This sous vide rack of lamb recipe with herby feta sauce is sure to be a winner whether you’re serving it for a holiday meal or just Sunday night. Two to three hours at 130 degrees F creates the most beautiful, medium-rare rack of lamb.
If there is one type of meat that should always be cooked sous vide, it’s lamb. Medium-rare perfection, every single time, for a drool worthy presentation.
This recipe for rack of lamb is excellent for family gatherings, holiday feasts, or just a Sunday night dinner. I’ll be honest: my husband and I split an entire rack and could have happily eaten more.
In my opinion, medium-rare is ideal for rack of lamb which can be accomplished by sous viding for 2-3 hours at 130 degrees F, but if you prefer a different temperature, I provide options below.
If you’re after more sous vide lamb recipes, don’t worry, I’ve got ’em!
What to look for when buying a rack of lamb
As with all specialty cuts (and frankly, just everything), Porter Road is my go-to for purchasing lamb.
Porter Road‘s lamb is incredible because they feed them a mixture of non-GMO grain and a diet of unlimited grass. This lifestyle creates a tender piece of meat resulting in a delicious, much milder (and less gamy) flavor.
When determining quantity, aim for .75 pounds per person. There’s a lot of bone and fat in this cut which is why we need so much.
If you get racks that are larger than 2 pounds, I recommend cutting them in half. This way, they’ll be easier to vacuum seal and fit in your water bath.
What you need to make sous vide rack of lamb
Luckily, you don’t need much! In terms of equipment, you’ll need:
- An immersion circulator – I recommend the Vesta Precision Imersa Elite
- A container (you can just use a stockpot, or my favorite sous vide containers are Everie containers)
- A vacuum sealer, like the Vesta Precision Vac n Seal, or simply a plastic zipper top bag. I have a blog post all about air removal methods to help you out!
- A good knife. This is my favorite knife!
For the lamb, you’ll need:
- A rack of lamb. I recommend purchasing from Porter Road.
- An Italian herb blend, like this one from Primal Palate.
- Sumac. You can skip this… but it really adds delicious flavor!
- Garlic powder. Any will do!
- Salt. I love Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt forever and always.
Time and Temperature for Sous Vide Lamb Rack
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I highly recommend going medium-rare for your temperature. Please do it. But if you must stray… you can.
| Result | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 125 degrees F | 2-3 hours |
| Medium-Rare | 130 degrees F | 2-3 hours |
| Medium | 135 degrees F | 2-3 hours |
| Medium-Well | 140 degrees F | 2-3 hours |
How to Make Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Herby Feta Sauce
Start by preheating your water bath to your desired temperature based on the chart above with your immersion circulator. Again, go for 130 degrees F!
Mix together salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and sumac and rub down the rack of lamb – season thoroughly!
Vacuum seal the seasoned lamb rack and add to the preheated water bath. Cook for 2-3 hours.
After the lamb is done cooking, preheat the broiler on your oven to high. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Place the lamb rack on the cookie sheet, fat cap up, and broil until golden brown.
To make the sauce, mix together yogurt, feta, lemon, parsley, mint, and salt.
Slice the rack along the bones and serve with the herby feta sauce!
What to serve with sous vide rack of lamb
I think this dish is perfect served with roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes, but here are some other fun ideas!
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Grilled Corn Salad
- Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms in Rosemary Red Wine Cream Sauce
- Warm Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
Get the Recipe:
Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Herby Feta Sauce
Ingredients
Lamb
- 1 rack of lamb, 1.3-2 pounds
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Herby Feta Sauce
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat water bath using your immersion circulator to 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium-rare, 138 degrees F (59 degrees C) for medium, and 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for medium-well. I highly recommend medium-rare.
- Mix together the kosher salt, Italian seasoning, sumac, and garlic powder. Season the rack of lamb generously with the mixture.
- Place the lamb rack in vacuum sealable bag and vacuum seal. Add to preheated water bath and cook for 2-3 hours.
- While the lamb is cooking, prep the sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When done cooking, remove the lamb rack from vacuum sealed bag and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat your oven’s broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place lamb on baking sheet fat cap side up and place under broiler. Broil until browned, then flip and broil until the other side is browned.
- Cut along the bones using a sharp chef's knife.
- Serve with feta herb sauce.
I’d always made these as “lollipops” with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic, then grilled. So touchy to grill the individual ribs though and get them cooked right. Tried this sous vide recipe when it was storming out so didn’t want to grill outdoors. So easy, just as flavorful, and no risk of overcooked grey lamb! I am sold. The sumac gives the same pop of citrus as the lemon zest did so exactly the same flavor profile, better more consistent texture, and actually far less work!