Spit Roaster Recipe: Rack of Lamb

Cooking an impressive yet delectable rack of lamb on a spit rotisserie can be the perfect showstopper at your next BBQ. And while it may seem intimidating, with just a few simple tips and tricks, you'll be well on your way to creating a delicious dish that is sure to impress any food connoisseur. In this blog post, we will walk you through all the steps needed in order to ensure that your rack of lamb comes out succulent and juicy every time. Learn how to prep the meat properly, assemble and tend to your spit rotisserie setup, the right way to season and baste your lamb for incredible flavour plus everything you need to know when cooking up this Australian Classic. 

In this blog post:

1. Choose the Best Cuts of Lamb for Spit Roasting 

2. Preparing the Lamb Rack for Cooking 

3. Get Ready to Rotisserie Grill the Lamb Rack 

4. Timing, Temperature and Seasoning Matters 

5. Tips for Perfectly Cooked Lamb Rack on a Spit Rotisserie 

6. Serving Recommendations For Your Deliciously Cooked Lamb Rack

Choose the best cuts of Lamb for Spit Roasting

If you're an aspiring grill master looking for juicy, tender and flavorful lamb, choosing the best cuts of lamb for spit-roasting is key. We highly recommend developing a good relationship with your local butcher. Have discussions with them and learn from their incredible knowledge. 

1. When buying lamb, look for meat that is brownish-pink with a layer of creamy white fat. Avoid lamb that is grey in colour, excessively bloody or has very yellow greasy fat. The age and breed of the animal can make colour vary. Rare lamb breeds or older animals tend to have more deeply coloured flesh.

2. Flavour: Some cuts of lamb have a more gamey flavour than others because of their overall fat content. If that flavour isn’t to your liking, avoid cuts from the shoulder, shank and leg. This includes shoulder chops, bone-in or boneless legs of lamb, and stew meat. Instead, look at leaner cuts like rib chops, loin chops and rack of lamb, which have less fat and taste sweeter.

3. Lamb bones should be pink in colour. The rib bones from the middle of the carcass are good examples of this. Known to the butcher as ‘cherry ribs’, they are bright pink when the lamb is young. As the animal gets older, the bones lose their pinkness and become whiter.

4. Look for joints that are plump and nicely rounded with almost dry skin, but not dried out or patchy from over-exposure.

Preparing the Lamb Rack for Cooking 

Remove any excess fat from the surface of the lamb and trim off any hanging fat pieces. This ensures that the fat renders during cooking for full flavour and will also help keep your roasting time at an even pace. 

If your butcher hasn’t already ‘Frenched’ the bones, definitely go ahead and remove as much of the fat from the bone as possible. You may also wish to wrap these bones with aluminium foil to avoid them burning. 

Next, season your lamb with Heath Riles Garlic Butter as a base layer then top with Flaming Coals Traditional Lamb BBQ rub. Make sure you rub in over all sides. Now you are ready to load your spit skewer. 

Finally, load your lamb rack onto your spit bar or skewer and lock it into position using a pair of compatible chicken prongs. 

Get Ready to Rotisserie Grill the Lamb Rack

Get ready to fire up the rotisserie because it's time to roast your lamb rack! 

Light your charcoal using your preferred method. In today’s cook, we used Flaming Coals lump charcoal and chimney. Once it’s piping hot, pour it into the base of your rotisserie and get ready to go!

Prepare your basting mixture prior to getting your lamb onto the rotisserie. Basting throughout the roasting process for extra flavour and to prevent drying, but remember not to overpower your meat. We highly recommend a 50:50 mixture of lemon juice and olive oil. Baste using a rosemary sprig. 

Finally, keep in mind that slow roasting is essential to ensure a full-bodied flavour so no need to rush it! When it comes time to chow down, you'll be grateful for all your hard work!

Timing, Temperature and Seasoning Matters 

Timing, temperature, and seasoning are three crucial factors to consider in order to ensure a perfectly cooked rack of lamb. It's important to keep an eye on the timer as overcooking can cause the meat to become dry and tough. Likewise, if it's taken off too early, the lamb won't be cooked through properly. An instant-read thermometer is an essential piece of equipment for best results; the internal temperature should reach 149°F or 65°C. 

Finally, seasoning can make all the difference between an average meal and a truly memorable one! The perfect blend of herbs and spices will elevate your rotisserie lamb from ho-hum to amazing in no time. As we have already mentioned we used Heath Riles Garlic Butter, Flaming Coals Traditional Lamb dry rubs. We basted every 10-15 minutes with our olive oil and lemon juice mixture. 

Tips for Perfectly Cooked Lamb Rack on a Spit Rotisserie 

For a perfectly cooked lamb rack on a spit rotisserie, it is important to ensure:

1. You get your internal temperatures correct. Lamb can go from underdone to chewy and overcooked very quickly. Be on top of your temps. 

2. Ensuring the height of your skewer above the charcoal is in the right position will ensure a quick and efficient cook. We generally say you should be able to hold your hand under the meat for no shorter or longer than 3 seconds. 

3. Basting your meat regularly will ensure it doesn’t dry out and maintains its juices and flavour. 

4. Ensure your motor is spinning at a consistent speed to ensure your lamb cooks evenly. 

5. Maintain your charcoal to ensure there isn’t a hot spot, and evenly distribute the charcoal at the base of the spit rotisserie. 

Doing this should give you a juicy and tender lamb rack every time!

Serving Recommendations For Your Deliciously Cooked Lamb Rack

When you pull your succulent and juicy lamb rack off of the spit rotisserie, you'll want to make sure that you are serving it with accompaniments that will help bring out all of its flavours. For a side dish to help elevate the bold flavours from the rotisserie cooking, consider sautéed vegetables, such as spinach or kale, seasoned with garlic and a light drizzle of olive oil. We also highly recommend our ‘Parmesan garlic smoked potatoes Recipe. 

Your guests are sure to love the deliciousness that comes from this amazing cooking method.

Cooking a lamb rack on a spit rotisserie can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but with these tips and tricks, you can easily master this impressive cooking skill. When all is said and done and the lamb is cooked to your satisfaction, enjoy your perfectly seasoned dish with friends or family. Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes with knowing you cooked a delicious and succulent meal. And don't forget to check out our amazing free spit-roasting recipes in our learning centre! We guarantee there will be something for everyone's taste buds in our selection. Here's to more amazing meals cooked on the rotisserie with an even bigger taste and flavour!

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by: Michael Wilkie