I have a rack of lamb question

[valeriiieee]

Since rack of lamb is expensive I can't afford to make mistakes.
It is my moms, my SIL and my favorite I would like to do make it as a group effort and cook it just for/with the woman in our family.
My question.
I read a recipe that says I have to brown the rack in a pan before it goes into the oven.
If I put it in the oven bone side down, does it not get brown that way?
Also what temperature do I use? One recipe said F350, another said F400.

[Chrisnstar]

Hmmmmmm... Ben, where are you? Our resident lamb expert!

chris

[Mary Ann]

Use the slower oven for longer if it's bigger; smaller roasts I'd go with the higher heat. Use a thermometer, and don't go a minute longer than necessary.

I would think it'd be hard to brown a rack of lamb in a pan. All the muscle is sort of enclosed. If it was me, I'd make a mire poix and baste with that. Do you know how to make it? If it's onion-y, especially Vidalia onion-y, the sugars in the mire poix should caramelize nicely on it. And the smell would be heaven.

[valeriiieee]

[quoteIf it was me, I'd make a mire poix and baste with that. Do you know how to make it? ][/quote]

No I have no idea what that is.

I know my mom makes a big pan of caramelized onions and we put them on Hamburgers, with melted brie-he-he.
Are Vidalia onions what they call Hawaiian onions here, sweet onions?
Would you pls. tell me how to make the mire poix? I dead serious about making the rack of lamb.

And how about black forest trifle for desert?

[Mary Ann]

Mire poix is a French thing. You take a goober of butter or a glug of good olive oil and put it in a moderate pan, and add very finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery. You cook them until they're soft and fragrant. You might even glug in a bit of rainwater Madeira and cook it to a candy syrup, and then ladle that on your lamb.

Mire poix is a base for lots of different foods like soups and the like. It's sort of like duxelles, the very finely chopped/grated mushroom stuff that lies between the beef tenderloin and the puff pastry in Beef Wellington in that it's a finely chopped veggie that's cooked to an essence and then is extremely flavorful.

And Vidalia onions are a special kind of onion that comes from just one place in Georgia. Kind of like only champagne can come from champagne, ya know? They're amazingly sweet, without the intense heat and umm, digestive upset that things in the onion family can sometimes cause. They're delicious sliced raw with fresh tomatoes olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and a bit of herbs like oregano or thyme. They're also dynamite in big slabs raw on burgers. Some people eat them like apples, but I'm not that motivated. They're only available for a short time each year, and they don't store well. So like beaujoulais season, you eat them when you can get them, and when they're gone they're gone.

And the black forest trifle sounds heavenly! Care to share a recipe?

[Mary Ann]

Oh, and you *are* putting rosemary and garlic on this lamb too, right?

[ben]

Browning the rack in a pan before putting it in the oven sears it & supposedly helps keep the juices in and keep it moist. That's not really true. Letting the roast rest after it cooks is what makes it moist. Searing it, however, DOES give it a fabulous flavour. It also gives the outside a lovely crisp, not mushy, texture & appearance. Browning is easy, but make sure you have the exhasut fan going or your whole house will smell like lamb for weeks! (That sounds okay until you realize your SHEETS smell like roast lamb! Eww!)

Otherwise, Mary Ann is dead on

Oh, right, one more thing. Don't cook the lamb to it's fully done temp (I don't remember what that is for lamb). Pull it out of the oven 5-10 degress lower, then let is rest, tented with foil. It will come up to the correct temp. This resting will make it moist, not tough and chewy like bad, over-cooked meat.

MaryAnn, we don't get Vidalia's over here, at least not in WA. We get Walla Wallas, which are also a sweet, white onion. From Walla Walla...

[Mary Ann]

I've had Walla Wallas before and they are delicious, but they're not quite as good as Vidalias. I don't know what it is about their soil, but geez they're remarkable onions! I have visions of the entire county being covered in onions; parking lot medians, everything.

I'll have to try the tenting thing. What a great idea! Overdone meat is a crime, especially something so succulent as a rack of lamb. Thanks Ben!

[valeriiieee]

hanks Mary-Ann and Ben, this makes it a lot more clear.
I will check at the posh produce market and see if they have Vidalia. I have seen Wall-Walla's here amnd of course the Hawaian onions which are sweet.

(That sounds okay until you realize your SHEETS smell like roast lamb! Eww!)

don't tell me you have an open fire pit in your bedroom, ROFLMAO!!!

[valeriiieee]

Thanks Mary-Ann and Ben, this makes it a lot more clear.
I will check at the posh produce market and see if they have Vidalia. I have seen Wall-Walla's here and of course the Hawaiian onions which are sweet.

(That sounds okay until you realize your SHEETS smell like roast lamb! Eww!)

don't tell me you have an open fire pit in your bedroom, ROFLMAO!!!

I will ask my Mom to post the trifle recipe. She is the queen if trifle, makes everything from traditional English (with raspberries, hummmm and lots of Dry Sack Sherry), to peach and black forest. But I don't think there is anything written down, she made them up herself. But I will ask.

[Chrisnstar]

Ok, so how was dinner?

chris

[noblesseoblige]

Chris we have not made it yet. We were going tp make it coming Sunday but Tapi broke her foot last night. Plus James has a recital Sunday, he is taking Violin lessons. Have to wait until Tapi is off the pain meds - no pills and red wine, not even Motrin.

[Mary Ann]

Could you really?!?! You mean you have them even in the wintertime? That's unheard of here. They're the best for salads, burgers, etc. Mmmm! I do believe I'll take you up on it, especially when the hunger for the Real Thing gets strong in fall and winter.

Thankyou so much, Tricia! ;D