and hot and then be very careful not to let it burn. \u00a0It will only take approximately 2 minutes on each side to sear. \u00a0Do not leave it go past 3 minutes or you could be in trouble. \u00a0\u00a0Once it is seared, wipe any excess fat from the meat, cover the bone tips with a little tinfoil to stop them going black during cooking and put the meat, bone side down onto an oven proof dish ready for the preheated oven. \u00a0You could, if you wanted to, roll the whole piece in breadcrumbs at this point, but that is optional.<\/p>\n
Usually you are trying to achieve a nice brown colour on the outside with a little pink still in the centre of each cutlet. \u00a0Have the oven preheated and then the general rule of thumb is 20 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium rare; the latter being my preference. \u00a0\u00a0Once again I make the comment about owning a meat thermometer. \u00a0It is a foolproof way of checking if the meat is cooked through and no kitchen should be without one.<\/p>\n
Like any meat it should be left to rest for 10 to 20 minutes before carving and if you want a real sense of theatre then do so at the table! \u00a0This is not for the fainthearted and I prefer to cut and plate up out of sight, that way you can wipe away any drips before you present it to a guest.<\/p>\n
At James Whelan Butchers we take particular pride in our naturally reared, wholesome Tipperary lamb with its deep red colour and remarkably sweet, grass fed taste. \u00a0Prepare to wow your guests with this sophisticated roast that makes for beautiful presentation and is easy to carve, making it a perennial dinner party favourite. \u00a0There are several spring lamb recipes and serving ideas on our website so do check that out also and don\u2019t let anyone tell you that a perfect rack of lamb is only achievable in a restaurant. \u00a0Try it out this weekend and see if home cooking a rack of lamb is not only delicious but tremendous value as well.<\/p>\n
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of \u00a0James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Food Market Monkstown and Avoca Rathcoole.\u00a0Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the greatest secrets to excellent food is the old and familiar adage, \u201ckeep it simple!\u201d \u00a0If you are really clever you will also have twigged that sometimes the ingredients of any dish can do the talking for you. \u00a0A good quality, flavoursome piece of meat and the freshest vegetables you can find are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[25,1],"tags":[566,1022,571,48,1024,47,237,1025,810,1023],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n