Lamb Rib Recipe

Make the yogurt barbecue glaze

In a medium bowl whisk together 1.5 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil until smooth.

Stir in the minced garlic, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1.5 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (if using). Adjust seasoning to taste — the glaze should be tangy, slightly sweet and well seasoned because it will be diluted a bit while cooking.

Reserve about 1/3 cup of the glaze (set aside, covered, in refrigerator) for finishing and basting during the last minutes of cooking. The remainder will be used to marinate the lamb.

Pat the lamb rib racks dry with paper towels. If whole racks are fatty, trim any large excess fat leaving a thin fat cap for flavor.

Lightly score the fat cap with shallow diagonal cuts (being careful not to cut into the meat) so marinade can penetrate.

Dry-brine

Season both sides of the racks evenly with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place racks on a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 1–4 hours (or up to overnight) to dry-brine — this improves flavor and browning.

Remove racks from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to come toward room temperature. Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) if slow-roasting, or prepare a grill for indirect medium heat (about 300–350°F) if grilling/smoking.

Marinate

Generously coat both sides of each lamb rack with the prepared yogurt-barbecue glaze (reserve the previously set-aside 1/3 cup). For best penetration, spread the glaze over the meaty side and between ribs where possible. Let marinated racks sit for 20–30 minutes at room temperature before cooking (if you dry-brined overnight, 20–30 minutes is sufficient).

Cook (oven method - slow roast and glaze)

Place racks meaty side up on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Roast in preheated 275°F (135°C) oven until the internal temperature reaches about 115–120°F (46–49°C) for medium-rare after carryover (this usually takes 40–60 minutes depending on rack size). Every 15–20 minutes you can baste lightly with the pan juices or a little additional glaze to maintain moisture, but avoid heavy glazing until the end to prevent burning.

Finish under high heat

Increase oven temperature to 475°F (245°C) or preheat a broiler. Brush the reserved 1/3 cup yogurt-barbecue glaze evenly over the racks. Return to the oven and roast/broil for 4–8 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 125–130°F (52–54°C) for medium-rare to medium. Remove when done and let rest 10 minutes; carryover will raise temperature a few degrees. If using a grill, move racks to direct heat and sear 2–4 minutes per side while brushing with reserved glaze until caramelized.

Alternative cook (grill/smoker method)

On a grill or smoker set for indirect heat at 275–300°F (135–149°C), cook racks meat-side up until internal temp reaches 115–120°F (46–49°C). During the last 10–15 minutes move to direct heat and brush with reserved glaze, turning as needed to caramelize without charring (about 2–6 minutes).

After resting 10 minutes, slice between the ribs into individual chops or cut the racks into sections for serving.

While ribs rest, stir the lemon zest and chopped fresh mint into the extra 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (or use portion of reserved glaze) to make a bright finishing sauce.

Plate the sliced lamb ribs, brush a little of the finishing sauce over the meat, and spoon any remaining sauce alongside. Garnish with additional chopped mint and a light sprinkle of flaky salt if desired.