To Trim Or Not To Trim: Here's What To Do With The Fat On Your Lamb Rack

When you want to make a dinner table extra special, bring out a rack of lamb. Tender, marinade-soaked meat hanging onto the graceful curves of the bones, with a gorgeous fat cap glistening atop the rib — it's no wonder a roast rack of lamb has been the headliner dish in luxury restaurants for decades. Chefs trying out this prized cut of meat for the first time, though, might stumble on a problem. Should all the excess fat be trimmed off or not?

The good news is that there's no wrong answer to this — the "right" approach will entirely depend on your personal preference. Many chefs prefer to keep the fat intact because that's where a lot of the lamb's natural flavor lives. When you roast it, the fat melts right into the meat, essentially giving you a built-in basting system to keep the entire thing moist and tender throughout its stint in the oven. While that's great and all, some chefs prefer to trim the fat off for a practical reason: a really thick cap can take longer to render during cooking. This means you open the rack up to being unevenly cooked, where the meat is perfect but the exterior fat is still chewy rather than crispy. If you're short on time or prefer everything to cook at the same pace, a lighter fat cap means faster, more uniform results.

Can't decide if you want to leave it or cut it off? Well, you can go half-and-half — try leaving about ⅛ or ¼ inch of the fat and crosshatching it. This will still let you enjoy some of that flavor-boosting fat while still having it render nicely as the lamb cooks. And if you decide to trim it down further? That's perfectly fine, too. Your dinner, your rules!

Sure, you can grill your lamb rack as-is — and look, plenty of people do, no judgment. But why not slather it with Dijon mustard before it hits the heat? That fragrant, peppery crust is totally worth the 30 seconds of extra effort. Or, if you want something earthier and less punchy, try giving it a hazelnut crust instead.

The best part about roasted lamb? It plays nice with basically everything. Roasted asparagus is my move — there's something about that slight char against the meat's richness that just works. Oil them up, then hit them with lemon, salt, and pepper. Done. Plus, it looks like you fussed way more than you actually did. Want to go richer? Classic creamed spinach is the answer. It's buttery, luxurious, and cuts right through that savory intensity. For something heartier, risotto will soak up all those beautiful juices like a dream. Roasted potatoes keeps thing straightforward, and couscous also works in a pinch.

If you've still got some time, pile on some roasted veg or a crisp salad to the side. That'll help you cut right through the lamb's savoriness and balance the palate. Now, all that's left to do is uncork a paired red wine — pour generously for yourself and your guests, and toast to a meal well done!